The happiest country in the world for 2019 revealed

(CNN) – Finland has a lot to celebrate.

Follow Denmark, Norway, Iceland and the Netherlands.

The report ranks countries according to six variables essential to well-being: income, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support and generosity.

"The top 10 countries tend to rank high in the six variables, as well as the emotional measures of well-being," said co-report writer John Helliwell, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Toronto. University of British Columbia.

And this does not only concern residents born in these countries.

"It is true that last year all Finns were happier than the rest of the country, but their immigrants were also the happiest in the world," Helliwell said. "It's not about Finnish DNA, it's the way life is lived in these countries."

They pay high taxes to build a social safety net, they trust their government, they live in freedom and are generous to each other. "They care about each other," he says. "It's the kind of place where people want to live."

The differences between the first eight countries are small enough that the top five are hit each year.

Switzerland ranks sixth, followed by Sweden, New Zealand, Canada (the only country in America) and Austria.

The 2019 list has changed little, with Austria pulling Australia out of the top 10. Australia lost a place in 11th place.

Support in difficult times

A high rank in happiness does not protect people in a country from violence or trauma, as evidenced by recent attacks on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. But the reaction of the New Zealand population to the attacks does.

New Zealand came in eighth this year, just like last year.

"What characterizes the happiest and most connected societies is their resilience and their ability to cope with bad things," Helliwell said. "After the earthquake of 2011 and now the terrorist attack in Christchurch – with high social capital, where people are connected – people gather and help each other for (after the earthquake) rebuild immediately. "

The US rank is down

The United States placed 19th, losing one place since last year and a total of five places since 2017.

With the exception of its 10th place for revenue, the United States does not feature in the top 10 measures that make up a happy country in the UN report. They include 12th place for generosity, 37th place for social support, 61st place for freedom and 42nd place for corruption.

Drug addiction is partly to blame, says Jeffrey Sachs, co-author of the report, director of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, who wrote a chapter devoted to the US addiction and harm epidemic in America, a rich country where happiness has diminished.

This year's report provides disappointing evidence of how addictions are causing considerable suffering and depression in the United States, "says Sachs in a press release." Addictions come in many forms, from drug addiction to gambling. through digital media. The compulsive pursuit of drug addiction and addictive behavior is a serious misfortune. "

Social relationships are weakening in the United States because the use of social media is causing anxiety, especially among teens, Helliwell said.

The superpowers are not super happy

No other superpower was ranked in the top 10. The UK came in 15th place, from 18th to place, while Germany was 17th in the 15th place. rank. Japan came in 58th place (against 54th), Russia in 68th place (59th) and China in 93rd place (86th).

The people of southern Sudan are the most unhappy in their lives, according to a survey conducted in 156 countries, followed by the Central African Republic (155), Afghanistan (154), Tanzania (153) and Rwanda (152). ).

Supported by population growth, global happiness has declined overall in recent years, mainly in India, which ranked 140th this year (compared to 133 in 2018). There has also been an increase in negative emotions, which have also been measured and include worry, sadness and anger.

It started with Bhutan

The Prime Minister of the tiny country of Bhutan proposed to the United Nations a World Day of Happiness in 2011, which has brought the attention of the international community to happiness as a measure. Bhutan came in 95th place (two more places than last year) in this year's report.

This report is the seventh to come out since 2012. The ranking of the happiest countries in the world comes from an badysis of survey data from 156 countries, including the Gallup World poll, which began in 2005- 2006.

The happiest countries in the world

1. Finland

2. Denmark

3. Norway

4. Iceland

5. Netherlands

6. Switzerland

7. Sweden

8. New Zealand

9. Canada

10. Australia

The least happy countries in the world

1. South Sudan

2. Central African Republic

3. Afghanistan

4. Tanzania

5. Rwanda

6. Yemen

7. Malawi

8. Syria

9. Botswana

10. Haiti