Happiest Countries in the World (Top 137 Countries)

When the health of a society and its parts are looked at as a whole, life assessments are better, and countries are happy. Because of this, each institution should do what it can to help people. Even though there may not be a perfect way to measure happiness around the World, this study tries to do so deeply and honestly.

Facts about Happiest Countries

• Finland tops the list of the World’s happiest countries for the sixth consecutive year.
• Regarding GDP per person and freedom from oppression, the Nordic countries came out on top.
• Finland ranks top as the happiest country in Europe.
• Every student in Finland gets a free education. It pays for elementary, middle, high school, bachelor’s, master’s, and professional school.
• In 2023, the United States climbed one position to rank fifteenth.
• The United States ranks top as the happiest country in Latin America.
• Countries in Latin America, such as Paraguay and Guatemala, would have been ranked as the happiest if the index was based on the intensity of positive emotions.
• Singapore ranks top as the happiest country in Asia.
• In Denmark, “stress leave” is supported by the government.

Factors 

To determine the World’s happiest countries, researchers analyzed these six factors.

• Healthy life expectancy
• Higher GDP per capita
• Social support
• Freedom to make your own decisions in life
• Absence of business and government corruption.
• Giving to charity

What are the Top 15 Happiest countries in 2023?

Most of the top seven nations for 2023 are in northern Europe. Researchers questioned participants on how happy they were with their lives. Scores were determined based on the self-reported answers of people residing in different countries and experiencing different aspects of quality of life. The 2023 World Happiness Ranking values were determined using a three-year average from 2020-22. Here are the 15 happiest countries in the World in 2023.

1. Finland (Score-7.804)

Finland has been ranked the World’s happiest country for the sixth consecutive year. Happiness is regarded as a “skill that can be learned” in Finland, resulting from a close connection to nature and practicality. In addition, the report acknowledged that Finland’s citizens’ mutual support and confidence contributed to more than just their country’s top position.

The Finnish population maintained a strong faith in their right to personal liberty and had little regard for the possibility of government corruption. These two factors have a significant impact on overall satisfaction. Furthermore, due to its peaceful and pure atmosphere, Finland is regarded as a unique and superior nation on a global scale.

Transportation options are available to both residents and tourists in Finland, which contributes to the relaxed atmosphere of the country. Now let’s discuss the Finnish educational system. First, it teaches children the basics. Education is the most crucial factor that can create or break a nation. Without a doubt, Finland’s education system boosts the country’s standard of living. 

Government and society both honor their respective obligations. Consequently, corruption and violence are rare. When there is no corruption and no violence, a country becomes a safer place to reside. The government also maintains a pleasant environment and clean workplaces.

Finland is one of the safest countries on the globe. Nokia is one of Finland’s most successful prominent companies. A mobile phone manufacturer is currently developing its smartphones and Android devices. However, foreign trade is the primary economic motor in Finland.

2. Denmark (Score-7.586)

Denmark is the World’s second-happiest country. Denmark scores at both social equality and a sense of community, essential elements of happiness. In addition, Denmark has high levels of equality and a strong sense of shared responsibility for social welfare.

Denmark is a great nation. In addition to numerous fables, legends, and stories, it is home to some of the World’s most well-known brands. In addition, due to the Nordic economic paradigm in the region, in which the government, businesses, and people must act in their best interests, trust is a fundamental value in Danish culture.

Everyone, including large corporations, is expected to be trustworthy in the safe nation of Denmark. Children ride public transportation alone frequently, and people can go for walks at any time of day or night.

Danish pay astronomical income taxes and up to 25 percent value-added tax on most products. However, due to the numerous benefits they obtain in exchange, the majority are more than willing to pay for this. In Denmark, the government covers the expense of healthcare, and there are no tuition fees for university students. Older people also receive pensions, and infant care is subsidized.

Productivity and income among Danish are still the same. In contrast, the country ranks far above the United States, Germany, and Japan regarding workplace performance and productivity. This is because Danish laborers diligently complete their tasks and then return home.

3. Iceland (Score-7.530)

Iceland is the 3rd happiest country in the World. Even though its people are strong and determined, they are also very kind. Iceland is the least crowded country in Europe, with just over 350,000 people living there. Still, 99% of Icelanders said they had a good friend. Most people don’t feel lonely here.

Icelanders are like a big family, often sharing relatives from long ago. Because it happens so often, the government made a special tool that lets people make sure they are not related to each other before they start dating. One reason for this closeness is that people in the past had a hard time living in such a remote place with such harsh weather. Old Icelanders had to count on each other to stay alive, so they had a strong sense of duty to their neighbors and cared for the weak. Because of this, a society of acceptance and excellence affects the happiness of the Icelandic people.

