Finland named Happiest Nation in the world for the seventh year in a row

[JohnS]

The World Happiness Report is in and for the seventh year in a row, Finland topped the list. How did your country fare?

Ranked: The 20 Happiest Countries In The World In 2024, According To A New Report

Laura Begley Bloom - Senior Contributor

Finland has done it again. The 2024 World Happiness Report is out, and for the seventh year in a row, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world.

But the news isn’t as good for the United States—which has hit a new low. The U.S. didn’t even make the top 20 list—the first time it has ranked so poorly since the World Happiness Report was created in 2012.

This annual report ranks global happiness in more than 140 countries around the world. The ranking is based on six factors—social support, income, health, freedom, generosity and absence of corruption—using data from sources including the Gallup World Poll. Released every year in honor of the International Day of Happiness on March 20, it is a partnership between several outlets including the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, Gallup and the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre.

Finland was named the happiest country for the seventh year in a row. GETTY

This year’s top 10 list is similar to past rankings in 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 and 2019, with many of the Nordic countries in the highest spots. Denmark once again took the number two spot, followed by Iceland (number three) and Sweden (number four). Norway ranked number seven.

Last year, the United States came in at number 15. For 2024, the U.S. plummeted to number 23. Even countries like Costa Rica and Lithuania—new entrants to the top 20 list—ranked higher. The reason? Happiness is lower in the U.S., especially among younger people.

The list also looked at happiest places broken down by age. The world’s happiest country for people under 30? Lithuania. The U.S. didn’t fare as well: For people under 30, it ranked number 62.

The winner for people over 60: Denmark. The U.S. did better for this age group, coming in at number 10.

Happiness levels dropped in the U.S.—especially among millennials. GETTY

According to the report, the older population is now much happier than younger people in countries like Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Spain. It’s the opposite in Portugal and Greece—where young residents are happier than older residents.

There was also data showing that children are becoming less happy. “Piecing together the available data on the wellbeing of children and adolescents around the world, we documented disconcerting drops especially in North America and Western Europe. To think that, in some parts of the world, children are already experiencing the equivalent of a mid-life crisis demands immediate policy action,” Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre, professor of economics and behavioral science at Saïd Business School and an editor of the World Happiness Report, said in a release.

Loneliness was another big trend noted in the report. “There is widespread concern, especially in the United States, about an emerging epidemic of loneliness, and about the consequences of loneliness for mental and physical health,” wrote the authors of the report. Though interestingly, it wasn’t the oldest residents that were experiencing loneliness: “North America loneliness is almost twice as high among the Millennials as among those born before 1965.”

One big surprise this year: Israel came in at number 5, despite the war with Hamas. But according to the authors of the report, the rankings are based on a three-year average, which can skew the numbers. (Israel has ranked in the top 10 on the happiness report since 2022.) “In the case of cataclysmic events happening during a particular year, their effect on the rankings will depend on when the survey took place, and will be muted by the three-year averaging,” wrote the authors of the report. “In the case of the October 7th attack on Israel and the subsequent war between Israel and Hamas, the survey in Palestine took place earlier in the year and the Israel survey after the hostage taking but before much of the subsequent warfare.”

At the bottom of the list for 2024 was Afghanistan, which—once again—was named the unhappiest country in the world. Rounding out the list of the five low-ranking countries were Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone and Congo.

Read on for the top 20 happiest countries in the world in 2024. You can see the entire list here.

An aerial view of Helsinki in Finland, which has been named the happiest country in the world in ... [+] GETTY

World’s 20 Happiest Countries In 2024

 

1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Sweden
5. Israel
6. Netherlands
7. Norway
8. Luxembourg
9. Switzerland
10. Australia
11. New Zealand
12. Costa Rica
13. Kuwait
14. Austria
15. Canada
16. Belgium
17. Ireland
18. Czechia
19. Lithuania
20. United Kingdom

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurabegleybloom/2024/03/19/ranked-the-20-happiest-countries-in-the-world-in-2024/?sh=64b428491b55

[Ford2112]

Get off those phones and get out in nature.

[Slayer]

The word restaurant doesn't naturally fit with the majority of the above.

Spain, France, China, Japan, Italy, Thailand, India, Korea, Mexico are all not on this list.

A correlation?

The word pub is a good fit though.

What's my point? I don't know 😂 🍻🍻

[Ken Gargett]

27 minutes ago, Slayer said:

The word restaurant doesn't naturally fit with the majority of the above.

