Eleanor Roosevelt once famously said, “Happiness is not a goal...
it’s a by-product of a life well lived” Pursuing happiness is indeed a universal endeavour and a fundamental aspect of being human. The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, in collaboration with Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, and the WHR’s Editorial Board, publishes the World Happiness Report annually including the happiest countries in the world. This report offers valuable insights into the well-being of citizens and helps governments, policymakers, and organisations understand the factors contributing to people's happiness while identifying areas for improvement.
The 2024 World Happiness Report was recently released, and as expected, Nordic countries continue to dominate the top rankings. Finland, for the seventh consecutive year, is ranked as the world's happiest country, followed by Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. Finland has been ranked as the happiest country in the world for several consecutive years.
Its high score is attributed to a combination of factors including vast natural beauty, strong social support systems, low levels of corruption, and a healthy work-life balance. Finnish citizens enjoy a high quality of life, characterised by a strong sense of community, a tendency to help others, and a clear sense of purpose. Finland also boasts a high average life expectancy and a significant proportion of the population who feel they have someone to rely on in ti.
