Finland Tops the World Happiness Rankings for the Eighth Consecutive Year

Finland has once again secured its position as the world’s happiest country for the eighth consecutive year, according to the latest global happiness rankings. The study, conducted by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, revealed that the United States has dropped to its lowest-ever ranking at 24th place. The rankings are based on people’s self-assessment of their quality of life, highlighting factors such as social trust, economic stability, and life expectancy.

Global Happiness Rankings: Finland Remains on the Top

The 2024 World Happiness Report has reaffirmed Finland’s position as the happiest country in the world. Other Nordic nations, including Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands, rounded out the top five.

The rankings are derived from individuals’ responses to survey questions about their overall life satisfaction. Despite Finland’s geographical proximity to Russia and increasing geopolitical tensions, its citizens continue to report high levels of happiness.

Factors Influencing Happiness Rankings

The happiness rankings are based on a three-year average of a population’s self-assessment of life quality. The factors considered in the ranking include:

• Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita – Economic stability contributes significantly to life satisfaction.
• Healthy life expectancy – Access to quality healthcare and a longer lifespan improve well-being.
• Social support – Having a reliable network of family and friends enhances happiness.
• Freedom to make life choices – A sense of autonomy and personal control is linked to higher life satisfaction.
• Generosity – Acts of kindness and donations contribute positively to societal happiness.
• Perceptions of corruption – Lower levels of corruption improve trust in government institutions and social systems.

The Role of Social Trust in Happiness

One of the key findings of the 2024 report is the strong correlation between happiness and belief in the kindness of others. The report highlights that people who believe in social trust—such as the likelihood of someone returning a lost wallet—tend to experience greater happiness.

Nordic countries, which consistently rank at the top in happiness indices, also excel in social trust metrics. This suggests that interpersonal trust and societal stability play an essential role in overall well-being.

United States Sees a Decline in Happiness

The United States, which ranked 13th in 2016, has now dropped to 24th place, marking its lowest position ever in the global rankings. Experts attribute this decline to increasing income inequality, political divisions, and social unrest.

Similarly, the United Kingdom also fell to its lowest ranking since 2017. Researchers have observed that while happiness disparities between countries have remained stable, happiness inequality within countries has increased by about 25% over the past two decades.

Geopolitical Challenges and Their Impact on Happiness

Despite facing increased geopolitical tensions due to its proximity to Russia, Finland has continued to rank as the happiest nation. Over recent years, Finland and other European countries have experienced a rise in cyberattacks, GPS jamming, and suspected sabotage of critical infrastructure in the Baltic Sea. However, these external challenges have not significantly impacted the Finnish people’s reported happiness levels.

Summary of the Report

Category	Details
Why in News?	Finland has been ranked as the world’s happiest country for the eighth consecutive year, while the US has dropped to 24th place, its lowest-ever ranking.
Top Five Countries	1. Finland 2. Denmark 3. Iceland 4. Sweden 5. Netherlands
Factors Considered in Rankings	GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom to make choices, generosity, and corruption perception.
Key Finding	Belief in social trust and kindness strongly correlates with happiness. Countries with high trust levels rank higher in happiness.
US and UK Rankings	The US fell to 24th place, while the UK hit its lowest ranking since 2017. Increasing inequality and political division are contributing factors.
Impact of Geopolitical Tensions	Despite security concerns and tensions with Russia, Finland remains the happiest nation.
Long-Term Trend	Happiness inequality within countries has increased by 25% in the last two decades.