World Happiness Report 2025: Key Rankings Unveiled

Context:

This analysis covers the World Happiness Report 2025, released by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The report ranks 147 countries based on self-assessed life evaluations from 2022-2024, highlighting global happiness trends, India’s position, and notable shifts, providing insights into social and economic factors as of March 22, 2025.

1. Top Ranking: Finland retains its title as the world’s happiest country for the eighth consecutive year, scoring high due to strong social support and quality of life.
2. Nordic Dominance: Denmark (2nd), Iceland (3rd), and Sweden (4th) follow Finland, reinforcing the Nordic region’s consistent lead in happiness rankings.
3. India’s Position: India ranks 118th out of 147 countries, an improvement from 126th in 2024, but remains below neighbors like Pakistan (109th), Nepal (92nd), and China (68th).
4. Pakistan Outranks India: Despite economic challenges, Pakistan scores higher (4.768 vs. India’s 4.389 out of 10), suggesting stronger social support systems.
5. Bottom Ranking: Afghanistan ranks last at 147th, with women reporting severe living conditions under Taliban rule, followed by Sierra Leone and Lebanon.
6. U.S. Decline: The United States drops to its lowest-ever rank at 24th (from 11th in 2012), attributed to rising social isolation, with solo dining up 53% in two decades.
7. New Entrants in Top 10: Costa Rica (6th) and Mexico (10th) break into the top 10 for the first time, reflecting gains in life satisfaction in Latin America.
8. UK’s Fall: The United Kingdom hits its lowest score since 2017, ranking 23rd, signaling a dip in wellbeing amid social and economic shifts.
9. Key Findings - Social Support: Happiness correlates with trust, community ties, and simple acts like shared meals, with Mexico and Europe peaking at household sizes of 4-5.
10. Kindness Factor: Societies expecting lost wallets to be returned report higher happiness, emphasising the role of perceived generosity and trust.

Key Terms:

• World Happiness Report: Annual ranking of countries based on life satisfaction and wellbeing factors.
• Life Evaluation: Self-assessed rating of one’s life on a 0-10 scale, per Gallup surveys.
• Social Support: Availability of community and family assistance, a key happiness driver.
• Nordic Countries: Northern European nations (e.g., Finland, Denmark) topping happiness charts.
• Gallup Poll: Global survey providing data for happiness rankings.
• Wellbeing: Holistic measure of happiness beyond economic wealth.
• Social Isolation: Growing disconnection (e.g., in the U.S.) linked to lower happiness scores.

Link To the Original Article – https://indianexpress.com/article/world/finland-tops-world-happiness-rankings-india-below-pakistan-9896137/