The results of the World Happiness Report are in, and the Nordic nations are once again top-scoring. Finland, the top-ranked nation, has maintained its position for the past seven years.
The first-ever age-group-specific rankings are included in this year’s report, and the results are discouraging for young people in some regions of the world.
In North America, youth happiness has fallen so precipitously that youth satisfaction is now lower than that of the elderly. Due in part to those poor scores, the US was able to move out of the top 20 overall for the first time since the report’s initial release in 2012.
The US and other nations dropped in the rankings as a result of other nations—especially those in Eastern Europe—seeing welcome boosts in happiness.
Happiest Countries
Finland has reclaimed its position as the happiest nation in the world.
According to the annual report, it highlights the United Nations International Day of Happiness on March 20.
The report utilizes data from a global survey conducted in over 140 countries. Countries are evaluated and ranked on their happiness levels by considering the average life evaluations from 2021 to 2023. The report is a collaboration between Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and an editorial board.
Finland, a country known for its beautiful northern lights in winter and the phenomenon of the midnight sun in summer, has successfully created the ideal social conditions for happiness.
According to John Helliwell, an emeritus professor of economics at the Vancouver School of Economics, University of British Columbia, and a founding editor of the World Happiness Report, the survey requires participants to evaluate their overall life based on their personal values.
“Finland is known for its wealth, with a culture that values honesty and kindness. The country offers excellent healthcare and education opportunities to all its citizens, ensuring that everyone has an equal chance to succeed,” he said.
He also mentioned that Finland has content immigrants, indicating their willingness to share their happiness with newcomers.
The report examines six important factors that contribute to understanding life evaluations: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
Finland’s Nordic neighbors consistently achieved impressive rankings, with Denmark securing the second spot, Iceland coming in at third, and Sweden ranking fourth. Norway also comfortably secured a place in the top 10, at number seven.
Despite the ongoing conflict with Hamas, Israel’s ranking at No. 5 may be unexpected, considering the country’s consistent presence in the top 10 since 2022. The report’s authors emphasize that the rankings are based on a three-year average, which tends to minimize the impact of significant events occurring in a single year.
The timing of the survey clearly has an impact when there is a crisis. The survey in Israel was conducted after the Hamas attack on October 7, but before the escalation of conflict. Although life evaluations experienced a significant decline, it is important to note that these scores only made up one-third of the average.
Palestine is ranked No. 1 in the report, which mostly uses data from the Gallup World Poll, 103, despite the fact that its statehood is not widely recognized. The poll took place in the Palestinian territories of Gaza and the West Bank prior to the events of October 7.
Rounding out the top 10 are the Netherlands at number 6, Luxembourg at number 8, Switzerland at number 9, and Australia at number 10.
US Drops Out of Top 20
The United States and Germany have fallen out of the top 20 rankings, mainly due to an increase in happiness among other countries, particularly Czechia, Lithuania, and Slovenia. The United Kingdom ranked 20th.
In this year’s overall ranking, Lithuania secured the 19th position. However, among respondents under 30, it claimed the top spot as the happiest country in 2024. Lithuania ranked 44th for individuals over 60.
Surprisingly, individuals under 30 in both the United States and Canada reported significantly lower happiness scores compared to those who were 60 years old and above. For individuals under 30, the United States was ranked at No. 62, whereas for those aged 60 and older, it secured the 10th position. Canada ranked 58th among the younger population and 8th among those aged 60 and above.
Australia and New Zealand, to a lesser extent, also experienced significantly lower rankings among the younger population.
Helliwell noted that the low scores among the younger population in those countries do not stem from a lack of education, lower income, or poorer health.
It’s their perspective on their lives. “So it’s a mood question,” he remarked. Helliwell suggests that the decline can be partly attributed to the media content that young individuals in those four predominantly English-speaking countries are exposed to.
“People are receiving news that is causing them to feel unhappy, and they might be sharing it, which could also contribute to their unhappiness,” he explained.
However, there is some positive news for young individuals.
The report states that there has been an improvement in life satisfaction among young people aged 15–24 globally from 2006 to 2019, and this level of satisfaction has remained stable since then. However, the picture differed depending on the region. There has been a decline in youth well-being in regions such as North America, Western Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia. It rose in the rest of the world.
One interesting observation regarding young people is the significant increase in kindness during the pandemic across all age groups, particularly among the younger generation. According to Helliwell, this trend has continued even after the pandemic.
Well, that’s certainly good to hear. In certain countries, even though they may not be particularly content, people still demonstrate their capacity and willingness to perform kind acts for others. And that fills you with optimism for what lies ahead.
Happiest Countries in the World 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
21. Slovenia
22. United Arab Emirates
23. United States
24. Germany
25. Mexico
26. Uruguay
27. France
28. Saudi Arabia
29. Kosovo
30. Singapore
Bottom of the List
Afghanistan continues to hold the unfortunate title of being the lowest-ranked country in terms of happiness worldwide. Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, and the Congo were also found to be at the bottom of the rankings.
