The World Happiness Report 2024: Nordic Countries Reign Supreme, But Young People Struggle

The World Happiness Report 2024 is out, and for the seventh year in a row, Finland claims the top spot as the happiest country in the world. This year’s report breaks new ground by including happiness rankings by age group, revealing a concerning trend of declining life satisfaction among young people in certain regions.

The report, released annually in conjunction with the United Nations International Day of Happiness, analyzes survey data from over 140 countries. Finland’s consistently high ranking reflects its strong social fabric. John Helliwell, a report editor, explains that Finns enjoy high levels of social support, quality healthcare and education, and a sense of fairness – factors that contribute significantly to overall happiness.

While Finland basks in happiness, the report unveils a worrying trend for young people in North America. Their happiness scores have plummeted so drastically that they now rank lower than older adults in the region. This decline, along with happiness gains in other countries, pushed the United States out of the top 20 for the first time.

The report highlights six key variables influencing happiness: GDP per capita, social support, health, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. 

Finland’s Nordic neighbors, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway, all scored highly, reflecting a similar focus on social well-being. Israel, surprisingly, ranks fifth despite the recent conflict with Hamas. This is because the report uses a three-year average, which softens the impact of short-term events.

The top 10 is rounded out by Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia. The United States now sits at number 23, with Germany close behind. 

Interestingly, some countries like Lithuania show a stark contrast in happiness levels between generations. While ranking 19th overall, Lithuania tops the charts for young people but falls to 44th for those over 60.

The report attributes the low scores among young people in North America, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, not to economic factors or health issues, but to a more negative outlook. Helliwell suggests a constant barrage of negativity in news and social media, coupled with a culture of blame and division, might be contributing to this phenomenon.

However, there’s a silver lining. The report acknowledges that globally, young people experienced improved life satisfaction between 2006 and 2019. 

Additionally, the surge in generosity observed during the pandemic, particularly among young people, seems to be persisting. This spirit of giving offers hope for the future, despite the current challenges faced by young people in specific regions.

Here is the list of the top 20 countries based on the World Happiness Report.

1. Finland
2.  Denmark
3.  Iceland
4.  Sweden
5.  Israel
6.  Netherlands
7.  Norway
8.  Luxembourg
9.  Switzerland
10.  Australia
11.  New Zealand
12.  Costa Rica
13.  Kuwait
14. Austria
15.  Canada
16.  Belgium
17.  Ireland
18.  Czechia
19.  Lithuania
20.  United Kingdom

Least Happy countries

While Nordic countries bask in happiness, several nations struggle at the bottom of the rankings. Afghanistan holds the unfortunate title of least happy country, with Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, and Congo sharing similarly low scores.