For the eighth year in a row .. Finland tops the list of the happiest countries in the world

Finland continues to export it to the eighth -year -old world in a row, according to the global happiness report. The list also included other countries from northern Europe, including Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, according to the newspaper “Hilismky Times”.

The superiority of the northern European countries is not surprising

Scandinavian countries’ superiority in the classifications of happiness is not surprising, as Ilana Ron Levy, the administrative director of the Gallup Institute, explains that the countries whose citizens provide high levels of social and economic stability, often have high happiness rates.

Reasons for happiness and export Finland’s list

“Finland is an exceptional country, and I believe that the world is focusing heavily on understanding the reasons for its distinction. Belief in others, optimism about the future, confidence in institutions, and social support from friends and family are all factors that make Finns more happier compared to others,” says Ron Levy.
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She also explained that one of the most prominent factors that distinguish Finland is a low disparity in the standard of living compared to other countries such as the United States.
And she continued: “There is a greater consensus among the Finns over feeling satisfied with life, which explains their export to the list of the happiest countries.”

How is the level of happiness measured globally?

The World Happiness Report relies on the average self-life assessments of the period between 2022-2024, in addition to the answers of the participants in the “Cantril” survey, conducted by the Gallup Institute.
Participants in the survey are required to evaluate their current life on a scale from 0 to 10, where zero is the worst possible life, while the number 10 reflects the best possible life.

Happiness classification factors in 130 countries

The report takes into account six major variables for the classification of more than 130 countries, which are the per capita GDP, social support, average expected life, personal freedom, generosity, social cooperation, and corruption rates.
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Ron Levy believes that there is another aspect that countries from Finland can learn, which is the importance of charitable works, noting that: “Good works not only enhance the happiness of those who receive them, but also contribute to strengthening the happiness of those who offer them.”

The US ranking declined in the happiness index

The United States did not succeed in entering the top ten list, but rather retreated from 23 in 2024 to 24th this year.
Ron Levy believes that this decline is partially due to young people under the age of 30, who have become worse than they were in the past.
“Young people in the United States feel low support than friends and family, and they face greater restrictions on their freedoms in making personal decisions, and they have a more pessimistic look at their economic future.”
The report revealed that the Americans spend longer eating on their own, as 25% of them reported in 2023 that they are eating all their meals on their own, which is 53% since 2003.

Sharing food and happiness

Ron Levy notes that sharing meals play a major role in happiness levels, saying: “Eating may seem a personal issue, but the report shows that people who eat their meals with others regularly are much happier.”
“Happiness is not only related to the levels of income or gross domestic product, but also include deeper factors such as social trust, strong relationships, and optimism in the future.”

Costa Rica and Mexico enter the top ten list

Costa Rica and Mexico entered the list of the happiest 10 countries in the world for the first time, which appears, according to Ron Levy, that: “The countries do not necessarily need to be one of the richest countries in the world to make their citizens happy.”
And it confirms that the high standard of living does not necessarily mean the happiness of the population. The most important thing is to meet the basic economic needs and enhance social stability.

The arrangement of the happiest countries in the world for the year 2025

The list of the happiest 10 countries in the world came for 2025 as follows:
Finland
Denmark
Iceland
Sweden
Holland
Costa Rica
Norway
Luxembourg
Mexico
Australia

Why does Denmark rank second?

Denmark ranked second in the 2025 World Happiness Index, and has maintained its presence among the top ten for more than a decade.
As in Finland and other European countries, Danish feel happy thanks to strong social safety networks and strong social relations. Young people in these countries also feel a high level of satisfaction with their lives.
Although taxes in Denmark are considered from the top globally, where the residents pay up to half of their income, this is met by the provision of integrated social services, including free health care, university education without fees, and material support for students to cover study expenses, retirement pensions for the elderly, care services for the elderly, the index of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development for the Best Life
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Index (OECD) for the best life, Denmark outperforms the global average in the fields of jobs, education, health care, environmental quality,
Social ties, civil participation, and satisfaction with life
In conclusion, the World Happiness Report shows that the countries that occupy the first ranks are not necessarily the richest, but are characterized by a high level of social trust, stability, and integrated public services, which enhances the welfare of their residents.