Most and Least Happiest Countries in the World
The World Happiness Report of 2024 was announced this week . The top 10 countries in the list are the same since the recent pandemic of COVID-19. As per the UN sponsored report of World Happiness , Finland remains on the top since the past seven years.Several Eastern European countries saw a rise in their positions , while the position of the USA and Germany fell this year to 23rd and 24th position respectively.Earlier both these countries would always feature in the top 20 countries.
Nordic countries to hold top rankings in the Happiness Index. Finland has gained the first position , followed by Denmark, Iceland and Sweden.
The countries on the bottom most of the happiness index are- Congo, Sierra,Lesotho and Lebanon. Besides these, Afghanistan is the least happiest country out of all the 143 countries in the Index.
India’s Ranking
India’s position is 126 in the rankings. The World Happiness Report observed that the older age group of the population in India is related with higher life satisfaction. On the contrary, the women belonging to the older age group in India had a lower life satisfaction in comparison to the older men. As per the report, the women are less satisfied in their lives than the men throughout the world. This is mainly due to the increase in the gender gap and women aged.
People belonging to the higher caste and with higher formal education are much more happier and satisfied in their life than with the people who belong from STs or SCs and who have lower levels of education. Besides these, living necessities, rate of discrimination are also big indicators to check the satisfaction among the older generations here.
Ranking People Below the age of 30 and above 60
The top five countries in the rankings of happiness for young people are- Lithuania, Israel, Serbia, Iceland and Denmark. India holds 127th place in this. While the top five rankings in the happiness for people above the age of 60 are- Denmark,
Finland, Norway, Sweden and Island. India gained 121st position in this ranking.
The report highlights that people of younger age groups are happier and more satisfied in their lives than people from older generations. However, this similar trend does not hold true for people in North America and New Zealand. The happiness and life satisfaction has fallen in these countries in the younger generations, since 2006-2010.
Report is formed on the following Variables.
World Happiness is published every year by the UN’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The variables that are taken into consideration to form the report include- healthy life expectancy, GDP per capita, freedom to make life choices, freedom from corruption, social support and generosity.
Why is Finland Always Topping the Happiness List ?
As mentioned in a news article of Times of India, a research at the University of Helsinki, Jennifer De Paola said that the people of Finland are happier in their lives because of their good work-life balance. Also, Finns have a close bond with nature. These factors are responsible for life satisfaction.
As per the researcher, she said, in Finland the level of corruption is very low, the health care and education systems are well equipped, people have faith in their government institutions and they evaluate financial achievements more on the basis of welfare of society than on the profits.
