
There is reason for optimism in the latest report on world happiness. According to the report, kindness is about 25% higher than it was before the pandemic.
Global happiness has not been hit in the three years of the Covid-19 pandemic. Estimates from 2020 to 2022 have been "remarkably resilient," the report says, with global averages essentially in line with the three years before the pandemic.
The report, which is a publication of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, is based on global survey data from people in more than 150 countries. Countries are ranked in order of happiness based on their average lifetime ratings over the previous three years, in this case 2020-2022.
The report identifies the happiest nations, plus the factors that tend to lead to greater happiness.
For the sixth year in a row, Finland is the happiest country in the world, as ranked by the World Happiness Report based mainly on life assessments from the Gallup World Poll.
The Nordic country and its neighbors Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Norway all rank very well on the measures the report uses to explain its findings: healthy life expectancy, GDP per capita, social support, low corruption, generosity in a community where people care about each other and the freedom to make key life decisions.
Israel moves up to fourth place this year from its ranking of 9th place last year. The Netherlands in 5th place, Switzerland in 8th place, Luxembourg in 9th place and New Zealand in 10th place.
Australia (No. 12), Canada (No. 13), Ireland (No. 14), the United States (No. 15) and the United Kingdom (No. 19) all made the top 20.
The happiest countries in the world for 2023
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Israel
5. The Netherlands
6. Sweden
7. Norway
8. Switzerland
9. Luxembourg
10. New Zealand
11. Austria
12. Australia
13. Canada
14. Ireland
15. United States
16. Germany
17. Belgium
18. Czech Republic
19. United Kingdom
20. Lithuania