Finland is the happiest country in the world for the seventh year in a row (2024)

For the seventh year in a row, Finland has landed the top spot on the World Happiness Report's annual ranking of the happiest countries in the world.

Countries are ranked according to self-assessed life evaluations and answers to the Cantril ladder question which asks respondents to think of a ladder with the best possible life for them being a 10 and the worst being a zero and then rate their current lives on that scale.

The Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, which publishes the report, says that in addition to using the Cantril ladder question, the report also considers the following six variables in the more than 130 countries ranked in the report:

  1. GDP per capita
  2. Social Support
  3. Healthy life expectancy
  4. Freedom
  5. Generosity
  6. Freedom of corruption

While this year the top ten countries on the list remain mostly unchanged, the top 20 saw a bit more action. Costa Rica and Kuwait jumped to 12th and 13th place, respectively while the United States and Germany fell off the top 20 completely. The U.S. dropped from No. 15 to No. 23 this year.

Of the top ten happiest countries, only the Netherlands and Australia have populations over 15 million, and of the top 20, only Canada and the U.K. have populations over 30 million.

No. 1 happiest country in the world: Finland

Finland took the No. 1 spot on the list with a score of 7.741. According to Frank Martela, a Finnish philosopher and psychology researcher, Finnish people are happy because they have a strong sense of community and relatedness, do good deeds for other people, and find a clear purpose for themselves.

"It would be more accurate to say that Finland is the country that has the least unhappy people in the world," Martela tells CNBC Make It.

Finland outperforms the average country in education, work-life balance, environment quality, social connections, safety and life satisfaction, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD) Better Life Index.

Life expectancy at birth in Finland is around 82 years, 85 for women and 79 for men.

The Finnish people's strong sense of community is further proven by the OECD Better Life Index, which states that 96% of people believe they know someone they can rely on in their time of need.

Top 10 happiest countries in the world

  1. Finland
  2. Denmark
  3. Iceland
  4. Sweden
  5. Israel
  6. Netherlands
  7. Norway
  8. Luxembourg
  9. Switzerland
  10. Australia

Denmark ranked as the No. 2 happiest country in the world, according to the 2024 World Happiness Report.

Klaus Vedfelt | Digitalvision | Getty Images

Denmark ranked No. 2 on the list with a score of 7.583.

The country's high ranking is due in part to its level of equality and sense of responsibility for social welfare, according tothe country's official website. These are two things that are closely linked to happiness, according to the World Happiness Report.

While some might point out that people in Denmark pay some of the world's highest taxes — up to half of their income — it is balanced out by the fact that most healthcare in the country is free, childcare is subsidized, university students pay no tuition and receive grants to help cover expenses while studying. The elderly receive pensions and are provided with care helpers.

According to the OECD Better Life Index, the Nordic country outperforms the average in jobs, education, health, environmental quality, social connections, civic engagement and life satisfaction. Denmark is a founding member of the OECD and NATO.

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Finland is the happiest country in the world for the seventh year in a row (1)

VIDEO25:4425:44

Why Finland and Denmark are the happiest countries in the world

Finland is the happiest country in the world for the seventh year in a row (2024)

FAQs

Finland is the happiest country in the world for the seventh year in a row? ›

Finland ranked as the happiest country in the world again, according to The World Happiness Report

World Happiness Report
The World Happiness Report is a publication that contains articles and rankings of national happiness, based on respondent ratings of their own lives, which the report also correlates with various (quality of) life factors. The report primarily uses data from the Gallup World Poll.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › World_Happiness_Report
. For the seventh year in a row, Finland has landed the top spot on the World Happiness Report's annual ranking of the happiest countries in the world.

What is the happiest country in the world 7 years in a row? ›

Finland stands out as a place where people can find happiness and stability in a world that often seems full of problems and changes. According to the World Happiness Report, this Nordic country has become the happiest country in the world for the seventh year in a row.

How many years has Finland been the happiest country? ›

For seven consecutive years, Finland has been named the happiest country in the world, followed closely by its Nordic neighbours Denmark and Iceland.

Has Finland been named the happiest country in the world for the seventh time? ›

The 2024 World Happiness Report also showed a disturbing downward trend in life evaluations by young people and adolescents, particularly in Western Europe. Finland has been crowned the world's happiest country for a seventh successive year in the newly-released World Happiness Report.

Why is Finland always the happiest country? ›

The basis for Finland's consistent #1 position in happiness is explained by the high levels of trust and freedom in its society – which research shows contributes to well-being and productivity. Finland consistently ranks among the best in the world for transparency and the perceived lack of corruption.

What is the number 1 happiest country? ›

Finland ranked as the happiest country in the world again, according to The World Happiness Report. For the seventh year in a row, Finland has landed the top spot on the World Happiness Report's annual ranking of the happiest countries in the world.

Why are Scandinavians so happy? ›

Social cohesion and a high level of trust lead the way, followed by the high quality of public services and low levels of income inequality.

Is Finland a calm country? ›

Finnish happiness is calm and peaceful

Year after year, Finland tops the world Happiness index. Possibly, this trend is because Finns enjoy simple pleasures – like clean air, pure water and walking around in the woods – to the fullest.

What country was named the world's happiest for 6 years in a row? ›

Finland can teach an expert class in happiness after being named the happiest country in the world for six years in a row.

Is Finland and Denmark happiest country? ›

Finland takes the title of world's happiest nation, once closely associated with Denmark, for the seventh year in a row. The Danish second place is the same as its 2022 and 2023 rankings and one spot better than in 2021.

What religion is practiced in Finland? ›

According to Finnish government statistics from December 2021 that count only registered members of registered congregations, 66.6 percent of the population belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (ELC) and 1.1 percent to the Finnish Orthodox Church, while 0.4 percent (approximately 21,000) have official ...

Do they speak English in Finland? ›

Finland has its own official languages, which the Finnish government recognizes. However, even though English is not their official language, you'll find many Finns speak English well. English has become widely spoken, especially in urban areas and among the younger generation.

Is healthcare free in Finland? ›

Public healthcare in Finland is not free, though charges are reasonable and generally affordable. Public healthcare is the responsibility of municipalities, and is primarily funded by taxation. It is also funded by patient fees.

What is the world's happiest country for 6 years in a row? ›

Finland conquered the United Nations World Happiness Report's top spot for the sixth year in a row, and not because there is something in the icy waters of this nation of just 5.6 million people.

What is the unhappiest country in the world 2024? ›

The world's “unhappiest” nation is Afghanistan. The report uses Gallup's World Poll data to assign rankings to countries based on self-reported levels of national happiness.

What is the US ranked in happiness? ›

World Happiness country rankings, 2021–2024

The U.S. was ranked 19 in 2021, rose to 16 in 2022, 15 in 2023, and fell to 23 in 2024. U.S. U.K. The U.S. hit an all-time low ranking in the annual World Happiness Report, tumbling eight spots to 23rd.

What is the happiest country in the world over time? ›

Finland, home to 5.5million people, was today named the world's happiest country for the seventh consecutive year. It means all five Scandinavian nations have come in the top 10 most content places on earth over the past decade, despite their long, cold and dark winters.

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