According to the World Happiness Report, which nations have the happiest citizens since 2002, statistical analysis has assessed this. According to the report’s 2021 edition, Finland is the world’s happiest nation.
People’s well-being, social support, healthy life expectancy, personal choice freedom, general generosity, and views on corruption both within and outside the country were all considered when determining which country was the happiest in the world.
The data was culled from Gallup polling conducted in 149 countries over three years.
Dystopia, a fictitious nation populated by “the world’s least-happy people,” was developed by the researchers to compare the data from each country in a meaningful way.
As a result, they established Dystopia as the lowest possible value in each of the six categories and compared the real-world country’s results to this figure. To arrive at a single overall score for each nation, we summed the results of the six independent factors.
Even more surprising, the world’s seven happiest nations for 2021 are all located in the Northern European region.
With an overall score of 7.842, Finland claimed the top honors for the fourth year in a row, followed by Denmark (7.620), Switzerland (7.571), Iceland (7.554), and the Netherlands (7.464), Norway (7.392), and Sweden (7.363).
Afghanistan was the world’s unhappiest nation in 2021, with a happiness index value of 2.523, which may be ascribed in part to the country’s short life expectancy and low GDP per capita.
In light of the recent Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, it’s important to emphasize that the study was issued before that event. Zimbabwe (3.145), Rwanda (3.415), Botswana (3.467), and Lesotho (3.467) round out the bottom five (3.512).
This table lists all 149 nations and their relative rankings. Continue reading for a closer look at the top seven and an encouraging mention.
The following are the world’s happiest countries for 2021, in order of happiness:
Finland
According to the 2021 study, Finland is the world’s happiest nation, scoring 7.842 out of 10 points.
The authors of the research attributed Finland’s strong sense of community and mutual trust to the country’s success in coping with the COVID-19 epidemic and the country’s overall position as the best in the world.
Aside from their strong belief that people are free to make their own decisions, Finlanders also have little mistrust of government corruption. These elements have a significant role in a person’s overall well-being.
Denmark
After Norway, Denmark is the second happiest nation globally, with a score of 7.620 out of 10. Similarities between Denmark and Finland may be seen in each of the six factors.
Aside from GDP per capita and generosity, Denmark even outperformed the leader in several areas indicating that it might soon take the top place.
Switzerland
Third-happiest nation in the world, Switzerland, had a final score of 7.571. The Swiss have one of the world’s lowest rates of obesity and one of the world’s highest life expectancy rates.
The median pay in Switzerland is 75% more than in the United States, while the country’s GDP per capita is the greatest among the top seven.
As a result, there is a strong feeling of community in Switzerland and a strong conviction that it is a clean and safe country—which is statistically accurate. Switzerland is among the world’s safest nations, Iceland and Denmark.
Iceland
7.554 puts Iceland as the fourth happiest nation in the world in 2021. Iceland is the happiest country globally because of its strong sense of social solidarity (higher even than Finland, Norway, and Denmark, which all tied for second place).
Even though Iceland was rated 11th globally, it got the second-highest generosity score in the top seven.
Netherlands
The Netherlands (often referred to as Holland by many tulip aficionados) edges out Norway as the world’s fifth-happiest nation with a score of 7.464.
The Netherlands was the most generous of the top seven countries, and it also had a low level of corruption that was widely regarded.
Norway
Thanks to free college tuition and universal healthcare, Norway’s residents are confident that their government is looking out for them. While Americans put in an average of 41.5 hours a week, Norwegians put in 38 hours.
Among the top seven countries, Norway boasts a low crime rate and a strong feeling of community among its people.
Sweden
Seventh-place Sweden (7.363) is at the top of almost every list, if not the top. According to the World Bank, Sweden has the fourteenth-highest GDP per capita out of the 149 nations studied, the greatest life expectancy among the top seven, and a lower rate of corruption than all but four other countries (two of which are Finland and Denmark).
Honorable Mention: Bhutan
Due to a snafu, Bhutan was not included in the 2021 report. However, it’s still an honorable mention: Gallup conducted polling in the requisite period to calculate each country’s Gallup score, although Bhutan was not polled.
