- Finland remains the happiest country in the world in 2026, holding the top spot for the ninth consecutive year. The Finnish population reported an average life evaluation score of 7.764 out of 10 this year, up 0.375 points from last year.
- The Nordic countries, Iceland (2nd), Denmark (3rd), Sweden (5th), and Norway (6th), also rank among the top 10 happiest countries in 2026.
- Costa Rica is a standout performer this year, climbing steadily from 23rd in 2023 to 4th in 2026, its highest-ever ranking. Switzerland returned to the top 10 at 10th place after slipping to 13th last year.
- The 2026 rankings showed a notable absence of English-speaking countries, with none appearing in the top 10 for the second consecutive year.
- In contrast, Afghanistan, at the bottom of the list at 147th, has once again been ranked the world’s unhappiest country, along with Malawi (145th) and Sierra Leone (146th), all affected by conflict.
- India improved its ranking from 126th in 2024 to 118th in 2025, rising two positions this year and currently standing at 116th with a life evaluation score of 4.536
- The annual report is published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford. Country rankings were based on answers given by around 100,000 people in 140 countries and territories who were asked to rate their own lives. The study was done in partnership with the analytics firm Gallup and the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
- These rankings increasingly influence government policy, with countries like Bhutan famously adopting Gross National Happiness over GDP as a development metric.
- As per the report, the six factors to explain life evaluations:
—Having someone to count on
—GDP per capita
—Healthy life expectancy
—Freedom to make life choices
—Generosity
—Freedom from corruption - The World Happiness Report this year draws attention to social media’s impact, amid growing moves by countries to regulate its use among youth.
—Heavy social media use is linked to a significant decline in well-being among young people, with the impact especially severe for teenage girls in English-speaking countries and Western Europe.
—The report notes a sharp fall in life satisfaction among those under 25 in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand over the past decade, with prolonged social media use identified as a key factor.