Spain, France, China, Japan, Italy, Thailand, India, Korea, Mexico are all not on this list.

A correlation?

The word pub is a good fit though.

What's my point? I don't know 😂 🍻🍻

i am more than reasonably familiar with Finland, especially Helsinki, having been there almost annually for a decade or more. can't say if overall it is the happiest place but it does seem that it would be a strong contender. love it. 

not sure what you are getting at with restaurants but Helsinki has some superb restaurants. i look down that list of 20 and pretty much the majority are known to have some cracking restaurants. have i missed something? 

[Chibearsv]

7 hours ago, JohnS said:

“North America loneliness is almost twice as high among the Millennials as among those born before 1965.”

Gee, I wonder why.

[ha_banos]

Yet Finland is a high suicide rate country. How do the two measures not correlate?

[bmac]

Mo money mo problems. I always think of Finland and the like as cold and dark.

[Ken Gargett]

2 hours ago, bmac said:

Mo money mo problems.I always think of Finland and the like as cold and dark.

always had great weather there, though i know that they can get truckloads of snow. for an aussie where even in mid summer, it is dark by 6.30 latest, being bright at midnight is terrific. 

[JohnS]

40 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

for an aussie where even in mid summer, it is dark by 6.30 latest, being bright at midnight is terrific. 

Not for all Australians, Ken. Let's add that caveat in there. For the states that have Daylight Savings, the sunset can reach 8.30 pm, even 9 pm further south.

[Ken Gargett]

2 minutes ago, JohnS said:

Not for all Australians, Ken. Let's add that caveat in there. For the states that have Daylight Savings, the sunset can reach 8.30 pm, even 9 pm further south.

it is one of the very few downsides to being a qlder. mind you, 8.30. big whoop. that lasts for about three days. not quite frolicking near the fjords at midnight. 

[bmac]

November til March is dreadful

[Ken Gargett]

looks alright to me! this is my friend's place. 

 

[bmac]

3 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

looks alright to me! this is my friend's place.

Is this where y’all frolick til Midnight?😉

[Ken Gargett]

3 minutes ago, bmac said:

Is this where y’all frolick til Midnight?😉

could not honestly say that there had been frollicking but there have been some of the most truly extraordinary wines ever seen on the enjoyed there. he has opened bottles back to 1727 when i have been there. so many great wines. i'll take that instead of frolicking every day of the week. 

[El Presidente]

3 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

looks alright to me! this is my friend's place.

..............that picture is my hell

[Ken Gargett]

1 minute ago, El Presidente said:

..............that picture is my hell

seriously. love it.

i guess that means that you'll be right at home when you get to to the real one. 

[99call]

Could happiness be something to do with the political make up of Nordic Countries?

[Ken Gargett]

53 minutes ago, 99call said:

Could happiness be something to do with the political make up of Nordic Countries?

well that would be a first. politics making someone happy.

more seriously, my mates from finland very rarely discuss politics but i did not get the impression it made them any happier than anyone else. 

[99call]

30 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

well that would be a first. politics making someone happy.

more seriously, my mates from finland very rarely discuss politics but i did not get the impression it made them any happier than anyone else. 

Mainly being social democracies (last time I checked). Nordic countries seem to just get on with business of government. Actually trying to implement and improve things.  Instead of endless sparring and point scoring between factions, they actually seem able achieve things.

Maybe your friends not talking about politics is a hint to that, i.e. if their politicians are just boring civil servant types that get on with it.....maybe there is little scandal and disgrace for them to talk about.

[MagicalBikeRide]

From a far, it feels as if Finnish politics has its fair share of scandal..? Recall their current centre right government party going through a lot of racism related heat toward end of last summer. That said, in the round, you’re likely correct - politics there is more left orientated than other European counties (fiscally at least) and they seem capable of overcoming their political structure and actually getting things done.

[99call]

6 hours ago, MagicalBikeRide said:

 That said, in the round, you’re likely correct - politics there is more left orientated than other European counties (fiscally at least) and they seem capable of overcoming their political structure and actually getting things done.

Yep.....it's almost as if unadulterated capitalism doesn't actually result in happiness.....who knew!?

[Ken Gargett]

1 hour ago, 99call said:

Yep.....it's almost as if unadulterated capitalism doesn't actually result in happiness.....who knew!?

yes, we should all look to the model of Chinese peasants for happiness. not sure you can blame either end of the political scale for total happiness or lack of it, unless it suits the narrative that makes you happy. 

