Much like other entries on this list, a strong social security network and relatively equal society help make the Netherlands a desirable place to live. Based on a global ranking of happiness levels across 156 countries, Finland has claimed the No. 1. With a high ratio of foreigners calling Finland home, the World Happiness Report indicates co… What is the happiest country in the world? Except for its 10th place ranking for income, the US doesn't rank in the top 10 on measures that make up a happy country in the UN report. Finland is the happiest country in the world 2020 with a total of 7809 happiness points. The United States came in 19th place, dropping one spot since last year and a total of five spots since 2017. Switzerland came in sixth place, followed by Sweden, New Zealand, Canada (the only country in the Americas) and Austria. The freedom and social support enjoyed by the residents also contribute to Canada being one of the happiest countries in the world. So here is a list of the top ten happiest countries in the world. The Capital of Finland is Helsinki and ranks number one in various aspects such as GDP and the overall happiness and well being of the people. Closing the list of the ten happiest countries in the world is Australia with a score of 7.272. One of the best countries to women, Sweden has one of the best education systems, 16 months of paid family leave that can be split between couples after a new child is born and free day-care for children makes some of the reasons why Sweden made it to the list. "What stands out about the happiest and most well connected societies is their resilience and ability to deal with bad things," says Helliwell. The population of the country is estimated to be of 5,258,317. Happy Planet Index: Happiest country in the world named as Costa Rica. The happiest countries in the world are Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, New Zealand, Canada and Austria. The ranking is based on a country’s GDP per capita, social support level, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity and perceptions of corruption. Finns enjoy the largest forest cover per square mile of any country in Europe. Finland. It's followed by Denmark, Norway, Iceland and The Netherlands. Finland has had a few economic slumps in recent years, particularly after the Eurozone crisis, but has been quicker than most countries to bounce back. The reason for their rankings is linked to high life expectancy, good GDP and a strong level of social support. As of March 2020, Finland was ranked the happiest country in the world three times in a row. (CNN) — Norwegians have more reason than ever to celebrate the International Day of Happiness. It is one of the preferred countries for people looking to relocate to the Americas. The happiest country in the world Children growing up in Costa Rica are surrounded by some of the most beautiful and diverse landscapes in the world. Top 10 Happiest Countries in the World based on the 2020 World Happiness Report. Finland has, for the second year in a row, been crowned the happiest county on earth. Sustainable Development Solutions Network has published its ranking of the happiest countries in the world. Theme of this year report is environments for happiness with special attention to the social environment, happiness in urban and rural areas, and the natural environment, including links between happiness and sustainable development. The happiest countries in the world aren’t necessarily the richest, but they are capable of handling an unstable global economy. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2021 worldatlas.com, Countries With The Happiest People In The World, Countries Bordering The Most Other Countries, The Next 10 Countries: The World's Most Likely New Nations. The residents of Sweden enjoy a high life expectancy, quality life, great healthcare, and accessible education. Ranking high in happiness doesn't protect a country's people from violence or trauma, as the recent attacks on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand show. Sweden, it is the Happiest country in the world or should I say the people that live there are, either way it is the best place to live for someone like you. Netherlands 7. Finns enjoy the largest forest cover per square mile of any country in Europe. There has also been an increase of negative emotions, which were also measured and include worry, sadness and anger. They include 12th place for generosity, 37th place for social support, 61st place for freedom and 42nd place for corruption. Finland 6. World happiness index 2020 list included 156 countries. Japan came in 58th place (down from 54th), Russia came in 68th place (down from 59th) and China came in 93rd place (down from 86th). Slovenia's ski slopes, lakes, and culture are world-famous; and the country's attributes help to make it one of the happiest places in the world. Finland ranks first thanks to its low corruption rate, high quality of life, and good governance. It contains articles and rankings of national happiness, based on respondent ratings of their own lives, which the report also correlates with various (quality of) life factors. The compulsive pursuit of substance abuse and addictive behaviors is causing severe unhappiness.". Here's what the report found when it comes to the world's happiest countries: According to the World Happiness Report, the 5 million residents of Finland are the happiest in the world with an aggregated score of 7.632. There's a perfect beach for every week of the year. People in South Sudan are the most unhappy with their lives, according to the survey of 156 countries, followed by Central African Republic (155), Afghanistan (154), Tanzania (153) and Rwanda (152). The World Happiness Report is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness that ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be. Iceland 4. It was relegated to a still impressive second position in 2018 with an aggregated score of 7.594. Join us on a 12-month journey to see them all, capital city bursting with gastronomic creativity, Ice swimming embraced by people of happiest country in the world, Defrosted Finland: How a land of 