While the top ten countries remain largely unchanged, there has been much more action in the top twenty
Finland has retained its position as the happiest country in the world for the seventh consecutive year, according to the annual happiness index.
Of interest in this year’s report is the data on younger age groups, but also the paradox that Israel’s position in the top five out of a total of 143 countries listed in the report.
The happiness index has fallen sharply among young people in North America, to the extent that they appear to be less happy than older people. These low scores have contributed to the United States of America dropping out of the top 20 for the first time since the report was first published in 2012.
Australia in the Top 10
Australia has climbed to number 10 for happiest country in the world but young people are less cheerful. Australia is the tenth happiest country in the world but new data shows a major age-gap in well-being. The happiness ranking for under 30s in Australia is 19, while it jumps back up to nine for over 60s.
“For the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, happiness has decreased in all age groups, but especially for the young, so much so that the young are now, in 2021-2023, the least happy age group,” the report wrote.
It’s the first time the report gives separate rankings by age group with Lithuania topping the list for children and young people under 30.
In the case of Greece
“Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Spain are countries where the old are now significantly happier than the young, while Portugal and Greece show the reverse pattern”
World Happiness Index Report
Greece dropped in the overall ranking from 58th place last year to 64th. As for the happiness index of young people under 30, it is at No. 53.
At the same time, it seems absurd that Israel has risen to No. 5 in the rankings despite the fact that the country is at war. This is partly explained by the fact that its ranking is based on a three-year average.
The 20 happiest countries in the world – 2024
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Sweden
- Israel
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Luxembourg
- Switzerland
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Costa Rica
- Kuwait
- Austria
- Canada
- Belgium
- Ireland
- Czech Republic
- Lithuania
- United Kingdom
The unhappiest countries in the world – 2024
Afghanistan remains the lowest ranked country in the world for happiness with Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone and Congo rounding out the bottom 5.
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Eswatini
- Malawi
- Botswana
- Zimbabwe
- Congo
- Sierra Leone
- Lesotho
- Lebanon
- Afghanistan
“People are happier living in countries where the equality of happiness is greater”
Key Insights of the report
Ranking convergence continues between the two halves of Europe, with Czechia, Lithuania and Slovenia at positions 18, 19 and 21, contributing to the fall of the United States and Germany from 15 and 16 last year to 23 and 24 this year.
Rankings differ a lot for the young and the old. In some cases these differences favour the old, as in the United States and Canada, where the rankings for those aged 60 and older are 50 or more places higher than for those under 30. In other cases, especially in Central and Eastern Europe, the reverse is true, with many rankings being more than 40 places higher for the young than for the old.
From 2006-2010 to 2021-2023 changes in overall happiness varied greatly from country to country, ranging from increases as large as 1.8 points in Serbia, (up 69 ranks from WHR2013 to WHR2024) and 1.6 points in Bulgaria (up 63 ranks from WHR2013 to WHR2024) to decreases as large as 2.6 points in Afghanistan (13th from bottom in WHR2013 to unhappiest country in WHR2024).
Happiness changes also varied by global region. Central and Eastern Europe had the largest increases, of the same size for all age groups. Gains were half as large in the CIS countries. East Asia also had large increases, especially for the older population. By contrast, life evaluations fell in South Asia in all age groups, especially in the middle age groups. Happiness fell significantly in the country group including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, by twice as much for the young as for the old.
Happiness has fallen from 2006-2010 to 2021-2023 in the Middle East and North Africa, with larger
declines for those in the middle age groups than for the old and the young.
For those under 30, happiness levels are now equal in both halves of Europe. For those ever 60, the
gap between the two halves of Europe is about half of what it was in 2006-2010. But it is still very large,
more than a full point in 2021-2023.
In 2021-2023 negative emotions were in every region more prevalent for females than males, with almost everywhere the gender gap being larger at higher ages.
Negative emotions are more frequent than in 2006-2010 everywhere except East Asia and both parts of Europe. In Central and Eastern Europe, in contrast to the rest of the world, but consistently with the happiness convergence taking place within Europe, negative emotions are now less frequent in all age groups than they were in 2006-2010.
Positive emotions have not changed much, while still remaining more frequent for the young than for older age groups.
Global happiness inequality has increased by more than 20% over the past dozen years, in all regions and age groups, to an extent that differs a lot by age and by region.
Post-COVID increases in benevolence, whether measured as shares of the population, or percentage increases from pre-pandemic levels, are large for all generations, but especially so for the Millennials and Generation Z, who are even more likely than their predecessors to help others in need.
New global social connections data show feelings of social support to have been more than twice as prevalent as loneliness in 2022. Both social support and loneliness affect happiness, with social support usually having the larger effect. Social interactions add to happiness, with their effects flowing through increases in social support and reductions in loneliness.
Age and generation both matter for happiness. As between generations, those born before 1965 (Boomers and their predecessors) have life evaluations about one-quarter of a point higher than those born after 1980 (Millennials and Gen Z). Within each generation, life evaluations rise with age for those in the older generations and fall with age for the younger ones, with little age effect for those in between.
