The World Happiness Report 2025 was published today in celebration of the UN’s International Day of Happiness, and it has once again named Finland as the world’s happiest country. This marks the eighth consecutive year that this Nordic nation has secured the foremost position, giving it an image as a beacon of happiness and well-being.
Finland’s consistent ranking at No. 1 is proof to the country’s quality of life, social support, and balanced lifestyle, all of which contribute to its everlasting happiness. According to the FortuneWell, Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, professor of economics at the University of Oxford, leader of the Wellbeing Research Center, and editor of The World Happiness Report, explains to Fortune, “They’re not happy, joyful, dancing in the streets type people, but they’re very content with their lives.”
Other Nordic countries, including Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden, also continue to dominate the top spots, maintaining the same rankings as in previous years.While Finland’s position remains unchanged, the report shows a slight improvement in India’s happiness ranking, moving up from 126th in 2024 to 118th in 2025. The report assesses the happiness of 147 countries based on residents’ quality of life and self-reported well-being.

What are the global trends?

The report reveals some very interesting global trends and most importantly, the position of the United States which has seen a significant decline in its happiness ranking, slipping to 24th place, its lowest-ever position.
The country had already fallen out of the top 20 for the first time since the 2012 report, and this year’s ranking sees a further dip. The increase in people dining alone in the US has gone up by 53% over the past two decades, and is seen as a significant factor in this decline. Researchers argue that beyond wealth and health, simple factors such as sharing meals with others, having reliable social support, and the size of households are crucial contributors to happiness.

People walk along a shopping street in the center of Helsinki, Finland, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

In Mexico and Europe, for instance, a household size of four to five people was found to predict the highest levels of happiness. The report also talked about the importance of believing in the kindness of others. As the study notes, “believing in the kindness of others is also much more closely tied to happiness than previously thought.” For example, the likelihood of people returning a lost wallet is a strong indicator of overall happiness within a population. Interestingly , Nordic nations rank among the top for the return of lost wallets, which shows their high trust and honesty levels.
While European countries dominate the top 20 rankings, there are some exceptions. Israel, despite its ongoing conflict with Hamas, secured 8th place. Moreover, Costa Rica and Mexico both made it into the top 10 for the first time, securing the 6th and 10th positions, respectively. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom, ranked 23rd, reported its lowest average life evaluation since the 2017 report.

People walk past a street musician in the center of Helsinki, Finland, Saturday, March 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

At the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan remains the world’s unhappiest country, with Afghan women facing particularly difficult circumstances. Sierra Leone in Western Africa ranks second, and Lebanon is third from the bottom.
The report also showed a disturbing trend where 19% of young adults globally reported in 2023 that they had no one they could rely on for social support. This showed a 39% increase compared to 2006, highlighting the growing issue of social isolation worldwide.
As per the report, “all countries are ranked according to their self-assessed life evaluations averaged over 2022 to 2024,” reflecting global shifts in happiness and well-being.