World Happiness Report: Where Do the US, Russia, Ukraine Rank?

World Happiness Report: Where Does the US, Russia, Ukraine Rank? — The latest World Happiness Report indicates humanity's resiliency amid the world's global problems such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic. ALESSANDRO RAMPAZZO/AFP via Getty Images

The World Happiness Report, published on Monday, found that Finland has retained its title as the nation with the happiest people for the sixth consecutive year.

The study, developed by American researchers and based on Gallup polls, analyzes a nationally representative sample of people on their level of life satisfaction.

Denmark and Iceland completed the top three in the World Happiness Ranking together with the Finns, according to a report from DW.

Israel placed fourth, with the Netherlands fifth. Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and New Zealand round out the top 10 nations in the World Happiness Ranking.

However, Germany slipped two positions from the previous year, landing in 16th.

World Happiness USA rank, United Kingdom, and France were 15, 19, and 21, respectively.

World Happiness Report Basis

"Our measurement of subjective well-being continues to rely on three main well-being indicators: life evaluations, positive emotions, and negative emotions (described in the report as positive and negative affect)," per the World Happiness Report website.

It also indicated that the happiness rankings were founded on "life evaluations as the more stable measure of the quality of people's lives."

The importance of one's mental health as a "risk factor" for eventual physical "health and longevity" was underlined.

In spite of years of turmoil, including the COVID-19 epidemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the accompanying energy and cost of living difficulties, the researchers of this year's happiness report praised humankind's resilience.

Laura Aknin, a psychology professor and the study's author, said the latest report offers many discoveries, but the one she found especially interesting and promising has to do with pro-sociality.

"For a second year, we see that various forms of everyday kindness, such as helping a stranger, donating to charity, and volunteering, are above pre-pandemic levels. Acts of kindness have been shown to both lead to and stem from greater happiness," Aknin noted.

The study in observation of World Happiness Day stressed that everyone is entitled to fundamental human rights, such as liberty and the right to life, the freedom from slavery and abuse, the freedom of speech and association, and the right to employment and education, without exception.

The World Happiness Day was established by the UN General Assembly in July 2012 to promote the notion that "happiness is a fundamental human goal."

Which Countries Are at the Bottom Ranks of the World Happiness Report?

Afghanistan is ranked as the 137th country from the top. At No. 136, Lebanon is one position higher. On a scale from 0 to 10, these nations' average life ratings are more than five points worse than those of the top 10 in the World Happiness Ranking.

Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, people may be wondering where these two conflicting countries rank.
The Russia-Ukraine war thrust both nations into the international limelight just as the 2022 Happiness study was being conducted.

Russia and Ukraine are ranked 70 and 92, respectively, in this year's standings.

Despite the scale of suffering and loss in Ukraine, life ratings in "September 2022 remained higher than in the aftermath of the 2014 annexation," reinforced today by a greater feeling of shared purpose, compassion, and "trust in Ukrainian leadership," according to a CNN feature on the latest World Happiness Report.

The study found "much greater in Ukraine than in Russia" government confidence in 2022. And there was no longer any support from the Ukrainian people for the Russian authorities.

Here are the Top 20 countries in the World Happiness Ranking 2023: