Finland has again claimed the title of the world’s happiest country—an honor it has earned for the eighth year in a row.
The Nordic nation is well-known for its beautiful nature and robust welfare system, which led to the global rankings released to celebrate the UN’s International Day of Happiness.
Finland scored an impressive 7.736 out of 10, followed closely by neighbor Denmark.
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Costa Rica and Mexico were the surprise packages, entering the coveted top 10 for the first time, thanks to their strong family connections and community bonds, according to the UN-sponsored World Happiness Report.
Iceland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, Israel, and Luxembourg rounded out the top tier of nations recognized for their overall happiness and life satisfaction.
Country rankings are based on a three-year average of those scores. The top 10 are:
- 1. Finland
- 2. Denmark
- 3. Iceland
- 4. Sweden
- 5. Netherlands
- 6. Costa Rica
- 7. Norway
- 8. Israel
- 9. Luxembourg
- 10. Mexico
This year, researchers also measured global trust by intentionally losing wallets and observing if they were returned. Amazingly, the rate of returned wallets was nearly double that expected.
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Economist John F. Helliwell of the University of British Columbia, a founding editor of the report, said: “People are much happier living where they think people care about each other.”
The report also found that sharing meals with others is linked to greater happiness. It revealed that families of four to five people in Mexico and Europe reported the highest happiness levels.
But there was disappointing news for the UK and the US. Both countries fell lower in the rankings this year, ending up 23rd and 24th, respectively—the lowest-ever spot for the US.
The report linked these drops to growing political division and less trust among people.
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Jeffrey D. Sachs, president of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, said: “Happiness is rooted in trust, kindness, and social connection.
“It is up to us as virtuous individuals and citizens to translate this vital truth into positive action, thereby fostering peace, civility, and wellbeing in communities worldwide.”
Jan-Emmanuel De Neve from Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre agreed, adding: “In this era of social isolation and political polarization, we need to find ways to bring people around the table again—doing so is critical for our individual and collective wellbeing.”
