Istafa Ali
In the recent release of the United Nations-backed Happiness Report, Pakistan has maintained its lead over India, securing the 108th position while India trails at 126th. Meanwhile, Finland has been crowned the happiest country on the globe for the seventh consecutive year, with other Nordic nations like Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden closely following in the top rankings.
The report, which assesses 143 countries, places Afghanistan at the bottom, continuing to struggle under the weight of humanitarian crises. Notably, the top happiest countries predominantly consist of those with smaller populations, underlining that smaller nations with effective social systems continue to lead in fostering happiness among their citizens.
For the first time in over a decade, neither the United States nor Germany ranked among the top 20 happiest countries, marking a significant shift in global happiness dynamics. In contrast, Costa Rica and Kuwait have made impressive entries into the top 20 this year.
The criteria for happiness include individual life satisfaction, GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. Additionally, this year’s report introduced a novel categorization by age, revealing interesting insights like Lithuania’s top ranking among those under 30, and Denmark leading among those aged 60 and above.
The findings also highlighted the increasing happiness inequality across regions, with Europe being the only exception. This growing disparity is reflected through various factors such as income, education, healthcare, and the quality of social environments.
Jennifer De Paola, a happiness researcher, attributes Finland’s continuous high ranking to its citizens’ connection to nature, a robust welfare system, and a healthy work-life balance, suggesting a broader and more attainable definition of a successful life compared to more materialistic perspectives.
This year’s happiness report not only continues to map global well-being but also prompts a deeper reflection on the factors that contribute to a fulfilling life, urging nations worldwide to rethink what truly makes societies prosperous and happy.
