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Finland has once again secured its position as the happiest nation worldwide for the eighth year in a row, as highlighted in the latest World Happiness Report. This annual report, published to coincide with the UN's International Day of Happiness, evaluates the life quality in more than 140 nations using feedback from their residents. The analysis considers multiple components, including social support, health, liberty, generosity, perceptions of corruption, and gross domestic product (GDP) to assess the happiness of 147 nations, according to a report by Fortune. Finland achieved an average score of 7.74 on a scale from 0 to 10, where 10 signifies an ideal life, reinforcing its status as the top-ranking country in terms of happiness. "They are affluent and healthy, possess social connections and support systems, and have a bond with nature. While they may not be the exuberant, dancing-in-the-streets type, they are genuinely satisfied with their lives," stated Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, an economics professor at the University of Oxford, who leads the Wellbeing Research Center and serves as editor of The World Happiness Report, in an interview with Fortune.
Following closely are Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands, all of which have consistently maintained high rankings in happiness, attributed to robust social support networks, a high quality of life, and a strong emphasis on work-life balance. Notably, Costa Rica and Mexico have entered the top 10 for the first time, claiming the 6th and 10th positions, respectively. Conversely, the United States has fallen to its lowest rank ever at 24th. The United Kingdom sits just above at 23rd. India has shown a modest improvement in its happiness ranking, rising from 126 in 2024 to 118 in the most recent World Happiness Report for 2025. However, this still places India behind several nations affected by conflict, such as Ukraine, Mozambique, and Iraq.
Interestingly, India performed well concerning social support, attributed to its community-driven culture and the tradition of larger familial living arrangements. In contrast, it received a low score for freedom, which gauges whether people believe they have meaningful choices within their society and whether those options lead to a fulfilling life. Among neighboring countries, Nepal leads at 92, while Pakistan is at 109, China at 68, and Sri Lanka and Bangladesh lag behind at 133 and 134, respectively.
