World Happiness Report 2024

Overview:

Finland has once again claimed the title of the world’s happiest country for the seventh consecutive year, according to the annual UN-sponsored World Happiness Report released recently.

About World Happiness Report

• The annual World Happiness Report is a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), and the World Happiness Report’s Editorial Board.
• It is based on global survey data from people based on people’s own assessments of their happiness, as well as economic and social data.
• The report considers six key factors: social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and the absence of corruption.
• It assigns a happiness score based on an average of data over a three-year period.

• Highlights of World Happiness Report 2024
  • The Nordic nations continue to dominate the top rankings. Finland topped the list for the seventh year in a row.
  • The other top 10 countries are Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia.
  • Out of the 143 countries surveyed, Afghanistan remained at the bottom of the list.
  • For the first time in over a decade, the United States and Germany have slipped out of the top 20 happiest nations, landing at 23rd and 24th place, respectively. 
  • The report underscores a change wherein the happiest countries no longer include any of the world’s most populous nations. Only the Netherlands and Australia, both with populations exceeding 15 million, are present in the top 10.
• Where does India stand?
  • India is ranked 126th on the list, the same as last year, in the happiness index.
  • Older age is associated with higher life satisfaction in India.
  • The report said that older Indian men, particularly those in higher age brackets, presently married, and those with an education, tend to report greater life satisfaction compared to their counterparts.
  • However, older women in India report lower life satisfaction than older men.
  • Satisfaction with living arrangements, perceived discrimination, and self-rated health emerged as the top three predictors of life satisfaction.

Q1) What is the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN)?

It was launched in 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. SDSN mobilizes global scientific and technological expertise to promote practical solutions for sustainable development, including the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement. SDSN works closely with United Nations agencies, multilateral financing institutions, the private sector, and civil society.

Source: World’s happiest countries 2024: Full list and where India stands

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