The happiest people in the world may live in Scandinavia, a new study suggests.

That's according to the United Nations General Assembly's second World Happiness Report, which ranks countries based on several measures of well-being and analyzes the factors that contribute to that well-being.

Denmark was the happiest country, followed by Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden and Canada. Nigeria lies in the 82nd position, Ghana 86, South Africa 96 while Togo held the last position 156 which means they are the saddest country in the world.

Happiness counts

For years, the tiny Himalayan country of Bhutan has tried to measure "gross national happiness" to counter measures such as gross domestic product (GDP), arguing that such simple metrics don't capture what is really meaningful to people.

Last year's study showed that whereas rich people are happier on average than poor people, increasing GDP in a country doesn't necessarily boost well-being. For instance, GDP tripled in the United States since the 1960s, yet well-being has stagnated.

To assess world happiness in the new study, the researchers analyzed happiness data starting from 2005. Most of the data came from the Gallup World Poll, which surveyed more than 150 countries around the world.

Worldwide trends

Scandinavian countries topped the list of happiest countries, with the United States ranking 17th,bested by Mexico, Panama and the United Arab Emirates.

On average, people in more than 150 countries rate their happiness as a 5.1 on a scale of 0 to 10. But happiness hasn't stayed constant over time: 61 countries saw their happiness improve over the years, while 41 countries have become unhappier. Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America are becoming happier overall, while industrial nations report less well-being.

More than three-quarters of the differences in happiness scores were attributable to six key metrics: real GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, someone to count on, perceived freedom to make life choices, freedom from corruption and generosity.

The new data could help public policy-makers tweak their policies to impact those factors, such as cracking down on corruption, to boost people's happiness.

In adddition, mental health problems such as clinical depression and anxiety have a huge impact on people's well-being. Yet mental health issues are often ignored b policy-makers, the study found.

"There is now a rising worldwide demand that policy be more closely aligned with what really matters to people as they themselves characterize their well-being," said study co-author Jeffery Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, in a statement. "More and more world leaders are talking about the importance of well-being as a guide for their nations and the world. The World Happiness Report 2013 offers rich evidence that the systematic measurement and analysis of happiness can teach us a lot about ways to improve the world's well-being and sustainable development."

Happy citizens also make for better countries: The report found that happiness makes fore people who live longer, more productive lives, have higher earnings and are better citizens.



The Happiest (and Saddest) Countries

1. Denmark (7.693)

2. Norway (7.655)

3. Switzerland (7.650)

4. Netherlands (7.512)

5. Sweden (7.480)

6. Canada (7.477)

7. Finland (7.389)

8. Austria (7.369)

9. Iceland (7.355)

10. Australia (7.350)

11. Israel (7.301)

12. Costa Rica (7.257)

13. New Zealand (7.221)

14. United Arab Emirates (7.144)

15. Panama (7.143)

16. Mexico (7.088)

17. United States (7.082)

18. Ireland (7.076)

19. Luxembourg (7.054)

20. Venezuela (7.039)

21. Belgium (6.967)

22. United Kingdom (6.883)

23. Oman (6.853)

24. Brazil (6.849)

25. France (6.764)

26. Germany (6.672)

27. Qatar (6.666)

28. Chile (6.587)

29. Argentina (6.562)

30. Singapore (6.546)

31. Trinidad and Tobago (6.519)

32. Kuwait (6.515)

33. Saudi Arabia (6.480)

34. Cyprus (6.466)

35. Colombia (6.416)

36. Thailand (6.371)

37. Uruguay (6.355)

38. Spain (6.322)

39. Czech Republic (6.290)

40. Suriname (6.269)

41. South Korea (6.267)

42. Taiwan (6.221)

43. Japan (6.064)

44. Slovenia (6.060)

45. Italy (6.021)

46. Slovakia (5.969)

47. Guatemala (5.965)

Malta (5.964)
49

Ecuador (5.865)

