With the globe in such turmoil, any good news would be welcome. Finland has been rated the happiest country on the planet, followed by Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, and the Netherlands.
With the world entering the third year of the pandemic, the report has three areas of focus in 2022: looking back; looking at how people and countries are doing in the face of Covid-19; and looking ahead to how the science of well-being is likely to evolve in the future.
Saddest country in the world
Besides the happiest countries in the world, the report also looked at the places where people are the saddest. Afghanistan ranked as the unhappiest countries in the world, with Lebanon, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Botswana rounding out the bottom five.
Top 20 happiest countries in the world in 2022
Finland
Finland is an European country bordered by Sweden, Norway, and Russia. Helsinki, the capital, is situated on a peninsula with surrounding islands in the Baltic Sea.
Denmark
The Jutland Peninsula and various islands make up Denmark, a Scandinavian country. The resund bridge connects it to Sweden, which is close.
Royal palaces and the colorful Nyhavn port, as well as the Tivoli amusement park and the famed “Little Mermaid” monument, can all be found in Copenhagen, the country’s capital.
Iceland
The stunning scenery of Iceland, a Nordic Island nation, is marked by volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, and lava fields. The national parks of Vatnajökull and Snfellsjökull safeguard massive glaciers.
The majority of the population resides in Reykjavik, the capital, which is powered by geothermal energy and houses the National and Saga museums, which chronicle Iceland’s Viking past.
Switzerland
Switzerland is a hilly nation in Central Europe with several lakes, towns, and the Alps’ highest peaks. Its cities have medieval neighborhoods. Ski resorts and hiking routes are also popular in the country. Banking and banking are important sectors, as are Swiss watches and chocolate.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is noted for its flat landscape of canals, tulip fields, windmills, and bicycle paths.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg is a small European country that is bordered on three sides by Belgium, France, and Germany. Luxembourg City, the capital, is known for its fortified medieval old town built on high cliffs.
Sweden
Sweden is a Scandinavian country with tens of thousands of coastline islands and interior lakes, as well as massive boreal forests and glaciated peaks.
It boasts almost 50 bridges, as well as the medieval old town, Gamla Stan, royal palaces, and open-air museums like Skansen.
Norway
Norway is a Scandinavian nation with mountains, glaciers, and deep fjords along its coast. The capital, Oslo, is a city of parks and museums.
Israel
Jews, Christians, and Muslims view Israel, a Middle Eastern country on the Mediterranean Sea, as the biblical Holy Land. Jerusalem is home to the most holy places in the country.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island and the South Island —and over 700 smaller islands, covering a total area of 268,021 square kilometres.
Austria
Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe.
It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital Vienna, the largest city and state
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign transcontinental country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands.
Ireland
Off the coasts of England and Wales, the Republic of Ireland occupies the majority of the island of Ireland. Dublin, the capital, is the birthplace of Oscar Wilde and the home of Guinness beer.
Germany
Germany is a country in Western Europe with a landscape of woods, rivers, mountain ranges, and beaches on the North Sea.
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres, making it the world’s second-largest country by total area
United States
The United States is a country made up of 50 states that span a large area of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean expanding the country’s reach.
New York, a worldwide financial and cultural center, and Washington, DC, the nation’s capital, are major Atlantic Coast cities. Chicago, in the Midwest, is recognized for its prominent architecture, whereas Hollywood, on the west coast, is known for movies.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is an island nation in northwest Europe made composed of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is the birthplace of Shakespeare and The Beatles.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe.
It is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast.
Belgium
Belgium is a country in Western Europe famed for its medieval cities, Renaissance architecture, and as the European Union and NATO headquarters.
France
France contains historic towns, mountain villages, and Mediterranean beaches throughout Western Europe.
Its city, Paris, is known for its fashion houses, classical art institutions such as the Louvre, and landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower. Wines and exquisite cuisine are also well-known in the country.