'sorrow' got happy, Link between social media and depression stronger in teen girls than boys, study says, 5 reasons Bhutan is worth the $250 daily fee. The rankings of the world's happiest countries came from an analysis of data from surveys in 156 countries, including the Gallup World Poll starting in 2005-2006. It's followed by Denmark, Norway, Iceland and The Netherlands. Finland has topped the list of the world’s happiest country over the past few years. The most popular US national park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a happy place for many visitors. Here are the top 20: 1. Australia also scored highly in social support and freedom to make life choices. The 2019 list only changed a little, with Austria nudging Australia out of the top 10 list. The United Kingdom came in 15th place, up from 18th place, while Germany came in 17th place, down from 15th. Bolstered by population growth, overall world happiness has fallen over the past few years, which has mostly been fueled by a sustained drop in India, which came in 140th place this year (versus 133rd place in 2018). In honor of the International Day of Happiness on March 20, the U.N. Located in the Pacific Ocean, the island country has consistently topped the travel wish list of many people around the world. Norway is the second runner-up country in the survey of happiest countries in the world as per 2018. The country has also consistently ranked among the happiest countries because of the high life expectancy, education system, peace, and opportunities for business. The number of people visiting the country has quadrupled in recent years thanks to a global interest in tourism in Iceland. The happiness level of the immigrants was also assessed for the first time in 117 of 156 countries that were involved in the happiness survey in 2018. It has consistently ranked around the top spots due to its free education and health care and the low tax. Switzerland is home to a booming economy, world-class education, clean air, and phenomenal infrastructure. Switzerland 5. Iceland is known for being fair, equal, and peaceful. Israel 12. With a low carbon footprint and investment in education and healthcare the central American nation comes out top Depending which report you use, the United States ranks somewhere around 14 on the list of happiest countries in the world. In addition, Slovenia ties with Singapore as the best country in the world for children, largely for its ability to educate its young while preventing teen pregnancies. Denmark 3. Finland ranks first thanks to its low corruption rate, high quality of life, and good governance. Ranked as the ninth happiest country in the world, Sweden is the lowest-ranked Nordic country by the World Happiness Report. The United Kingdom rose three spots to 15th place this year. Sweden 11. New Zealand 9. It borders Sweden, Norway, and Russia, and is home to two million saunas, against a population of five point three million. See the stunning ice 'castles' that you can visit, Cambodia welcomes 'the world's loneliest elephant', American food should be celebrated, historians say, See couple discover Prohibition-era liquor stashed inside walls, See the view from the world's tallest outdoor elevator, Accents gone wrong and all to do with the letter 'R'. Happiest Countries in the World. The World Happiness Report is an annual publication by the UN Sustainable Development Solution Network that ranks countries across six areas including freedom, corruption, life expectancy, generosity, social support, and GDP. Image Source: World Happiness Report You’ll read and share plenty of stories claiming to have uncovered the happiest country in the world … Canada 8. Morning news brief: Brexit talks, pro-Trump rally and preps for Covid vaccine "They do care about each other," he says. Differences among the top eight countries are small enough that jostling among the top five is expected every year. The World Happiness Report is an annual publication of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The Netherlands is known for its iconic tulip and windmills – however, this is not all that the country has to offer. Canada is the happiest country outside of Europe and the seventh happiest in the world with a score of 7.328. Sweden along with Nordic countries shares high GDP per capita helps it to be in the list of world’s happiest countries. In the 2017 happiness report, Norway was the happiest country in the world. The prime minister of tiny Bhutan is credited with launching World Happiness Day. By John Misachi on January 24 2020 in World Facts. "Addictions come in many forms, from substance abuse to gambling to digital media. 3. Some factors to this are because of things like the economy,climate,waste,Sustainability, Land Uses,Life Expectancy, and the quality of life. And that's not just about the native-born residents of those countries. It is one of the most transparent countries with low corruption rates. But the response of New Zealand's people to the attacks does. The World Happiness Report was released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the United Nations on March 20, the date that the United Nations has declared to be the. ", They pay high taxes for a social safety net, they trust their government, they live in freedom and they are generous with each other. "That's the kind of place people want to live.". Kopperoinen lives in Finland, which was named the happiest country in the world for the third year in a row on Friday according to the United Nations' latest World Happiness Report. When it comes to happiest people, Finland comes at number one. Australia 10. People in Finland enjoy universal healthcare and a successful school system, both of … However, with a score of 7.314, it swapped places with Australia, climbing one place. The high life expectancy, extraordinary landscape, and friendly population are some of the contributing factors to its happiness level. Switzerland comes in fifth place with a score of 7.487. Australia dropped one spot to 11th place. They also ranked first in the Happiness report of 2016 and 2019 and have consistently been ranking at the top for many years. The low threat levels and high