Finland has been named the world’s happiest country, again.

Thursday marked 2025’s International Day of Happiness, a celebration established by the United Nations back in 2012 — which, in stark contrast with today, was a time when the organization seemingly had capacity to do stuff like inaugurate special days for “recognizing the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals.”

In nearly every year since, Finland has topped the list as the happiest country in the world, and this year is no exception. In the 2025 World Happiness Report, a UN-sponsored publication that’s released annually on Happiness Day, Finland achieved a three-year average life evaluation of 7.736, up by almost 5% since 2012 and beating out three other Nordic countries that made the top five (Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden).

Happy coincidence?

The report is largely based on well-being data from ~140 countries and the Gallup World Poll, a survey that includes “more than 100 global questions as well as region-specific items.” But the country ranking itself stems from the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale, which measures the “life evaluation” metric:

Considering this, the most prominent factor that determines whether citizens are “happy” might have more to do with how satisfied they are with their immediate surroundings, rather than how they’re feeling… which is perhaps why the Happiness Index relates strongly with more simple measures of economic development.

When plotted against the UN’s Human Development Index — a summary measure of achievement in “key dimensions of human development” like life expectancy, years of schooling, and income per capita — there’s a clear trend. The Nordic countries score very highly in both measures, and though some East Asian regions like Hong Kong skew more developed than “happy” and some Central American countries like Mexico and Costa Rica lean more “happy,” the indexes are strongly correlated, bar a few outliers.

Fine, thanks

So, does the World Happiness Index actually quantify happiness effectively, or is it closer to an indicator of economic development?

As outlined in a fascinating article by Megan DeMatteo for Sherwood News last year, while the World Happiness Report takes into account life satisfaction, it lacks one crucial joy-determining factor: emotions.

Looking at the 2024 Gallup Global Emotions Report, a survey that specifically focuses on respondents’ positive and negative emotions — including how often people laugh, smile, or learn something new, as well as how often they feel pain, stress, or anger — Finland ranked in 25th place overall for feeling positive emotions specifically. Senegal, which ranked 107th in the Happiness Index, came first.

The Happiest Countries By Life Evaluation Do Not Necessarily Experience The Most Positive Emotions

