The Happiest Country In The World

Happiness is more than just money and house. It is also the freedom, facilities and political power. These are the ten happiest countries in the world in 2019.

Happiness is both simple and extremely complicated. This is also evident when studying the methodology used  for the United Nations World Happiness Report to find out the Happiest country in the World. Every year, they ask a simple question to people in more than 150 countries – How happy are you? 

The feeling of happiness is determined using a ladder system. The lowest score is 1 and the top is 10. The World Happiness Report is the first report that assesses countries on how their populations feel. The participants are not asked why they are happy or unhappy.

The study attempts to quantify happiness based on six factors:

• Gross domestic product per capita (purchasing power)
• Life expectancy
• Social Safety
• Personal Freedom
• Generosity (donation)
• Corruption

10. Austria

Austria gained two places compared to 2018 to get the 10th spot in the list of the happiest countries in the world. Respondents rated their happiness level higher in only nine other countries worldwide. In the view of the United Nations, this is mainly due to high life expectancy and the high gross domestic product per capita.

9. Canada

The eleven happiest countries in the world are all part of the OECD. Canada has slipped a bit in the list of happiest countries in the world. The country had finished seventh in 2018. Now it was only enough for ninth place. Canada scores above all with outstanding values in life expectancy and personal freedom.

8. New Zealand

New Zealand defended its eighth place in the Report. It remains to be seen if the attack on two mosques in Christchurch with 50 dead will change that next year. But New Zealand can rely on a strong social foundation, private safety net, freedom, willingness to donate.

7. Sweden

Sweden went up to become the 7th happiest country in the world. The Scandinavian country improved by two places to seventh place thanks to improved per capita income and strong social foundation.

6. Switzerland

By contrast, the Swiss were slightly less fortunate than last year. Switzerland slipped from fifth to sixth place. But still holds a prominent position in the list of happiest countries in the world.

5. Netherlands

The citizens of the Netherlands evidently had more reason to be happy. They swapped places with Switzerland and climbed from sixth to fifth place. It was Generosity that helped the Netherland become the 5th happiest country in the world. This proves how complex the individual sense of happiness can be.

4. Iceland

In none of the countries surveyed, respondents rated bonding between relatives and friends more than in Iceland. That contributes to the feeling of happiness amongst citizens. Just as in the previous year, Iceland occupies fourth place in the list of happiest countries in the world.

3. Norway

Luck seems to be rampant in the Nordic countries. As in 2018, the top three still firmly have under under control. For Norway, however, it went down one place to finish with the 3rd  Happiest country in the World. The country scored points above all for its private safety net and personal freedoms.

2. Denmark

The Danes have been especially happy in the past. They pushed the Norwegians out of second place in the list of the happiest countries in the world. But even Denmark could not get the throne of the still happiest country in the world.

1. Finland

Nowhere in the world are people happier than in Finland. This is the conclusion of the United Nations based the overall happiness of the citizens of Finland. Finland again defended its top spot from the previous year.

The happiest countries in the world are not a matter of chance. People come together with honesty and goodwill to work together to make their country the happiest in the world.