4. Israel (Score-7.473)

Israel climbed from ninth place in 2022 to fourth place in 2023. Israel consistently obtains high marks for life satisfaction in these surveys. It is related to the sense of meaning and purpose many individuals associate with residing in this area and their proximity to family, which frequently increases their overall life satisfaction.

Israel is a nation that values both friends and family highly. Consequently, the military facilitates extremely close friendships frequently. However, due to the country’s tiny size, family members, including parents, siblings, children, grandchildren, and cousins, are usually a three-hour drive away.

Weekly, hundreds of thousands demonstrate their concern for the nation’s state by filling the streets. They hold the state of being in the highest regard. They believe that their lives and sacrifices for the nation have significance. However, they do not want this objective to be compromised in any way.

5. Netherlands (Score-7.403)

The Netherlands ranks 5th as the World’s happiest country in 2023. It fell a little in the rankings in 2020, but since 2021, it has climbed back up to the fifth place and stayed there. In the Netherlands, 86.9% of people who answered the survey said they thought their lives were in balance, and 97.6% said they were happy with how things were going. It is the best place to live because it is wealthy, has a great health care system, great educational opportunities, freedom of speech, multiculturalism, political stability, a good balance between work and life, and many jobs.

The law and how people act in the Netherlands show that it is an accepting and free country. The Netherlands has a great school system, which makes it a great place to study. There are many universities all over the country. Some focus on one study area, while others offer a wider range.

The medical system is based on everyone having the same access to care. This law is made up of four acts. They are the Health Insurance Act, the Social Support Act, the Long-Term Care Act, and the Youth Act.

6. Sweden (Score-7.395)

Sweden is the sixth happiest nation on the planet. Sweden’s ranking as the happiest country is primarily attributable to several factors, such as its outstanding government, low crime rate, and comprehensive health care system. As a consequence, their economic growth exceeds that of everyone else.

The robust economy of Sweden allows for the establishment and expansion of enterprises. They are also known for their openness to different cultures.

7. Norway (Score-7.315)

Norway went from being the eighth-happiest country in the World last year to the seventh-happiest this year. No one needs to be an expert in economics to see that Norway’s situation improved when oil was found in the North Sea 40 or 50 years ago.  

In the long run, the dark, cold weather in places like Norway makes people happy because it requires “greater mutual support,” It seems like the longer nights and colder weather that come with Norwegian might help people get along better.

In Norway, almost everyone has protection bought with money from the government. At age 67, even women who choose to stay home and not work outside the home can get a pension.

8. Switzerland (Score-7.240)

Sweden ranks eighth on the list of the World’s happiest countries. The majority of Swiss people are active and can be found engaging in outdoor sporting activities almost daily.

Despite having a military system, Switzerland has maintained its reputation as a war-free zone since 1847. As a result, children begin going to school on foot at a young age, and parents have no reason to be concerned about their safety. There is a minor crime, of course.

Switzerland is known for its cleanliness and regularity. The result is a similarly high life expectancy of 83 years in Australia and Switzerland.

9. Luxembourg (Score-7.228)

Luxembourg ranks ninth in terms of total happiness, just ahead of New Zealand. However, the improvement is primarily attributable to Luxembourg’s robust economic performance, as GDP per capita is the sole factor that contributes the most to Luxembourg’s wealth ranking. In contrast, Luxembourg ranked 12th for life expectancy, 10th for personal autonomy, and 34th for charity.

10. New Zealand (Score-7.123)

New Zealand ranks tenth among the World’s happiest nations. Social support was one of the primary reasons New Zealanders scored so highly on contentment. As a result, New Zealand is increasingly considering methods to promote well-being at the governmental, individual, and casual levels.

The New Zealanders’ daily sense of community and desire to support one another translated into resilience in the face of tragedy.

After the 2011 earthquake and the recent terrorist attack in Christchurch, people joined and supported one another due to their high social capital and strong connections.

11. Austria (Score-7.097)

Austria ranks eleventh among the World’s happiest countries in 2023, while Sweden ranks tenth. Austria has a very high living standard. Vienna has been ranked as one of the World’s most livable capitals for ten consecutive years. Austria also receives excellent marks for freedom of the press, women’s, and human rights. Buses, trams, and metros are extensively utilized in Austria, and public transportation is excellent and dependable.

The Austrian educational system is of the highest caliber and most advanced in the World. In addition, Austria’s educated population provides universal free preschool and public elementary and secondary institutions. Therefore, students have a choice between academic and vocational institutions.

Everyone in Austria has access to healthcare. Therefore, most medical issues and medications are covered, and care is of a high standard. Consequently, crime is highly uncommon in Austria, and violent crime is even rarer. Nationwide, there are typically fewer than 100 homicides per year.