Rank	Country Name	Region	Average Happiness Score (2022-2024)
1	🇫🇮 Finland	Europe	7.7
2	🇩🇰 Denmark	Europe	7.5
3	🇮🇸 Iceland	Europe	7.5
4	🇸🇪 Sweden	Europe	7.3
5	🇳🇱 Netherlands	Europe	7.3
6	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	Central America	7.3
7	🇳🇴 Norway	Europe	7.3
8	🇮🇱 Israel	Middle East	7.2
9	🇱🇺 Luxembourg	Europe	7.1
10	🇲🇽 Mexico	North America	7.0
11	🇦🇺 Australia	Oceania	7.0
12	🇳🇿 New Zealand	Oceania	7.0
13	🇨🇭 Switzerland	Europe	6.9
14	🇧🇪 Belgium	Europe	6.9
15	🇮🇪 Ireland	Europe	6.9
16	🇱🇹 Lithuania	Europe	6.8
17	🇦🇹 Austria	Europe	6.8
18	🇨🇦 Canada	North America	6.8
19	🇸🇮 Slovenia	Europe	6.8
20	🇨🇿 Czechia	Europe	6.8
21	🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates	Middle East	6.8
22	🇩🇪 Germany	Europe	6.8
23	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	Europe	6.7
24	🇺🇸 United States	North America	6.7
25	🇧🇿 Belize	Central America	6.7
26	🇵🇱 Poland	Europe	6.7
27	🇹🇼 Taiwan	Asia	6.7
28	🇺🇾 Uruguay	South America	6.7
29	🇽🇰 Kosovo	Europe	6.7
30	🇰🇼 Kuwait	Middle East	6.6
31	🇷🇸 Serbia	Europe	6.6
32	🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia	Middle East	6.6
33	🇫🇷 France	Europe	6.6
34	🇸🇬 Singapore	Asia	6.6
35	🇷🇴 Romania	Europe	6.6
36	🇧🇷 Brazil	South America	6.5
37	🇸🇻 El Salvador	Central America	6.5
38	🇪🇸 Spain	Europe	6.5
39	🇪🇪 Estonia	Europe	6.4
40	🇮🇹 Italy	Europe	6.4
41	🇵🇦 Panama	Central America	6.4
42	🇦🇷 Argentina	South America	6.4
43	🇰🇿 Kazakhstan	Asia	6.4
44	🇬🇹 Guatemala	South America	6.4
45	🇨🇱 Chile	South America	6.4
46	🇻🇳 Vietnam	Asia	6.4
47	🇳🇮 Nicaragua	Central America	6.3
48	🇲🇹 Malta	Europe	6.3
49	🇹🇭 Thailand	Asia	6.2
50	🇸🇰 Slovakia	Europe	6.2
51	🇱🇻 Latvia	Europe	6.2
52	🇴🇲 Oman	Middle East	6.2
53	🇺🇿 Uzbekistan	Asia	6.2
54	🇵🇾 Paraguay	South America	6.2
55	🇯🇵 Japan	Asia	6.1
56	🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina	Europe	6.1
57	🇵🇭 Philippines	Asia	6.1
58	🇰🇷 Republic of Korea	Asia	6.0
59	🇧🇭 Bahrain	Middle East	6.0
60	🇵🇹 Portugal	Europe	6.0
61	🇨🇴 Colombia	South America	6.0
62	🇪🇨 Ecuador	South America	6.0
63	🇭🇳 Honduras	Central America	6.0
64	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Asia	6.0
65	🇵🇪 Peru	South America	5.9
66	🇷🇺 Russia	Europe	5.9
67	🇨🇾 Cyprus	Europe	5.9
68	🇨🇳 China	Asia	5.9
69	🇭🇺 Hungary	Europe	5.9
70	🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago	North America	5.9
71	🇲🇪 Montenegro	Europe	5.9
72	🇭🇷 Croatia	Europe	5.9
73	🇯🇲 Jamaica	Central America	5.9
74	🇧🇴 Bolivia	South America	5.9
75	🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan	Asia	5.9
76	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	Central America	5.8
77	🇲🇳 Mongolia	Asia	5.8
78	🇲🇺 Mauritius	Africa	5.8
79	🇱🇾 Libya	Africa	5.8
80	🇲🇩 Moldova	Europe	5.8
81	🇬🇷 Greece	Europe	5.8
82	🇻🇪 Venezuela	South America	5.7
83	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Asia	5.6
84	🇩🇿 Algeria	Africa	5.6
85	🇧🇬 Bulgaria	Europe	5.6
86	🇲🇰 North Macedonia	Europe	5.5
87	🇦🇲 Armenia	Asia	5.5
88	🇭🇰 Hong Kong	Asia	5.5
89	🇦🇱 Albania	Europe	5.4
90	🇹🇯 Tajikistan	Asia	5.4
91	🇬🇪 Georgia	Europe	5.4
92	🇳🇵 Nepal	Asia	5.3
93	🇱🇸 Laos	Asia	5.3
94	🇹🇷 Türkiye	Asia	5.3
95	🇿🇦 South Africa	Africa	5.2
96	🇲🇿 Mozambique	Africa	5.2
97	🇬🇦 Gabon	Africa	5.1
98	🇮🇪 Côte d'Ivoire	Africa	5.1
99	🇮🇷 Iran	Middle East	5.1
100	🇨🇬 Congo	Africa	5.0
101	🇮🇶 Iraq	Middle East	5.0
102	🇬🇳 Guinea	Africa	4.9
103	🇳🇦 Namibia	Africa	4.9
104	🇨🇲 Cameroon	Africa	4.9
105	🇳🇬 Nigeria	Africa	4.9
106	🇦🇿 Azerbaijan	Asia	4.9
107	🇸🇳 Senegal	Africa	4.9
108	🇵🇸 Palestine	Middle East	4.8
109	🇵🇰 Pakistan	Asia	4.8
110	🇳🇱 Niger	Africa	4.7
111	🇺🇦 Ukraine	Europe	4.7
112	🇲🇦 Morocco	Africa	4.6
113	🇹🇳 Tunisia	Africa	4.6
114	🇲🇷 Mauritania	Africa	4.5
115	🇰🇪 Kenya	Africa	4.5
116	🇺🇬 Uganda	Africa	4.5
117	🇬🇳 Gambia	Africa	4.4
118	🇮🇳 India	Asia	4.4
119	🇹🇩 Chad	Africa	4.4
120	🇧🇫 Burkina Faso	Africa	4.4
121	🇧🇮 Benin	Africa	4.4
122	🇸🇴 Somalia	Africa	4.3
123	🇲🇱 Mali	Africa	4.3
124	🇰🇭 Cambodia	Asia	4.3
125	🇬🇭 Ghana	Africa	4.3
126	🇲🇲 Myanmar	Asia	4.3
127	🇹🇬 Togo	Africa	4.3
128	🇯🇴 Jordan	Middle East	4.3
129	🇱🇷 Liberia	Africa	4.3
130	🇲🇬 Madagascar	Africa	4.2
131	🇿🇲 Zambia	Africa	3.9
132	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	Africa	3.9
133	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	Asia	3.9
134	🇧🇩 Bangladesh	Asia	3.9
135	🇪🇬 Egypt	Africa	3.8
136	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Africa	3.8
137	🇸🇿 Eswatini	Africa	3.8
138	🇱🇸 Lesotho	Africa	3.8
139	🇰🇲 Comoros	Africa	3.8
140	🇾🇪 Yemen	Middle East	3.6
141	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	Africa	3.5
142	🇧🇼 Botswana	Africa	3.4
143	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	Africa	3.4
144	🇲🇼 Malawi	Africa	3.3
145	🇱🇧 Lebanon	Middle East	3.2
146	🇸🇱 Sierra Leone	Africa	3.0
147	🇦🇫 Afghanistan	Middle East	1.4