Bhutan was mentioned in the report as a special honoree, and the authors went out of their way to show their appreciation for the country “again set an example for the rest of the world on achieving both health and happiness.
Despite having extensive international travel linkages, they explicitly used the concepts of Gross National Happiness to mobilize the whole population in joint efforts to avert even a single COVID-19 fatality in 2020.”
That is very impressive. Happiness in Northern Europe may soon be challenged if Gallup starts polling in Bhutan.
Rank | Country | Happiness 2021 | Happiness 2020 | 2022 Population |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Finland | 7.8420 | 7.8090 | 5554.9600 |
2 | Denmark | 7.6200 | 7.6460 | 5834.9500 |
3 | Switzerland | 7.5710 | 7.5600 | 8773.6370 |
4 | Iceland | 7.5540 | 7.5040 | 345.3930 |
5 | Netherlands | 7.4640 | 7.4490 | 17211.4470 |
6 | Norway | 7.3920 | 7.4880 | 5511.3700 |
7 | Sweden | 7.3630 | 7.3530 | 10218.9710 |
8 | Luxembourg | 7.3240 | 7.2380 | 642.3710 |
9 | New Zealand | 7.2770 | 7.3000 | 4898.2030 |
10 | Austria | 7.2680 | 7.2940 | 9066.7100 |
11 | Australia | 7.1830 | 7.2230 | 26068.7920 |
12 | Israel | 7.1570 | 7.1290 | 8922.8920 |
13 | Germany | 7.1550 | 7.0760 | 83883.5960 |
14 | Canada | 7.1030 | 7.2320 | 38388.4190 |
15 | Ireland | 7.0850 | 7.1290 | 5020.1990 |
16 | Costa Rica | 7.0690 | 7.1210 | 5182.3540 |
17 | United Kingdom | 7.0640 | 7.1650 | 68497.9070 |
18 | Czech Republic | 6.9650 | 6.9110 | 10736.7840 |
19 | United States | 6.9510 | 6.9400 | 334805.2690 |
20 | Belgium | 6.8340 | 6.8640 | 11668.2780 |
21 | France | 6.6900 | 6.6640 | 65584.5180 |
22 | Bahrain | 6.6470 | 6.2270 | 1783.9830 |
23 | Malta | 6.6020 | 6.7730 | 444.0330 |
24 | Taiwan | 6.5840 | 6.4550 | 23888.5950 |
25 | United Arab Emirates | 6.5610 | 6.7910 | 10081.7850 |
26 | Saudi Arabia | 6.4940 | 6.4060 | 35844.9090 |
27 | Spain | 6.4910 | 6.4010 | 46719.1420 |
28 | Italy | 6.4830 | 6.3870 | 60262.7700 |
29 | Slovenia | 6.4610 | 6.3630 | 2078.0340 |
30 | Guatemala | 6.4350 | 6.3990 | 18584.0390 |
31 | Uruguay | 6.4310 | 6.4400 | 3496.0160 |
32 | Singapore | 6.3770 | 6.3770 | 5943.5460 |
33 | Slovakia | 6.3310 | 6.2810 | 5460.1930 |
34 | Brazil | 6.3300 | 6.3760 | 215353.5930 |
35 | Mexico | 6.3170 | 6.4650 | 131562.7720 |
36 | Jamaica | 6.3090 | 5.8900 | 2985.0940 |
37 | Lithuania | 6.2550 | 6.2150 | 2661.7080 |
38 | Cyprus | 6.2230 | 6.1590 | 1223.3870 |
39 | Estonia | 6.1890 | 6.0220 | 1321.9100 |
40 | Panama | 6.1800 | 6.3050 | 4446.9640 |
