The world’s happiest (and unhappiest) countries, mapped for 2025
The world's happiest countries have been revealed as part of the World Happiness Report. The UK has fallen to 23rd place – its lowest position in nine years. Professor John Helliwell, a founder of the happiness index, suggested that a drop in contentment among young people could be a key factor. Among the problems that have been especially acute for younger people recently is the housing crisis, particularly the inability to buy a home before their 30th birthday. Growing numbers of 20-somethings have had to live at the family home with their parents because of the cost of living. Mental health issues such as anxiety are also known to have taken their toll on young people in the wake of the Covid pandemic. (Photo: Mike Kemp/Getty)
US unhappiness - and the politics behind it
The United States fell one place below to 24th, a ranking which was felt to be in part because other nations were becoming happier – particularly Lithuania in 16th place and Slovenia in 19th – but also because of a decline in social trust which has fueled a surge in anti-system votes. The report found that unhappy people are more likely to be attracted by the extremes of the political spectrum. The US is also one of the few countries where “deaths of despair” – characterised as deaths due to suicide, alcohol or drugs – are on the rise. (Photo: Evelyn Hockstein & Octavio Jones/Reuters)
The big winners
Finland, for the eighth consecutive year, topped the World Happiness Report, closely followed by Denmark and Iceland. Surprise appearances in the top ten included Costa Rica and Mexico. Finland’s title as the happiest nation in the world – despite their renewed fears of invasion by Russia – has been attributed to high quality healthcare and education, and universally accessible social support systems. Now in its 13th year, the World Happiness Report – produced in partnership with Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network – measures happiness by surveying 1,000 people in every country. A team of interdisciplinary experts then analyse the data, considering key factors such as GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. (Photo: Vladislav Zolotov/Getty)
Russia, Ukraine, Costa Rica and Mexico
Russia’s ranking saw an unexpected jump of six places to 66th from last year’s 72nd, with reported happiness increasing by 12.51 per cent. In contrast, Ukraine’s happiness score dropped by 8.04 per cent. Costa Rica and Mexico, despite high levels of drug-related crime, both managed to reach the top 10 for the first time. Professor Helliwell said the rise was due to warm family structures, coupled with good local delivery of healthcare. (Photo by Tetiana Dzhafarova/AFP via Getty)
'Find ways to bring people together'
Afghanistan ranked as the unhappiest country in the world, closely followed by Sierra Leone and Lebanon. Sudan and Syria were excluded from the survey due to unsafe conditions that prevented data collection. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre and an editor of the World Happiness Report, said: “This year’s report pushes us to look beyond traditional determinants like health and wealth. In this era of social isolation and political polarisation we need to find ways to bring people together – doing so is critical for our individual and collective well-being.” (Photo: Getty)
