Happiest countries in world in 2024: Where people are most satisfied with life
Photo: Vacation in Finland (pixabay.com)
The high quality of life in a country is determined not only by its economic success but often by the sense of well-being among its people. Researchers have identified the level of happiness worldwide based on this indicator.
Here are the countries that made it to the top 10 happiest in 2024, according to proukrainu.blesk.cz.
How happiness levels were determined in countries
The World Happiness Report, a global happiness ranking, is based on an average indicator derived from surveys conducted during the period of 2021-2023. Respondents subjectively evaluated their level of well-being, positive emotions, and negative emotions.
The report utilizes data from the global Gallup survey. Respondents were asked to rate their overall current life satisfaction on a scale from 0 to 10. Typically, around 1000 responses are collected annually for each country. The happiness ranking is based on the three-year average of these life satisfaction ratings.
Positive emotions evaluated by survey participants include laughter, enjoyment, and interest. Negative emotions include worry, sadness, and anger.
Photo: Happiness levels were determined by people's assessments (pixabay.com)
At the same time, life evaluations vary more between countries than emotions do, and are explained by different life experiences in those countries.
Which countries became the happiest in 2024
The top ten countries in the ranking have remained almost unchanged from the previous report. Currently, the happiest countries are recognized as follows:
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Sweden
- Israel
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Luxembourg
- Switzerland
- Australia
Meanwhile, the second tier saw more changes – Costa Rica and Kuwait entered it, at 12th and 13th place respectively. Due to the narrowing gap in happiness levels across different parts of Europe, Czechia (18th place) and Lithuania (19th place) also made it to the top twenty. Additionally, Austria ranked 14th, Canada 15th, Belgium 16th, and Ireland 17th. Slovenia almost joined them, ranking 21st.
Photo: Relaxation in Copenhagen, Denmark (pixabay.com)
The United States and Germany have lost positions in the top 20, dropping from 15th and 16th places in the previous ranking to 23rd and 24th places.
In the top ten happiest countries, only the Netherlands and Australia have populations of over 15 million. Among the entire top twenty, only Canada and the United Kingdom have populations exceeding 30 million.
According to happiness estimates since 2021, Ukraine ranks 105th. Previously, Ukrainians were happier, ranking 95th.
The least happy people, according to the report, are in Morocco (107), Kenya (114), Egypt (127), and India (126). Afghanistan ranks last (143rd place).
We also reported on in which countries in Europe residents are more satisfied with their lives.
