Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for the eighth year in a row. Meanwhile, Ukraine ranked 111th out of 147 in the happiness ranking, down six places from the previous year.
This is stated in the annual World Happiness Report.
For the first time, the Latin American countries of Costa Rica and Mexico have entered the top ten happiest countries. Experts say strong family ties played a major role in Costa Rica and Mexicoʼs rise. Here are the top ten:
- Finland;
- Denmark;
- Iceland;
- Sweden;
- Netherlands;
- Costa Rica;
- Norway;
- Israel;
- Luxembourg;
- Mexico.
Afghanistan, almost traditionally, remains in last place — 147th place.
The 2025 Happiness Report found that people in the US and parts of Europe are less happy and trust each other, due to political divisions. At the same time, sharing meals with others improves peopleʼs well-being in different countries. And the happiest families are those consisting of 4-5 people, especially in Mexico and Europe.
The study also showed that strangers are kinder than we think. Researchers deliberately "lost" wallets to see how many people would return them. They were returned twice as often as people expected.
However, there is a growing trend of loneliness around the world, most notably among young people. In 2023, 19% of young people admitted that they had no one to support them, up from 39% in 2006. But they often fail to notice how kind others can be. For example, a study at Stanford University found that students were happier when they learned that their peers were actually willing to help.
- The annual happiness report has been prepared since 2012 by the UNʼs global sustainable development unit.
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