The Happiest Countries In The World
What are the happiest countries in the world? Well, to coincide with the UN's International Day of Happiness on March 20th, the latest World Happiness Report was released. And while some of the happiest countries remain unchanged from past years, in North America—both The United States and Canada fell to their lowest ranks ever. Meanwhile, Mexico is ranked higher than it's ever been. In Europe, the UK and France are at all time lows as well.
Every year since 2012 (except for 2014,) the World Happiness Report has ranked the happiest countries in the world based on responses to the Gallup World Poll as well as other factors that could explain happiness evaluations of the participants, including: Social support, GDP per capita, A healthy life expectancy, Freedom to make life choices, Generosity, and Perception of corruption.
So, what are the happiest countries in the world? Well, let's walk through the Top 50 rankings and see where everyone stands (we will also look at the highest and lowest each country has ranked on the list, and their average position since the debut of the WHR).
50: Slovakia
Score: 6.221
Highest Rank Ever: 29
Lowest Rank Ever: 55
Average Rank: 41
Slovakia has found itself between #45-50 on every report since 2015.
49: Thailand
Score: 6.222
Highest Rank Ever: 32
Lowest Rank Ever: 61
Average Rank: 47
Thailand reached its highest point in 2017, before falling to 61st five years later, on the 2022 report.
48: Malta
Score: 6.316
Highest Rank Ever: 22
Lowest Rank Ever: 48
Average Rank: 33
Malta worked its way up to 22nd on the 2020 report.
47: Nicaragua
Score: 6.330
Highest Rank Ever: 40
Lowest Rank Ever: 89
Average Rank: 51
Nicaragua was at its lowest rank on the very first WHR back in 2012.
46: Vietnam
Score: 6.352
Highest Rank Ever: 46
Lowest Rank Ever: 96
Average Rank: 75
Vietnam has seen its ranking continue to rise every year since 2018.
Hanoi Photography, Adobe Stock
45: Chile
Score: 6.361
Highest Rank Ever: 20
Lowest Rank Ever: 45
Average Rank: 33
Chile peaked at #20 on the 2017 report.
44: Guatemala
Score: 6.362
Highest Rank Ever: 27
Lowest Rank Ever: 47
Average Rank: 37
Guatemala dropped from 37th to 47th in the second WHR—before rising up to the 27th position on the 2019 report.
43: Kazakhstan
Score: 6.378
Highest Rank Ever: 40
Lowest Rank Ever: 60
Average Rank: 51
Kazakhstan sat in 40th place in 2022 before dropping spots on the next two reports. It was in 49th place in 2024—before jumping up six spots in the latest ranking.
Stock Photos 2000, Adobe Stock
42: Argentina
Score: 6.397
Highest Rank Ever: 24
Lowest Rank Ever: 57
Average Rank: 41
Argentina was ranked in the 20s for three years in a row from 2016-18.
41: Panama
Score: 6.407
Highest Rank Ever: 15
Lowest Rank Ever: 41
Average Rank: 30
Panama was the 15th happiest country in the world on the 2013 WHR.
40: Italy
Score: 6.415
Highest Rank Ever: 28
Lowest Rank Ever: 50
Average Rank: 39
In 2012, Italy was ranked 28th, and three years later, it was ranked 50th.
39: Estonia
Score: 6.417
Highest Rank Ever: 31
Lowest Rank Ever: 73
Average Rank: 54
Estonia began at #72 back in 2012, but has been in the 30s the last four years.
38: Spain
Score: 6.466
Highest Rank Ever: 22
Lowest Rank Ever: 38
Average Rank: 32
Spain had its highest rank in 2012 and its lowest in 2013.
37: El Salvador
Score: 6.492
Highest Rank Ever: 33
Lowest Rank Ever: 52
Average Rank: 43
El Salvador jumped up from #50 to #33 in the ranking between 2023 and 2024
36: Brazil
Score: 6.494
Highest Rank Ever: 16
Lowest Rank Ever: 49
Average Rank: 30
Brazil was ranked at the 16th happiest country in the world in 2015 (and 17th the following year).
35: Romania
Score: 6.563
Highest Rank Ever: 24
Lowest Rank Ever: 90
Average Rank: 53
In 2013, Romania was ranked 90th—10 years later, they were 24th.
34: Singapore
Score: 6.565
Highest Rank Ever: 22
Lowest Rank Ever: 34
Average Rank: 29
Ranked 33rd in 2012, Singapore has only been lower on the list two times since then (34th in 2018 and 2019).
33: France
Score: 6.593
Highest Rank Ever: 20
Lowest Rank Ever: 33
Average Rank: 25
France has only been ranked lower than the 20s two times.
32: Saudi Arabia
Score: 6.600
Highest Rank Ever: 25
Lowest Rank Ever: 37
Average Rank: 30
Saudi Arabia reached its highest rank in 2022.
Meinrad Wagenschwanz, Adobe Stock
31: Serbia
Score: 6.606
Highest Rank Ever: 31
Lowest Rank Ever: 118
Average Rank: 68
Ranked 118th in 2012, Serbia has been moving up the ranks almost every year since.
30: Kuwait
Score: 6.629
Highest Rank Ever: 13
Lowest Rank Ever: 48
Average Rank: 35
Kuwait was ranked 13th in 2024.
29: Kosovo
Score: 6.659
Highest Rank Ever: 29
Lowest Rank Ever: 83
Average Rank: 52
Kosovo was ranked 83rd in 2013.
