While you may feel very happy with your choice to live in the lucky country, Australia is still not the happiest country in the world. This rather disappointing news comes with the release of this year’s World Happiness Report, fittingly announced on World Happiness Day, March 20.
Six key variables are used to explain happiness: income, healthy life expectancy, having someone to count on in times of trouble, generosity, freedom and trust. Countries are ranked from one all the way down to the final position of 155 based on their averages.
Norway took out the title of World’s Happiest Country, jumping from fourth position in 2016 to first this year, closely followed by Denmark and Iceland. And, while our ANZAC comrades across the ditch snuck past us at eighth position, Australia still made the top 10, taking out ninth place – a feat we should be very happy about!
According to the report, the top 10 happiest countries in the world are:
- Norway
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Switzerland
- Finland
- Netherlands
- Canada
- New Zealand
- Australia
- Sweden
And the 10 least happy countries are;
- Haiti
- Yemen
- South Sudan
- Guinea
- Togo
- Rwanda
- Syria
- Tanzania
- Burundi
- Central African Republic
In case you were wondering, the United States didn’t appear until the 14th position, followed by the UK at 19, and China all the way down in 79th spot.
While we may not be number one, in the words of Meat Loaf, ‘nine out of 155 ain’t bad’.
You can read the full World Happiness Report for 2017 at their website. What do you think of these results? Have you been to Norway? Could you live there?
Related articles:
Australia almost the most liveable place
Which country is the best
Sydney- world’s friendliest city