Nordic nations once again claim the top spots in global happiness rankings, with Finland holding on to first place for the eighth year running. Its score remains at 7.7, matching last year’s result.

Close behind are Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden, each retaining the same positions they held in the previous report.

Australia has dropped just outside the top 10, moving from #10 to #11.

Israel has slid from #5 to #8 this year, yet continues to rank among the world’s happiest nations. Despite the ongoing Gaza war, which began in 2023 and is partly reflected in this year’s three-year average, Israel maintains a place in the top tier.

One of the most significant changes comes from Costa Rica, which rose from #12 to #6. This achievement not only marks the highest ranking ever for a Latin American nation, but also positions it as the strongest-performing non-European country in this year’s report.

Most and Least Happy Countries by Region

In this table, we show the most and least happy countries in each region.

Region	Happiest Country	2024 Happiness Score	Least Happiest Country	2024 Happiness Score
North America	🇨🇷 Costa Rica	7.3	🇩🇴 Dominican Republic	5.8
South America	🇺🇾 Uruguay	6.7	🇻🇪 Venezuela	5.7
Europe	🇫🇮 Finland	7.7	🇺🇦 Ukraine	4.7
Middle East	🇮🇱 Israel	7.2	🇦🇫 Afghanistan	1.4
East Asia	🇹🇼 Taiwan	6.7	🇧🇩 Bangladesh	3.9
Africa	🇲🇺 Mauritius	5.8	🇸🇱 Sierra Leone	3.0
Oceania	🇦🇺🇳🇿 Australia & New Zealand	7.0	—	—

Indeed, Finland may have a high quality of life, but the quote-unquote “happiest” place doesn’t always make people happy: until recently, Finland had one of the highest suicide rates in the world, and the country is one of the worst places for expats. What the happiness ranking could speak to, then, is the Finnish custom of “sisu,” or inner strength, which means people rarely complain about their problems… or, for that matter, place themselves low on the life ladder.

Table for one

Another factor contributing to life satisfaction that the report highlighted was meal sharing. The growing number of people eating alone in the United States — in 2023, about 1 in 4 Americans reported eating all their meals alone the day before, up 53% from two decades prior — was said to have contributed to a decline in national well-being, as the US ranked 24th overall in the report, the lowest position it’s ever held.

FROM THE VISUAL CAPITALIST:

Costa Rica, now ranked sixth, stands out as North America’s happiest country, surpassing both the U.S. and Canada. At the opposite end, the Dominican Republic (#76) ranks as the least happy in the region, likely due to persistent inequality and economic challenges.

In South America, Uruguay remains the happiest country at #28, while Venezuela (#82) retains its position as the least happy. Its ongoing economic crisis, political turmoil, and large-scale emigration have greatly diminished quality of life.

