In a ranking of 147 nations, Finland ranked as the happiest country in the world, according to a new analysis from the World Happiness Report.
The report uses data from the Gallup World Poll to help determine how happy the citizens of various countries are. The report looks at numerous factors, including a nation’s economy, life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, charitable giving, perceptions of corruption, and dystopia.
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What the report found was that many European nations tend to perform better than other regions of the world. Behind Finland in the rankings were Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
While the U.S. wasn’t at the top of the list, the nation ranked No. 24, just above the United Kingdom and just below Belize. It was, however, the lowest the U.S. has ever appeared in the rankings.
The report notes that the United States is among just a handful of nations where deaths of despair are on the rise. Deaths of despair include suicide, alcohol abuse, and drug overdose.
Another indicator of declining happiness in the U.S. is the fact that there are few people dining with others. COVID-19 has seemingly hastened the trend of Americans dining alone, and it has been a trend analysts have observed for two decades.
“We find clear evidence that Americans are spending more and more time dining alone,” the report reads. “In 2023, roughly 1 in 4 Americans reported eating all of their meals alone the previous day – an increase of 53% since 2003. Dining alone has become more prevalent for every age group, but especially for young people.”
Of the 147 nations sampled, Afghanistan ranked at the bottom in terms of happiness.