41 | Uzbekistan | 6.1790 | 6.2580 | 34382.0840 |
42 | Chile | 6.1720 | 6.2280 | 19250.1950 |
43 | Poland | 6.1660 | 6.1860 | 37739.7850 |
44 | Kazakhstan | 6.1520 | 6.0580 | 19205.0430 |
45 | Romania | 6.1400 | 6.1240 | 19031.3350 |
46 | Kuwait | 6.1060 | 6.1020 | 4380.3260 |
47 | Serbia | 6.0780 | 5.7780 | 8653.0160 |
48 | El Salvador | 6.0610 | 6.3480 | 6550.3890 |
49 | Mauritius | 6.0490 | 6.1010 | 1274.7270 |
50 | Latvia | 6.0320 | 5.9500 | 1848.8370 |
51 | Colombia | 6.0120 | 6.1630 | 51512.7620 |
52 | Hungary | 5.9920 | 6 | 9606.2590 |
53 | Thailand | 5.9850 | 5.9990 | 70078.2030 |
54 | Nicaragua | 5.9720 | 6.1370 | 6779.1000 |
55 | Japan | 5.9400 | 5.8710 | 125584.8380 |
57 | Portugal | 5.9290 | 5.9110 | 10140.5700 |
56 | Argentina | 5.9290 | 5.9750 | 46010.2340 |
58 | Honduras | 5.9190 | 5.9530 | 10221.2470 |
59 | Croatia | 5.8820 | 5.5050 | 4059.2860 |
60 | Philippines | 5.8800 | 6.0060 | 112508.9940 |
61 | South Korea | 5.8450 | 5.8720 | 51329.8990 |
62 | Peru | 5.8400 | 5.7970 | 33684.2080 |
63 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 5.8130 | 5.6740 | 3249.3170 |
64 | Moldova | 5.7660 | 5.6080 | 4013.1710 |
65 | Ecuador | 5.7640 | 5.9250 | 18113.3610 |
66 | Kyrgyzstan | 5.7440 | 5.5420 | 6728.2710 |
67 | Greece | 5.7230 | 5.5150 | 10316.6370 |
68 | Bolivia | 5.7160 | 5.7470 | 11992.6560 |
69 | Mongolia | 5.6770 | 5.4560 | 3378.0780 |
70 | Paraguay | 5.6530 | 5.6920 | 7305.8430 |
71 | Montenegro | 5.5810 | 5.5460 | 627.9500 |
72 | Dominican Republic | 5.5450 | 5.6890 | 11056.3700 |
73 | Belarus | 5.5340 | 5.5400 | 9432.8000 |
75 | Hong Kong | 5.4770 | 5.5100 | 7604.2990 |
74 | Russia | 5.4770 | 5.5460 | 145805.9470 |
76 | Tajikistan | 5.4660 | 5.5560 | 9957.4640 |
77 | Vietnam | 5.4110 | 5.3530 | 98953.5410 |
78 | Libya | 5.4100 | 5.4890 | 7040.7450 |
79 | Malaysia | 5.3840 | 5.3840 | 33181.0720 |
80 | Indonesia | 5.3450 | 5.2860 | 279134.5050 |
81 | Republic of the Congo | 5.3420 | 5.1940 | 5797.8050 |
82 | China | 5.3390 | 5.1240 | 1448471.4000 |
83 | Ivory Coast | 5.3060 | 5.2330 | 27742.2980 |
84 | Armenia | 5.2830 | 4.6770 | 2971.9660 |
85 | Nepal | 5.2690 | 5.1370 | 30225.5820 |
86 | Bulgaria | 5.2660 | 5.1020 | 6844.5970 |
87 | Maldives | 5.1980 | 5.1980 | 540.9850 |
88 | Azerbaijan | 5.1710 | 5.1650 | 10300.2050 |
89 | Cameroon | 5.1420 | 5.0850 | 27911.5480 |
90 | Senegal | 5.1320 | 4.9810 | 17653.6710 |
91 | Albania | 5.1170 | 4.8830 | 2866.3740 |
92 | North Macedonia | 5.1010 | 5.1600 | 2081.3040 |
93 | Ghana | 5.0880 | 5.1480 | 32395.4500 |