Ukraine (#111) is Europe’s lowest-ranked country, still grappling with the lingering effects of war, financial instability, and an uncertain future.

Afghanistan continues to occupy the bottom spot globally and in the Middle East. Prolonged conflict, restrictions on freedoms—especially for women—and a struggling economy have kept it the world’s least happy nation since 2020.

Taiwan emerges as East Asia’s happiest country at #27, surpassing Singapore. Bangladesh, meanwhile, ranks lowest among Asian economies at #134, weighed down by economic challenges and ongoing political instability.

Africa has the lowest average happiness scores worldwide. Within the region, Mauritius (#78) leads as the happiest country, helped by a relatively higher standard of living, while Sierra Leone remains second to last overall due to widespread poverty, political corruption, and inadequate infrastructure.

Lastly, in Oceania, Australia and New Zealand both record strong scores of 7.0, narrowly missing the global top 10. High life expectancy and robust social systems contribute to their elevated rankings.

Which Countries Saw the Greatest Change in Happiness?

Below, we show the three countries that saw the largest increases to their happiness scores from last year, and the three countries that saw the greatest decreases.

Country	2023 Happiness Score	2024 Happiness Score	Change in score
🇱🇸 Lesotho	3.2	3.8	0.6
🇱🇧 Lebanon	2.7	3.2	0.5
🇿🇲 Zambia	3.5	3.9	0.4
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone	3.3	3.0	-0.3
🇰🇼 Kuwait	7.0	6.6	-0.3
🇦🇫 Afghanistan	1.7	1.4	-0.4

Lesotho recorded the greatest improvement among all surveyed countries, with its happiness score rising by 0.6 points (from 3.2 to 3.8). Despite this notable gain, it still ranks among the least happy nations worldwide.

Lebanon and Zambia also registered significant increases in their scores but continue to sit near the bottom of the rankings, underscoring the entrenched economic and political hurdles they face. Meanwhile, some of the world’s least happy countries saw their scores dip even further. Sierra Leone, Kuwait, and Afghanistan experienced the largest drops, each declining by 0.3 to 0.4 points.

Which Countries Moved Up the Happiness Rankings Most?

Looking at overall ranking shifts, Latin American countries led the way, indicating a renewed sense of optimism in spite of persistent economic and political challenges. Colombia, Mexico, and Ecuador recorded the most substantial climbs, moving up by 17, 15, and 12 places, respectively.

Colombia advanced from #78 to #61, Mexico reached the top 10 for the first time by jumping from #25 to #10, and Ecuador rose from #74 to #62.

By contrast, the United States slipped from #23 to #24, continuing a downward trajectory that has been evident since 2016. Declining social trust and growing inequality remain key contributors to the U.S.’s gradual slide in the rankings.

Where does this data come from?

Source: The World Happiness Report which leverages data from the Gallup World Poll.

Methodology: The World Happiness Report derives its rankings from Gallup World Poll data, surveying approximately 1,000 people per country per year across 140+ countries. The total sample size typically exceeds 140,000 respondents annually. The rankings are based on three-year averages, from 2022 to 2024. Respondents evaluate their lives using the Cantril Ladder, a 0-to-10 scale. The rankings are based on six key factors: GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity (measured by charitable acts), and perceptions of corruption.

In addition to life evaluations, the report examines emotional well-being through positive and negative affect indicators, such as laughter, worry, and sadness. The 2025 edition also emphasizes social trust and benevolence, analyzing behaviors like sharing meals, helping strangers, and returning lost wallets to assess how caring and community engagement contribute to happiness.

Criticisms: Critics of the World Happiness Report point out that survey questions measure satisfaction with socioeconomic conditions as opposed to individual emotional happiness. As well, there are myriad cultural differences around the world that influence how people think about happiness and life satisfaction. Finally, there can be big differences in life satisfaction between groups within a country, which are averaged out even in a nationally representative group. The report does acknowledge inequality as a factor by measuring the “gap” between the most and least happy halves of each country.

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The secret to happiness? Doing pretty okay, I guess.

For the eighth year in a row, Finland tops the “happiness” league tables — but that doesn’t mean its citizens are feeling the joy.

Happy coincidence?