Happiness rating: which country is in the lead and what is Ukraine's position?

The new World Happiness Report 2024 identifies the happiest countries in the world. Find out more about which countries are in the top 20, who is at the bottom of the list, and what factors influence the level of happiness of people

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The annual World Happiness Report has released an updated ranking of happiness among 147 countries, CNN and BBC write.

For the eighth year in a row, Finland tops the list, retaining its status as the world's happiest country. At the same time, Ukraine has dropped to 111th place this year, receiving 4.68 points out of 10.

Leaders of the rating

The top 20 happiest countries include the following states:

Finland - 7.736 points

Denmark - 7.521 points

Iceland - 7.515 points

Sweden - 7.345 points

Netherlands - 7.306 points

Costa Rica - 7.274 points

Norway - 7,262 points

Israel - 7,234 points

Luxembourg - 7.122 points

Mexico - 6,979 points

Australia - 6,974 points

New Zealand - 6,952 points

Switzerland - 6,935 points

Belgium - 6,910 points

Ireland - 6,889 points

Lithuania - 6,829 points

Austria - 6,810 points

Canada - 6,803 points

Slovenia - 6,792 points

Czech Republic - 6.775 points

Interestingly, for the second year in a row, the United States is not in the top twenty and ranks 24th.

What place did Ukraine take in the happiness ranking?

Ukraine lost several positions compared to last year, when it ranked 105th. Our country's best score was in 2012 (87th place), and the anti-record was set in 2017 (138th place).

In recent years, the situation with the level of happiness in Ukraine has remained unstable due to difficult socio-economic and political circumstances, as well as the war, which significantly affects the quality of life of citizens.

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The least happy countries in the world

The last positions in the ranking are occupied by:

Afghanistan - 1,364 points (the lowest level of happiness in the world);

Sierra Leone - 2.998 points;

Lebanon - 3.188 points;

Malawi - 3.260 points;

Zimbabwe - 3.396 points.

These countries face serious problems, such as armed conflicts, low economic development, lack of access to quality education and healthcare, which significantly reduces the level of happiness of their population.

How is the level of happiness determined?

The study is based on a global survey of residents of different countries covering the period from 2022 to 2024. The main evaluation criteria are:

- GDP per capita;

- level of social support;

- healthy life expectancy;

- level of freedom and generosity;

- level of corruption.

The report also takes into account the emotional state of citizens and their expectations for the future.

Additional findings of the report:

1. People are kinder than we think - the experiment with lost wallets showed that the rate of their return is almost twice as high as expected.

2. Declining levels of happiness in the US and Europe are linked to political polarization.

3. Family size affects happiness - families of 4-5 people were found to be the happiest, especially in Europe and Mexico.

4. Social cohesion and trust between citizens are important factors that contribute to the high level of happiness in the Scandinavian countries.

The results of the ranking show that the level of happiness depends on many social, economic and cultural factors. Despite the challenges, Ukraine continues to improve the well-being of its citizens. Investing in social programs, supporting civil society, and fighting corruption can help improve the country's happiness in the future.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

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