94 | Niger | 5.0740 | 4.9100 | 26083.6600 |
95 | Turkmenistan | 5.0660 | 5.1190 | 6201.9430 |
96 | Gambia | 5.0510 | 4.7510 | 2558.4820 |
97 | Benin | 5.0450 | 5.2160 | 12784.7260 |
98 | Laos | 5.0300 | 4.8890 | 7481.0230 |
99 | Bangladesh | 5.0250 | 4.8330 | 167885.6890 |
100 | Guinea | 4.9840 | 4.9490 | 13865.6910 |
101 | South Africa | 4.9560 | 4.8140 | 60756.1350 |
102 | Turkey | 4.9480 | 5.1320 | 85561.9760 |
103 | Pakistan | 4.9340 | 5.6930 | 229488.9940 |
104 | Morocco | 4.9180 | 5.0950 | 37772.7560 |
105 | Venezuela | 4.8920 | 5.0530 | 29266.9910 |
106 | Georgia | 4.8910 | 4.6730 | 3968.7380 |
107 | Algeria | 4.8870 | 5.0050 | 45350.1480 |
108 | Ukraine | 4.8750 | 4.5610 | 43192.1220 |
109 | Iraq | 4.8540 | 4.7850 | 42164.9650 |
110 | Gabon | 4.8520 | 4.8290 | 2331.5330 |
111 | Burkina Faso | 4.8340 | 4.7690 | 22102.8380 |
112 | Cambodia | 4.8300 | 4.8480 | 17168.6390 |
113 | Mozambique | 4.7940 | 4.6240 | 33089.4610 |
114 | Nigeria | 4.7590 | 4.7240 | 216746.9340 |
115 | Mali | 4.7230 | 4.7290 | 21473.7640 |
116 | Iran | 4.7210 | 4.6720 | 86022.8370 |
117 | Uganda | 4.6360 | 4.4320 | 48432.8630 |
118 | Liberia | 4.6250 | 4.5580 | 5305.1170 |
119 | Kenya | 4.6070 | 4.5830 | 56215.2210 |
120 | Tunisia | 4.5960 | 4.3920 | 12046.6560 |
121 | Lebanon | 4.5840 | 4.7720 | 6684.8490 |
122 | Namibia | 4.5740 | 4.5710 | 2633.8740 |
123 | Myanmar | 4.4260 | 4.3080 | 55227.1430 |
124 | Jordan | 4.3950 | 4.6330 | 10300.8690 |
125 | Chad | 4.3550 | 4.4230 | 17413.5800 |
126 | Sri Lanka | 4.3250 | 4.3270 | 21575.8420 |
127 | Eswatini | 4.3080 | 4.3080 | 1184.8170 |
128 | Comoros | 4.2890 | 4.2890 | 907.4190 |
129 | Egypt | 4.2830 | 4.1510 | 106156.6920 |
130 | Ethiopia | 4.2750 | 4.1860 | 120812.6980 |
131 | Mauritania | 4.2270 | 4.3750 | 4901.9810 |
132 | Madagascar | 4.2080 | 4.1660 | 29178.0770 |
133 | Togo | 4.1070 | 4.1870 | 8680.8370 |
134 | Zambia | 4.0730 | 3.7590 | 19470.2340 |
135 | Sierra Leone | 3.8490 | 3.9260 | 8306.4360 |
136 | India | 3.8190 | 3.5730 | 1406631.7760 |
137 | Burundi | 3.7750 | 3.7750 | 12624.8400 |
138 | Yemen | 3.6580 | 3.5270 | 31154.8670 |
139 | Tanzania | 3.6230 | 3.4760 | 63298.5500 |
140 | Haiti | 3.6150 | 3.7210 | 11680.2830 |
141 | Malawi | 3.6000 | 3.5380 | 20180.8390 |
142 | Lesotho | 3.5120 | 3.6530 | 2175.6990 |
143 | Botswana | 3.4670 | 3.4790 | 2441.1620 |
144 | Rwanda | 3.4150 | 3.3120 | 13600.4640 |
145 | Zimbabwe | 3.1450 | 3.2990 | 15331.4280 |
146 | Afghanistan | 2.5230 | 2.5670 | 40754.3880 |
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