Norway: Who wouldn’t be happy living here?
Ever wondered why people from one country always seem happier than another country?
Are Italians generally happier than the Thais?
Are the Germans really that miserable but secretly extremely happy?
Well, now the truth can be revealed..
The United Nations annual report is a large scale survey that focuses on the state of global happiness. It really looks hard at the key factors that cause happiness and puts them to the test. The year’s report was releases 2 weeks prior to the UN’s general Assembly, calling on leaders and policymakers to consider happiness and well-being a measure of social and economic development. But will they really focus on making people happier? Is this a little too far fetched?
I guess we will have to wait and see.
The findings in the report were calculated by looking at the state of well-being in 156 nations across the globe, using analysis from experts in economics, psychology, survey analysis, and national statistics to make a case for why well-being should be considered a measure of national development.
“There is now a rising worldwide demand that policy be more closely aligned with what really matters to people as they themselves characterize their well-being,” Columbia University Professor Jeffrey Sachs, special adviser to the UN Secretary General and co-editor of the report, said in a press release.
“More and more world leaders are talking about the importance of well-being as a guide for their nations and the world. The World Happiness Report 2013 offers rich evidence that the systematic measurement and analysis of happiness can teach us a lot about ways to improve the world’s well-being and sustainable development.”
Co-editor of the report Professor John Helliwell of the University of British Columbia told the Globe Mail that many countries showed improvements over the course of the 5 year period the study was conducted and that it wasn’t all doom & gloom.
“Life is getting better in unsung ways in many places — enough so that the world is slowly becoming a happier place,” he said.
So let’s look at the Top 20 happiest countries on the planet!
Norway
Denmark
Sweden
Australia
New Zealand
Canada
Finland
Netherlands
Switzerland
Ireland
Luxembourg
United States
United Kingdom
Germany
Iceland
Austria
Belgium
Hong Kong
Singapore
Taiwan
Our Synopsis!
No surprises that our Nordic cousins have taken the poll positions again. Everybody is just so damn happy over there! Who can blame them? With healthy (and staggering) life expectancy to count on, freedom to make life decisions, freedom from corruption – life has to be good.
In a recent study conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), showed that the Danes were the most positive people in the world. When asked the question “How are you feeling today?”- over 88% answered with an ultra positive response!! (What do the put in the water in Denmark?).
Australia coming in 4th also doesn’t surprise anybody with Melbourne recently winning the most livable city (again) and other prominent Aussie cities making the cut also. Canada, coming in below Sweden, earned its spot largely due to life expectancy, high median incomes and strong community ties.
For more on the Legatum Institute’s Prosperity Index – see here.
So on that note, we bid you farewell. Thanks for dropping by and remember..
Be Happy
If you can’t be happy where you are, move to Norway (or Denmark!).