12. Australia (Score-7.095)

Australia ranks 12th among the World’s happiest countries. In Australia, 94% of the population states they have someone they can turn to in an emergency. Similar to the correlation between benevolence and happiness, happier individuals are more likely to volunteer, assist others, and donate money to charity.

Personal freedoms are crucial to pleasure because they are linked to achieving aspirations. The recent legalization of homosexual marriage in Australia is an excellent illustration of personal liberty. Furthermore, Australia benefits from a functional democracy.

13. Canada (Score-6.961)

Canada ranks 13th in the World and is the top happiest country in North America, just ahead of the United States. Kindness, respect for others, acceptance of diversity, and support for family values are just a few of the characteristics Canadians consistently exhibit and contribute to this beautiful country’s general contentment.

Canada is a nation of profound sympathy. This practice may occasionally be amusing, but it exemplifies the intrinsic generosity that Canadians appear to possess. In addition, Canadians apologize more often than persons of many other cultures.

The Canadian government’s generous health care system and parental leave laws demonstrate its commitment to assisting its citizens. For instance, while most new mothers receive 17 weeks of leave, eligible parents of a newborn or adopted child can divide 35 weeks. Consequently, Canadians feel supported and cared for, especially when starting families.

Canada became the 4th nation worldwide to legalize same-sex unions, paving the way for LGBT individuals to achieve equality in other nations. In addition, every major Canadian city annually hosts a massive, inclusive pride parade.

14. Ireland (Score-6.911)

Ireland ranks 14th World’s happiest country in 2023. Happiness is widespread throughout Irish society. Irish citizens, on average, rate their happiness at a 7.0 on a scale from 0 to 10.

Spending time with loved ones is crucial to one’s sense of well-being. Eighty-three percent of Irish citizens are happy with their level of free time. The percentage of Irish citizens who reported being in excellent health was 84%, significantly higher than the worldwide average of 69%. Patients in Ireland can rest assured that they won’t go broke paying for healthcare due to the country’s universal free healthcare system.

Living in Ireland is a tranquil experience. People have a strong sense of community and trust that Ireland is a safe place to raise a family. The climate in Ireland is typically mild, never excessively hot or chilly. 

Even though Ireland isn’t the cheapest nation in which to live, its citizens are more content with their standard of living than the EU average.

15. United States (Score-6.894)

The United States ranks fifteenth among the World’s happiest countries in 2023. It climbed from No. 16 last year to No. 15 this year as the happiest nation in the World. Before the pandemic began in 2020, an average of 48% of Americans expressed satisfaction. In 2023, however, only 41% of respondents reported a significant decrease in pleasure with the 29 different metrics.

The US is special in permitting its citizens to practice any religion, speak anything, and protest without legal consequences. However, certain nations have passed free speech laws prohibiting certain words and unacceptable statements. 

It is impossible to overstate the need for privacy and freedom from government interference. This privilege prohibits the government or police from searching a person’s home or vehicle or seizing their belongings without a warrant.

The least happy countries

In 2023, Afghanistan was the country where people were the least happy. It got a 2.523, which put it in the 149th spot. Low GDP per person and low life expectancy rates are to blame. It’s important to remember that the study came out before the Taliban took over Afghanistan, which will affect future scores somehow.

Russia’s attack on Ukraine put both countries at the center of attention around the World. Ukraine is No. 92 on the list, and Russia is No. 70. Russia’s score went from 5.5 to 5.7, slightly improving from the previous period.

While there has been a lot of suffering and destruction in Ukraine, life evaluations are still better than they were after the 2014 invasion. This is because there is a strong sense of common purpose and trust in Ukrainian leadership. 

There are many differences between regions. For example, Africa has the lowest total happiness score. (4.4). But in Africa, the island nation of Mauritius gets the best score. On the other hand, Sierra Leone has the lowest score of all the African countries.

The Top 10 least happy countries are-

1.   Afghanistan (1.859)  
2.   Lebanon (2.392)  
3.   Sierra Leone (3.138)  
4.   Zimbabwe (3.204)  
5.   DR Congo (3.207)  
6.   Botswana (3.435)  
7.   Malawi (3.495)  
8.   Comoros (3.545)  
9.   Tanzania (3.694)  
10.   Zambia (3.982)  

Here is a list of the world’s happiest countries in 2023

Lastly,

But since we can only move to Finland, can other countries learn anything from these rankings? Of course, yes. The happiest country in the World can teach us how to be happy. Happier countries have adequate social capital, a high level of trust in society, low levels of inequality, faith in their government, and wealth as it is usually measured.

Read More Best Countries for Quality of Life (Top 87 Countries)