Norway displaced Denmark as the world's happiest country in a new report released on Monday that called on nations to build social trust and equality to improve the wellbeing of their citizens.
The Nordic nations are the most content, according to the World Happiness Report 2017 produced by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), a global initiative launched by the United Nations in 2012.
Ireland ranks 15th, one place below the US but ahead of Germany and the UK.
Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden rounded out the top ten countries.
Germany was ranked 16, followed by the United Kingdom (19) and France (31). The United States dropped one spot to 14.
Countries in sub-Saharan Africa, along with Syria and Yemen, are the least happy. South Sudan, Liberia, Guinea, Togo, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Central African Republic were at the bottom of the 155 countries ranked in the fifth annual report released at the United Nations.
When changes in the periods 2005-2007 to 2014-2016 are compared, Ireland is just slightly unhappier (-0.167 points). Nicaragua (1.364) showed the highest increase in happiness.
Ireland had shown great resilience in the face of recent economic adversity, according to the report. “With respect to the post-2007 economic crisis, the best examples of happiness maintenance in the face of large external shocks were Ireland and especially Iceland,” said the report.
“Both suffered decimation of their banking systems as extreme as anywhere, and yet suffered incommensurately small happiness losses,” it said.
“Happy countries are the ones that have a healthy balance of prosperity, as conventionally measured, and social capital, meaning a high degree of trust in a society, low inequality and confidence in government,” Jeffrey Sachs, the director of the SDSN and a special adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General, said in an interview.
The aim of the report, he added, is to provide another tool for governments, business and civil society to help their countries find a better way to wellbeing.
Sachs said the US was falling in the ranking due to inequality, distrust and corruption. Economic measures that the administration of President Donald Trump is trying to pursue, he added, will make things worse.
“They are all aimed at increasing inequality – tax cuts at the top, throwing people off the healthcare rolls, cutting Meals on Wheels in order to raise military spending. I think everything that has been proposed goes in the wrong direction,” he explained.
The rankings are based on six factors – per capita gross domestic product, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, social support and absence of corruption in government or business.
“The lowest countries are typically marked by low values in all six variables,” said the report, produced with the support of the Ernesto Illy Foundation.
Sachs would like nations to follow United Arab Emirates and other countries that have appointed Ministers of Happiness.
“I want governments to measure this, discuss it, analyse it and understand when they have been off on the wrong direction,” he said.
World’s happiest countries (score out of 10)
Norway 7.54
Denmark 7.52
Iceland 7.50
Switzerland 7.49
Finland 7.47
Netherlands 7.38
Canada 7.32
New Zealand 7.31
Australia 7.28
Sweden 7.28
Israel 7.21
Costa Rica 7.08
Austria 7.01
US 6.99
Ireland 6.98
Germany 6.95
Belgium 6.89
Luxembourg 6.86
UK 6.71
Chile 6.65 Source: UN
– (Reuters)