The World Happiness Report, an annual publication sponsored by the United Nations, revealed that Finland has maintained its position as the world's happiest country for the seventh consecutive year. Nordic countries such as Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden also secured spots among the top 10 happiest nations, with Finland leading the pack.
In contrast, Afghanistan, which has faced significant challenges since the Taliban regained control in 2020, remained at the bottom of the list among the 143 countries surveyed.
Notably, the United States and Germany, which were typically ranked among the happiest nations, did not make it to the top 20 this year, coming in 23rd and 24th, respectively. Costa Rica and Kuwait entered the top 20 for the first time, ranking 12th and 13th.
The report highlighted that the happiest countries tend to have smaller populations, with only the Netherlands and Australia having populations exceeding 15 million in the top 10, and Canada and the UK being the only ones with populations over 30 million in the top 20.
The study noted significant changes in happiness levels since its inception, with Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Jordan experiencing the sharpest declines, while Serbia, Bulgaria, and Latvia reported the largest increases.
Factors contributing to Finland's high happiness ranking include its citizens' close connection to nature, healthy work-life balance, strong welfare society, trust in state authorities, low corruption levels, and access to free healthcare and education.
Interestingly, the report observed that younger generations are generally happier than older ones in most regions, except in North America, Australia, and New Zealand, where happiness among the youth has decreased since 2006-2010.
Happiness inequality has risen globally, except in Europe, with significant disparities in income, education, healthcare, and social support contributing to this trend. Sub-Saharan Africa has seen a particularly notable increase in happiness inequality, highlighting the need for greater social and economic equity.
