Why in the News
- The World Happiness Report 2026 has been released.
- Finland ranked as the happiest country for the 9th consecutive year.
- India ranked 116th out of 147 countries.
Top 10 Happiest Countries
- Finland
- Iceland
- Denmark
- Costa Rica
- Sweden
- Norway
- Netherlands
- Israel
- Luxembourg
- Switzerland
Unhappiest Countries
- Bottom-ranked: Afghanistan
Key Factors Used in Ranking
- GDP per capita
- Life expectancy
- Social support
- Freedom to make life choices
- Generosity
- Perception of corruption
Who publishes the World Happiness Report?
- Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Oxford (lead publisher)
- In partnership with:
- Gallup
- UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network
- An independent editorial board of experts
Major Findings
1. Social Media Impact
- High usage linked to: Lower well-being, especially among teenagers
- Teenage girls using >5 hours/day: Reported lower life satisfaction
2. Youth Happiness Decline
- Decline observed in: USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand
3. Why Finland Tops
- High income with equitable distribution
- Strong welfare state
- High trust in institutions
- Better life expectancy
4. Conflict and Happiness
- Countries facing conflict: Lowest happiness levels
| [2019] In the context of any country, which one of the following would be considered as part of its social capital? (a) The proportion of literates in the population (b) The stock of its buildings, other infrastructure and machines (c) The size of population in the working age group (d) The level of mutual trust and harmony in the society |