environmental standards make Finland one of the most peaceful countries in the world. This report is the seventh to come out since 2012. A well-functioning health and welfare system and a great education system both put smiles on Danes' faces. According to the World Happiness Report, the 5 million residents of Finland are the happiest in the world with an aggregated score of 7.632. In 2012, the United Nations General Assembly. The world's happiest country likes ice swimming. The consistent drop over the two years is not a major concern as the country as the quality of life keeps rising. The annual World Happiness Report has just been released, timed to the UN's annual International Day of Happiness on March 20. Switzerland has one of the highest life expectancies in the world, averaging over 80 years. With a happiness score of 7.555 and top rankings in terms of GDP per capita and the freedom to make life choices, Denmark is likely to dominate the top happiest countries in the world for a long time to come. The scores are aggregated to a value between 0 and 10, with 10 being the happiest country. It’s the third year in a row that the Finns can pride themselves on being the happiest people in the world. The data used in the ranking is obtained from the Gallup World Poll. Although Denmark dropped from first to second in 2017 and then to third in 2018, it still remains as one of the happiest countries in the world. For the third year in a row, Finland … "It's not about Finnish DNA. Image by Tapio Haaja from Pixabay Finland is a Northern European Nation that has been rated as the happiest country in the world. Preserving tropical rainforests isn’t Costa Rica’s only success, because the government also makes sure everyone has access to health-care and education. The World Happiness Report 2020 for the first time ranks cities around the world by their subjective well-being and digs more deeply into how the social, urban and natural environments combine to affect our happiness. The prime minister of the tiny country of Bhutan proposed a World Happiness Day to the United Nations in 2011, which brought international attention to happiness as a metric. Norway is sharing its … Iceland is the fourth-happiest country in the world with a score of 7.495. The low threat levels and high environmental standards make Finland one of the most peaceful countries in the world. People actually enjoy living there. This year's report provides sobering evidence of how addictions are causing considerable unhappiness and depression in the US," says Sachs, in a press release. The report ranks countries on six key variables that support well-being: income, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support and generosity. It dropped one place from last year, down to the tenth position. Sweden has a combination of cool weather, beautiful cities, and magnificent wilderness. Find out the happiest country in the world, not to mention the unhappiest country, and whether or not the world itself is actually happy. Bhutan came in 95th place (up two spots from last year) in this year's report. When it comes to world happiness, Scandinavian countries often come out at the top. "It's true that last year all Finns were happier than rest of the countries' residents, but their immigrants were also happiest immigrants in the world," says Helliwell. "After the 2011 earthquake and now the terrorist attack in Christchurch -- with high social capital, where people are connected -- people rally and help each other and (after the earthquake) rebuild immediately.". Addiction is partly to blame, says report co-author Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, who wrote a chapter focused on the US epidemic of addictions and unhappiness in America, a rich country where happiness has been declining. The analysis of immigrant happiness was based on … It also one of the top countries in the prosperity index. One of the biggest insights he has gained from researching happiness while living in the second happiest country in the world is that no matter where … Norway 2. Finland is in the first position for the 3 rd time in a row. Finland came in first in the World Happiness Report from Gallup for the third year running. Costa Rica 13. According to the 2020 World Happiness Report, Finland is the happiest country in the world for the third year in a row. Social connections are weakening in the US as social media usage is raising anxiety, especially among adolescents, says Helliwell. The rankings of the world's happiest countries came from an analysis of data from surveys in 156 countries taken from 2015 to 2017. Read about these countries, as there are somethings which you can learn. 1 spot in this year's World Happiness Report. The residents experience a healthy life expectancy, welfare support, and the freedom to make personal choices without much interference. Australia is characterized by endless beaches, phenomenal weather all year round, and several recreational sites, all of which make it a popular tourist destination. No other super powers made it into the top 10 rankings, either. With a score of 7.324, only 0.04 behind Canada, New Zealand is the eigth happiest country in the world. It's the way life is lived in those countries. Welfare and social security are the main reasons why Norway continues to dominate the list of the world's happiest countries. Norway or Norwegian is a unitary sovereign state in Northwestern Europe. This beautiful, remote, and relaxed country offers a way of life that translates to great happiness not only for the visitors but also for the residents. With a high ratio of foreigners calling Finland home, the World Happiness Report indicates consistency in happiness between them and the locals. Since 2002, the World Happiness Report has detailed the world's happiest countries based … The country is currently one of the most affected by the coronavirus outbreak, but ranks high as one of the world's happiest nations. The three biggest factors behind Finland’s success are a high GDP per capita, Social Support, and the absence of … New Zealand came in eighth place this year, as it did last year. 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