Finland has once again been ranked as the world’s happiest country.
Over 140 countries have been surveyed on their happiness based on average life evaluations over the three preceding years, in this case 2021 to 2023.
The report – published on the United Nations International Day of Happiness March 20 – asks each participant to score their life as a whole, looking at six key variables to help explain life evaluations: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.
Finland and its Nordic neighbours – Denmark, Iceland and Norway – all stormed the top ten.
But there is a possibly surprising appearance from Israel at number five, although the country has been in the top ten since 2022.
The authors point out that its rankings are based on a three-year average, which often dampens the effect of “cataclysmic events happening during a particular year.”
The report, which relies heavily on the Gallup World Poll, also includes a ranking for Palestine at number 103, although its statehood is not widely recognised. The poll was conducted in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank before the events of October 7.
World’s 20 happiest countries in 2024
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Sweden
5. Israel
6. Netherlands
7. Norway
8. Luxembourg
9. Switzerland
10. Australia
11. New Zealand
12. Costa Rica
13. Kuwait
14. Austria
15. Canada
16. Belgium
17. Ireland
18. Czechia
19. Lithuania
20. United Kingdom
At the bottom of the list
Afghanistan remains the world’s lowest-ranked country for happiness. Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone and Congo also ranked at the bottom.
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