[JohnnyChong]

..............that picture is my hell

Snow’s nice to life with for three days then it gets tiresome and expensive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[99call]

10 hours ago, Ken Gargett said:

yes, we should all look to the model of Chinese peasants for happiness. not sure you can blame either end of the political scale for total happiness or lack of it, unless it suits the narrative that makes you happy. 

You've encapsulated both ends of my point in one go Ken, but equally missed the point. 

I'm sick of the red panic constantly waved as if it's the source of all evil. My point was countries that are able to blend socialist principles into a capitalist model or visa versa seem to be making a success of it. Within that comment I give credit to both parts of the equation. 

In the UK currently huge swathes of leisure centres have been shut down or privatised, the NHS is on it's knees, 1000's of libraries have been shut, as well as youth centres etc etc. The mail, the rail, water, steel industry, schools are all crumbling or have been sold off. When polled the majority of the country are now pro nationalisation of core services and want a complete reversal of privatisation, even staunchly conservative voting areas.  

I'm not anti capitalism Ken. My point is, to approach capitalism as it has some positives and some negatives is perfectly acceptable to most on here, but Jesus Christ...mention the the possibility the aspects of socialism has any redeeming aspect whatsoever or could have a positive impact on some governments...most have an absolute hissy fit, regardless of the the actual results. 

All I'm taking about is credit where credit is due, which ever form of government that may be.

Also then you mentions China, or Russia in 2024 are these Communist countries? They may say they are, but in what demonstrable way are they communist in 2024? There may be millions of desperately poor peasants in China, but how is that different to millions of desperately poor peasants working in sweat shops all around the world in the capitalism model? I think many honest independent arbiters currently describe these countries as Imperialist, Oligarchies, Kleptocracies, Dictatorships etc etc.

[Ken Gargett]

12 hours ago, 99call said:

You've encapsulated both ends of my point in one go Ken, but equally missed the point. 

I'm sick of the red panic constantly waved as if it's the source of all evil. My point was countries that are able to blend socialist principles into a capitalist model or visa versa seem to be making a success of it. Within that comment I give credit to both parts of the equation. 

In the UK currently huge swathes of leisure centres have been shut down or privatised, the NHS is on it's knees, 1000's of libraries have been shut, as well as youth centres etc etc. The mail, the rail, water, steel industry, schools are all crumbling or have been sold off. When polled the majority of the country are now pro nationalisation of core services and want a complete reversal of privatisation, even staunchly conservative voting areas.  

I'm not anti capitalism Ken. My point is, to approach capitalism as it has some positives and some negatives is perfectly acceptable to most on here, but Jesus Christ...mention the the possibility the aspects of socialism has any redeeming aspect whatsoever or could have a positive impact on some governments...most have an absolute hissy fit, regardless of the the actual results. 

All I'm taking about is credit where credit is due, which ever form of government that may be.

Also then you mentions China, or Russia in 2024 are these Communist countries? They may say they are, but in what demonstrable way are they communist in 2024? There may be millions of desperately poor peasants in China, but how is that different to millions of desperately poor peasants working in sweat shops all around the world in the capitalism model? I think many honest independent arbiters currently describe these countries as Imperialist, Oligarchies, Kleptocracies, Dictatorships etc etc.

i may well have but i think you've missed mine as well. you made the point attacking capitalism yet again. i was simply pointing out that nor is communism (or socialism) some glorious guarantee that the world is like Disneyland. 

you attack me for mentioning china and you throw in Russia. i didn't mention Russia and i deliberately noted Chinese peasants rather than China in general to ensure that i would not be seen suggesting that China was a pure communist country and not a dictatorship etc etc, as i am fully aware that true communism has largely been left behind. if it is to be found there, it is more likely amongst the peasants et al. i was hoping to avoid precisely the response that you made. 

but with no disrespect, we have heard all this before and i have neither the energy or interest in going over it again. when rob and i discussed the ban on US politics ages ago, i was keen that he allow discussion, at least to some extent. in retrospect, i was wrong and he was right (yes, not often you'll hear that). he pointed out that discussions on a cigar site might be fun but that they are never going to change anyone's view (and with the US, the discussions would very often get very nasty and we were better off without them). for me, you are more than welcome to keep repeating your view on politics if it makes you happy but i suspect that there isn't anyone on the forum who isn't fully aware of them. do you honestly think you have moved a single person? i shall be careful not to poke the bear (and i mean no Russian pun) again.