Finland retains 'world's happiest country' title; Israel among top 10
What's the story
Finland has been declared the world's happiest country for the eighth consecutive year, according to the latest World Happiness Report.
The annual report, published by the Wellbeing Research Center at Oxford University, has also placed other Nordic nations like Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden in the top four.
Rankings are based on people's self-assessments of their lives. The study was done in collaboration with analytics firm, Gallup, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Decline
US falls to lowest ever ranking
The US reached its lowest-ever rank, now 24th. This is a steep fall from its 11th position in 2012.
The report notes that solitary dining among Americans has increased by 53% in the last two decades, which may reflect changing social dynamics.
While European countries dominated the top 20 list, there were several outliers. Despite the war with Hamas, Israel ranked eighth.
Costa Rica and Mexico entered the top 10 for the first time, ranking sixth and 10th, respectively.
Social connections
Factors influencing happiness beyond wealth
According to Jon Clifton, CEO of Gallup, "Happiness isn't just about wealth or growth - it's about trust, connection and knowing people have your back."
The report listed a few factors affecting happiness apart from health and wealth. These include sharing meals with others, someone to rely on for social support, and household size.
For example, in Mexico and Europe, a household size of four to five means more happiness.
Global rankings
Afghanistan ranks as the unhappiest country
The report also states that Afghanistan is the unhappiest country in the world, followed by Sierra Leone and Lebanon.
In a surprise, India has improved its happiness quotient from 126th in 2024 to 118th this year.
However, it still ranks lower than several conflict-affected countries, including Ukraine, Mozambique, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Palestine, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Gambia, and Venezuela.