Finland has been ranked as the happiest country in the world for the eighth year in a row, beating out the other three Nordic countries in the UN-sponsored World Happiness Report. Meanwhile, Costa Rica and Mexico in Latin America entered the top 10 list of happiest countries for the first time.
Both the UK and the US dropped down the list to 23rd and 24th respectively - the lowest position ever for the latter.
List of the 10 happiest countries:
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Sweden
5. Netherlands
6. Costa Rica
7. Norway
8. Israel
9. Luxembourg
10. Mexico
Why is Finland the happiest country in the world?
While some of the factors contributing to Finland's high ranking above speak to government institutions and economic realities, others are more related to the Finnish approach to life and concepts of happiness rooted in Nordic culture.
In particular, Finns embrace a concept called sisu, which means "resistance" or "perseverance." In practice, this involves challenging yourself to discover deeper "reserves" of strength whenever you feel like giving up, drawing on positive experiences from the past.
The social support of Finns is another reason why the country continues to rank so highly. According to the “Good Life” Index, 96% of Finns believe they know someone they can rely on in a time of need.
The widespread use of saunas also influences the overall life satisfaction, happiness and social feelings of Finns. In a country of 5.5 million people, where there are approximately 3.3 million saunas, this clearly shows the popularity of this relaxation method.
Where does Albania rank?
Our country ranks 89th, leaving behind Turkey or countries like South Africa.
