are you happy? This is a difficult question to answer. Today, March 20th is International Day of Happiness, the first UN holiday since 2012. The annual World Happiness Report will be released, ranking the happiest countries in the world. The report is published by the Wellbe Ingrise Search Centre at Oxford University in collaboration with Gallup. Gallup voted for residents of 147 countries to see how happy they are. So who is at the top and whose rankings are falling? I’m sure you can guess. Please read to find out.
What is the happiest country in the world?
According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, Finland is the happiest country in the world for the eighth consecutive year. It then follows Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and the Netherlands in the annual survey released on Thursday, March 20, 2025. Northern European countries dominate the top 10, but Costa Rica (#6), Israel (#8) and Mexico (#10) are also there. (Note: The analysis is based on a three-year average, so it is possible that an Israeli investigation was conducted after the attack on October 7, 2023, affecting the data.)
It’s not surprising to know that the US happiness ranking has remained the same every year since 2012 or has fallen every year, and is currently ranked 24th out of the 147 countries surveyed.
Why are Finns so happy?
“Finland’s happiness is summed up into the simplest things in life: connecting with nature, caring for the mind and body, and appreciating the design and art around us,” Heli Zimenez, senior director of international marketing in Business Finland, said at a press conference. “Happiness can be found in moments of pure satisfaction that you get when the setting is just right. Put on beautiful playlists, enjoy post-summer sausages, or ride a bike in the woods chilling on beautiful summer evenings.”
The World Happiness Report is based primarily on its annual rankings on data from the Gallup World Voting Life Assessment Questions. In this, respondents are asked to rate their current lives on a scale of 0-10. The country that won the top 10 this year was Finland’s top range, ranging from 6.979 to 7.736 in Mexico. Afghanistan had the lowest score at 1.364.
Although these results are entirely based on self-reported perceptions of satisfaction, factors that contribute to improving these ratings in countries by the World Happiness Report include higher GDP per capita, a strong social support system, higher life expectancy, greater freedom, lack of government and corporate corruption, and charitable contributions. Finland’s per capita GDP is not the highest. In 2023, it was ranked 27th along the World Bank, with the US ranked 11th. However, Finland has a universal and high quality healthcare, social support and education system, with low inequality.
Related: Amazing wellness hacks I learned in the happiest country in the world
30 happiest countries in the world in 2025
According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, if you are looking for inspiration for your upcoming travel and like the idea of traveling to a place where happiness is well-supplied, these are the happiest countries in the world.
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Sweden
- Netherlands
- Costa Rica
- Norway
- Israel
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
- Australia
- new zealand
- Switzerland
- Belgium
- Ireland
- Lithuania
- Austria
- Canada
- Slovenia
- Czech Republic
- United Arab Emirates
- Germany
- England
- US
- Belize
- Poland
- Taiwan
- Uruguay
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
Many of the factors examined by Gallup, which contributes to happiness, are out of our control. However, there are some that are easy to put into practice. Try eating with other people. The report states, “Sharing meals has a strong impact on subjective well-being on equal impacts of income and unemployment. Those who share more meals with others report a very high level of life satisfaction and positive impact, which is true across age, gender, country, culture and territory.”
Can travel to the happiest country in the world bring you great joy?
Yes, if you bring home the way you think and activities that make people happy in the country, such as spending time in nature. When you visit Finland, the National Tourism Office offers seven ways to find happiness during your visit, including witnessing the aurora. Start your happiness hunt in Helsinki with happiness hacking in the capital.
For cultural doses, visit Amos Rex, an impressive underground contemporary art museum lit up by skylights, or take a break at Oodi, an energy-efficient public library in the heart of the city, designed to be the country’s “living room.”
Finland has nature across cities, including many islands, in spades, many of which become idyllic remote escapes. And there are many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors all year round. The Fins have a close relationship with nature and are outside even during the coldest times. Those who want to relax like toast will warm up in one of the over 3 million saunas, whether they go for a walk in the icy forest or not.
This article was originally published in 2019, and most recently updated the current information on March 20, 2025. Lyndsey Matthews and Sophie Friedman contributed to reporting this story.
