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For the eighth year in a row, Finland has topped the World Happiness Report, proving once again that it’s the happiest place on Earth. The report, released on the UN’s International Day of Happiness, analyzes how residents of over 140 countries rate their own quality of life. Finns gave themselves an average score of 7.74 out of 10, where 10 represents the best possible life imaginable.
While Finns may not be dancing in the streets, their contentment stems from a combination of factors, according to report editor and University of Oxford economics professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve. He cites wealth, health, strong social connections, support networks, and a close relationship with nature as key ingredients in the Finnish recipe for happiness.
Trailing close behind Finland in the top five are Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Mexico and Costa Rica broke into the top 10 for the first time, landing at 10th and 6th place respectively. Meanwhile, the United States slipped to its lowest ranking yet at 24th, continuing a downward trend.
One key differentiator between the consistently happy Nordic countries and nations like the U.S., Australia, and the UK appears to be wealth distribution. Despite similar GDP per capita figures, the more equitable distribution of wealth in Nordic countries contributes significantly to their overall well-being. De Neve notes a wider range of life satisfaction scores in the U.S., while Finns tend to cluster around the 7 or 8 mark.
Beyond economic factors, the report highlights the importance of social trust. A strong correlation was found between believing in the kindness of others and personal happiness.
This trust manifests in everyday actions, like returning a lost wallet. Nordic countries demonstrate higher levels of both the belief that a lost wallet would be returned and the actual return rate.
This year’s report also underscores the importance of social connection. Regularly sharing meals with others, for example, fosters social trust and boosts happiness. De Neve attributes Mexico and Costa Rica’s rise in the rankings to the strength of their social fabric, citing frequent shared meals and high levels of social connectedness and trust.
Finland’s continued dominance in the happiness rankings may also be linked to another factor: contentment with less. De Neve observes that Finns are more satisfied with what they have, perhaps contributing to their consistently high happiness levels.
Here are the top 10 happiest countries:
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Sweden
- Netherlands
- Costa Rica
- Norway
- Israel
- Luxembourg
- Mexico