Happiness by Country
Since 2002, the World Happiness Report has employed statistical analysis to identify the world's happiest countries. In its 2024 update, the report once again names Finland as the world’s happiest country. This conclusion is based on Gallup polling data collected over the past three years from 143 countries, with researchers evaluating six critical factors: gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption both internally and externally.
To standardize the comparison across countries, researchers introduced a hypothetical baseline, termed "Dystopia," representing the lowest conceivable scores in each of the six categories. This baseline serves as a reference point, allowing each country’s scores to be measured relative to the least favorable conditions. The combined scores, derived from all six categories, offer a comprehensive assessment of happiness across nations. Northern European countries dominated the top ranks, with Finland securing the top position for the tenth consecutive year with a score of 7.741. Following Finland are Denmark (7.583), Iceland (7.525), Sweden (7.344), Israel (7.341), the Netherlands (7.319), and Norway (7.302).
In contrast, Afghanistan ranks as the least happy country, placed 143rd with a score of 1.721. Contributing factors include low life expectancy, reduced GDP per capita, and the impact of the Taliban's recent takeover. The bottom five also include Lebanon (2.707), Lesotho (3.186), Sierra Leone (3.245), and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (3.295), highlighting ongoing economic and social challenges.
