Just in case you didn’t know, your happiness is determined by a number of factors but one that seems to matter a great deal in today’s world is your age.
Every year, a group of experts publish the World Happiness Report – a list that shows the level of happiness of people from each country on the globe. With the report having been published annually since 2012, the only difference between previous listings and the latest one is the fact that the researchers decided to take into account one additional parameter, age.
According to the report’s findings, the traditionally accepted idea that the later stages of life are deeply depressing is no longer so certain. Research into happiness now shows a more nuanced picture and one that is changing over time. In fact, in some countries, like the U.S. for example, “happiness has fallen so sharply for the young that they are now less happy than the old”.
About the World Happiness Report
It is of note that the results from the latest happiness report are based on data regarding the average evaluation of quality of life by the population of each country. The information was collected over a three-year period from 2021 to 2023.
The ratings of happiness, together with social and economic details, from tens of thousands of individuals form the basis of the report. The happiness level was rated on a scale from 0 to 10. For instance, Afghanistan received 1.72 out of 10 which represents the lowest value in the rating while Finland received 7.74 – the highest.
The 2024 report was released on March 20th with the goal of marking the International Day of Happiness. The report is a joint effort by researchers from a number of well-known institutions working in the educational and social sectors:
- WHR’s Editorial Board
- Gallup (US-based analytics and advisory company)
- Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre (UK-based interdisciplinary research organization dedicated to empirical research on wellbeing)
- UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (a nonprofit organization established by the UN to work toward the 17 Sustainable Development Goals).
What does the 2024 Happiness Report show?
It transpires that the list of the top ten countries in the happiness report has undergone almost no changes from before the coronavirus pandemic back in 2019. The happiest nation is once again Finland, with Denmark being very close behind. Moreover, all five Nordic nations – Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland, are in the top ten.
In contrast, when considering the countries below the top ten, there have been some significant changes which occurred mainly due to the introduction of the “age” parameter in the classification. These changes mainly concern a number of Eastern European nations such as the Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Slovenia. Czechia, for instance, is the happiest country, according to 30-year-olds — rating higher than Austria and Switzerland. Lithuania, on the other hand, has debuted in the top 20.
Interestingly, women are happier than men in all regions except sub-Saharan Africa and across all ages, with small deviations in the 60+ and <20 age groups in Europe and North America.
According to Human Rights Watch, Afghanistan continues to be the only nation where women and girls are unable to pursue secondary and higher education. In addition, they are prohibited from working for most international nongovernmental organizations. As one of the greatest humanitarian catastrophes in history, Afghanistan’s situation in 2023 affected over 28 million people, or about two-thirds of the country’s total population.
Happiness among different age groups
As previously mentioned, age-group-specific rankings were also taken into account and it transpires that Denmark is the happiest nation for people aged 60+, while youngsters are most happy in Lithuania.
In the West, it has always been generally accepted that happiness peaks in youth and then falls until middle age, at which point there is a significant recovery. However, as the report shows, in the 21st century, North America’s youth (ages 15 to 24) have become less happy than older people.
Happiness among youngsters has declined in North America to such an extent that it is currently below that felt by the elderly. This tendency can be seen on a global scale too since the report states that, on average, people born before 1965 tend to be happier compared to individuals born after 1980.
So far, young people are generally happier than seniors, particularly in Central and Eastern European nations which are in transition.
Top 10 happiest countries in 2024
Here are the ten happiest nations according to the 2024 report, with comparison to the year 2023:
Source: Daily Mail
Why is Finland the world’s happiest country?
Jennifer De Paola, a researcher at the University of Helsinki in Finland, confirms that a perfect work-life balance and a close relationship with nature are two key components of Finns’ happiness.
Furthermore, compared to, say, the United States, where success is typically connected with material prosperity, Finns may have a more realistic understanding of what a successful life actually is, she continued.
Finland’s strong welfare state, an elevated degree of public trust in the government, low levels of corruption, and free healthcare and education for all citizens were further important considerations.
According to Business Finland – a government organization – happiness is not something that simply just happens; it’s ingrained in the culture. Factors such as low business tax rates, a highly educated workforce, and great infrastructure foster an atmosphere that promotes cooperation, creativity, and eventually success.
The prevailing notion in Finland is that a welfare state in full operation sets the stage for a business climate that is beneficial to the success of both people and enterprises. For Finnish people and businesses, this safety net serves as a trampoline, providing an extra boost.
