If happiness were an Olympic sport, the Nordic countries would be guaranteed a podium finish. Even the top three places.
According to the latest World Happiness Report 2026 , Finland is once again ranked as the happiest country in the world for the ninth year in a row. It is followed by Iceland in second place and Denmark in third, confirming that the Nordic region consistently tops this ranking.
The ranking, compiled by the Centre for Well-being Research at the University of Oxford, is based on data collected from the international Gallup poll, where people in 147 countries rate their lives on a scale of 0 to 10. The Finns reported an average of 7.764, thus retaining first place.
After the top three, the list continues with Costa Rica in fourth place, a historic achievement for Latin America, and then again with the Nordic countries Sweden and Norway. The top 10 also includes the Netherlands, Israel, Luxembourg and Switzerland.
Meanwhile, the United States ranks 23rd, Canada 25th, and the United Kingdom 29th. Albania ranks 86th.
The study examines six key factors that influence happiness, including per capita income, life expectancy, sense of freedom, generosity and perception of corruption. The results are based on a three-year average, to avoid the effects of temporary events such as economic crises or conflicts.
A significant detail mentioned in the report is the level of trust between people. In countries like Finland, the probability of a lost wallet being returned intact is very high, a strong indicator of well-being and trust in society.
In the end, among all the economic and social factors, one idea remains essential: the feeling that you are not alone and that you are part of a society that functions by trusting and cooperating.
The countries at the bottom of the list continue to be those facing conflict and instability. Afghanistan is once again ranked as the least happy country in the world, in 147th place. Also at the bottom of the list are Botswana (143), Zimbabwe (144), Malawi (145) and Sierra Leone (146).