28: Uruguay
Score: 6.661
Highest Rank Ever: 26
Lowest Rank Ever: 50
Average Rank: 31
Since being ranked #50 in 2012, Uruguay hasn't been lower than 37th.
27: Taiwan
Score: 6.669
Highest Rank Ever: 24
Lowest Rank Ever: 46
Average Rank: 31
That low of 46th place was in 2012.
26: Poland
Score: 6.673
Highest Rank Ever: 26
Lowest Rank Ever: 60
Average Rank: 44
Poland was ranked 48th just three years ago.
25: Belize
Score: 6.711
Highest Rank Ever: 25
Lowest Rank Ever: 25
Average Rank: 25
This is Belize's first year on the list.
Mindaugas Dulinskas, Adobe Stock
24: United States
Score: 6.724
Highest Rank Ever: 11
Lowest Rank Ever: 24
Average Rank: 17
While the United States has never fallen out of the top 24—this is the lowest they've ever placed, and their high of #11 was all the way back in the first year of the report, in 2012.
23: United Kingdom
Score: 6.728
Highest Rank Ever: 13
Lowest Rank Ever: 23
Average Rank: 18
2020 was the high for the UK, when they ranked 13th in the world.
22: Germany
Score: 6.753
Highest Rank Ever: 13
Lowest Rank Ever: 30
Average Rank: 19
Germany spent eight years ranked between 13th and 17th—until 2024, when they dropped to #24.
21: United Arab Emirates
Score: 6.759
Highest Rank Ever: 14
Lowest Rank Ever: 28
Average Rank: 21
That high rank was reached in 2013.
20: Czechia
Score: 6.775
Highest Rank Ever: 18
Lowest Rank Ever: 39
Average Rank: 24
Czechia spent the last four years ranked 18th, until this latest report had them at #20.
19: Slovenia
Score: 6.792
Highest Rank Ever: 19
Lowest Rank Ever: 63
Average Rank: 39
From a lowest rank of #63 in 2016, Slovenia has slowly worked its way up to 19th place this year.
18: Canada
Score: 6.803
Highest Rank Ever: 5
Lowest Rank Ever: 18
Average Rank: 10
Like its neighbor to the south, Canada also hit its lowest ranking this year.
17: Austria
Score: 6.810
Highest Rank Ever: 8
Lowest Rank Ever: 17
Average Rank: 11
Another country hitting its lowest rank in 2025.
Ekaterina Pokrovsky, Adobe Stock
16: Lithuania
Score: 6.829
Highest Rank Ever: 16
Lowest Rank Ever: 71
Average Rank: 43
From 71st in 2013 to 16th in 2025. Not too shabby.
15: Ireland
Score: 6.889
Highest Rank Ever: 10
Lowest Rank Ever: 19
Average Rank: 15
They were ranked 10th in 2012 and have never been below 19.
14: Belgium
Score: 6.910
Highest Rank Ever: 14
Lowest Rank Ever: 21
Average Rank: 17
Belgium was ranked 16th in 2024.
13: Switzerland
Score: 6.935
Highest Rank Ever: 1
Lowest Rank Ever: 13
Average Rank: 5
Switzerland was ranked first in 2015 and second in 2016.
12: New Zealand
Score: 6.952
Highest Rank Ever: 8
Lowest Rank Ever: 13
Average Rank: 9
Pretty consistently happy is New Zealand.
11: Australia
Score: 6.974
Highest Rank Ever: 9
Lowest Rank Ever: 12
Average Rank: 10
Australia has hit the #9 spot on three occasions.
10: Mexico
Score: 6.979
Highest Rank Ever: 10
Lowest Rank Ever: 46
Average Rank: 24
Mexico is situated below Canada and the United States geographically—but not in this year's happiness report.
9: Luxembourg
Score: 7.122
Highest Rank Ever: 8
Lowest Rank Ever: 20
Average Rank: 14
Luxembourg hasn't been ranked lower than 10th since 2020.
8: Israel
Score: 7.234
Highest Rank Ever: 4
Lowest Rank Ever: 14
Average Rank: 10
2023 was the year Israel got all the way up to 4th.
7: Norway
Score: 7.262
Highest Rank Ever: 1
Lowest Rank Ever: 8
Average Rank: 4
Norway was the happiest country in the world in 2017.
6: Costa Rica
Score: 7.274
Highest Rank Ever: 6
Lowest Rank Ever: 23
Average Rank: 14
Costa Rica made some big gains since landing in 23rd place in 2023.
5: Netherlands
Score: 7.306
Highest Rank Ever: 4
Lowest Rank Ever: 7
Average Rank: 5
They've Been ranked 5th five out of the last six years.
4: Sweden
Score: 7.345
Highest Rank Ever: 4
Lowest Rank Ever: 10
Average Rank: 7
Sweden ranked 4th last year also.
3: Iceland
Score: 7.515
Highest Rank Ever: 3
Lowest Rank Ever: 9
Average Rank: 3
Four years in a row in 3rd place.
2: Denmark
Score: 7.521
Highest Rank Ever: 1
Lowest Rank Ever: 3
Average Rank: 1
Denmark was the happiest country in the world in 2012, 2013, and 2016.
1: Finland
Score: 7.736
Highest Rank Ever: 1
Lowest Rank Ever: 7
Average Rank: 2
That makes it eight years in a row at #1 for Finland.
You might also like:
The Most Bizarre Differences Between The US And The UK
The 10 Longest Non-Stop Commercial Flight Routes In The World—And The 10 Shortest
Ranking The Top 50 Universities In The World From Worst To Best—According To Data