50. Bolivia (5.857)


51. Poland (5.822)


52. El Salvador (5.809)

53. Moldova (5.791)

54. Paraguay (5.779)

55. Peru (5.776)


56. Malaysia (5.760)

57. Kazakhstan (5.671)

58. Croatia (5.661)

59. Turkmenistan (5.628)

60. Uzbekistan (5.623)

61. Angola (5.589)


62. Albania (5.550)

63. Vietnam (5.533)


64. Hong Kong (5.523)


65. Nicaragua (5.507)


66. Belarus (5.504)


67. Mauritius (5.477)


68. Russia (5.464)


69. North Cyprus (5.463)


70. Greece (5.435)


71. Lithuania (5.426)


72. Estonia (5.426)


73. Algeria (5.422)


74. Jordan (5.414)


75. Jamaica (5.374)


76. Indonesia (5.348)


77. Turkey (5.345)


78. Libya (5.340)


79. Bahrain (5.312)


80. Montenegro (5.299)


81. Pakistan (5.292)


82. Nigeria (5.248)


83. Kosovo (5.222)


84. Honduras (5.142)


85. Portugal (5.101)


86. Ghana (5.091)


87. Ukraine (5.057)


88. Latvia (5.046)


89. Kyrgyzstan (5.042)


90. Romania (5.033)


91. Zambia (5.006)


92. Philippines (4.985)


93. China (4.978)


94. Mozambique (4.971)


95. Dominican Republic (4.963)

96. South Africa (4.963)


97. Lebanon (4.931)


98. Lesotho (4.898)


99. Morocco (4.885)


100. Swaziland (4.867)


101. Somaliland region (4.847)

102. Mongolia (4.834)


103. Zimbabwe (4.827)


104. Tunisia (4.826)

105. Iraq (4.817)

106. Serbia (4.813)

107. Bosnia and Herzegovina (4.813)

108. Bangladesh (4.804)

109. Laos (4.787)

110. Hungary (4.775)

111. India (4.772)

112. Mauritania (4.758)

113. Palestinian Territories (4.700)

114. Djibouti (4.690)

115. Iran (4.643)

116. Azerbaijan (4.604)

117. Congo (Kinshasa) (4.578)

118. Macedonia (4.574)

119. Ethiopia (4.561)

120. Uganda (4.443)

121. Myanmar (4.439)

122. Cameroon (4.420)

123. Kenya (4.403)

124. Sudan (4.401)

125. Tajikistan (4.380)

126. Haiti (4.341)

127. Sierra Leone (4.318)

128. Armenia (4.316)

129. Congo (Brazzaville) (4.297)

130. Egypt (4.273)

131. Burkina Faso (4.259)

132. Mali (4.247)

133. Liberia (4.196)

134. Georgia (4.187)

135. Nepal (4.156)

136. Niger (4.152)

137. Sri Lanka (4.151)

138. Gabon (4.114)

139. Malawi (4.113)

140. Cambodia (4.067)

141. Chad (4.056)

142. Yemen (4.054)

143. Afghanistan (4.040)

144. Bulgaria (3.981)

145. Botswana (3.970)

146. Madagascar (3.966)

147. Senegal (3.959)

148. Syria (3.892)

149. Comoros (3.851)

150. Guinea (3.847)

151. Tanzania (3.770)

152. Rwand2a4 (3.715)

153. Burundi (3.706)

154. Central African Republic (3.623)

155. Benin (3.528)

156. Togo (2.936)


http://www.livescience.com/39489-the-happiest-countries.html

naija try anyway, though we claim giant but corruption wouldn't allow us move forward
>>[size=14pt]CLICK FOR HOT GIST[/size]<<

Nonsense ...The suicide rates in those european countries are very high .
.Depression causes suicide

so can a depressed person be said to be happy ? No

every time they come up with this thieer yeye artickles , just to rubbish subsaharan countries

the people may nt be xo rich but they are happier than those europians

Dear Africans why the hell do this white folks think they would colonize us for ever.we drove them out of our land and they resort to colonizing our minds.who told them we need thier biased and fake report to know things about ourselves.this report is grossly inaccurate,malignant,nefarious and in fact a calculated attempt to destroy our collective self value,worth and confidence.we reject such obnoxious report in its entirety.it is not in anywhere the true representation of our state.what are thier criteria,apparatus or model of measuring happiness.how did they measure a typical african grand pa's happiness?the old man is contented in his village home,doesnt need a sky scrapper or chauver driven limousine to be happy.his wife cultivates crops to provide food and he taps palm wine to have drink for merriment.he doesn't have to worry about terrorism,inflation,economic recession,cyber crime or chemical weapons.who are you to say he is not happy. Why did they f....kn list African countries at the bottom.the order should be reversed, We are the happiest people. Dear Africans why the hell do this white folks think they would colonize us for ever.we drove them out of our land and they resort to colonizing our minds.who told them we need thier biased and fake report to know things about ourselves.this report is grossly inaccurate,malignant,nefarious and in fact a calculated attempt to destroy our collective self value,worth and confidence.we reject such obnoxious report in its entirety.it is not in anywhere the true representation of our state.what are thier criteria,apparatus or model of measuring happiness.how did they measure a typical african grand pa's happiness?the old man is contented in his village home,doesnt need a sky scrapper or chauver driven limousine to be happy.his wife cultivates crops to provide food and he taps palm wine to have drink for merriment.he doesn't have to worry about terrorism,inflation,economic recession,cyber crime or chemical weapons.who are you to say he is not happy. Why did they f....kn list African countries at the bottom.the order should be reversed, We are the happiest people. Dear Africans why the hell do this white folks think they would colonize us for ever.we drove them out of our land and they resort to colonizing our minds.who told them we need thier biased and fake report to know things about ourselves.this report is grossly inaccurate,malignant,nefarious and in fact a calculated attempt to destroy our collective self value,worth and confidence.we reject such obnoxious report in its entirety.it is not in anywhere the true representation of our state.what are thier criteria,apparatus or model of measuring happiness.how did they measure a typical african grand pa's happiness?the old man is contented in his village home,doesnt need a sky scrapper or chauver driven limousine to be happy.his wife cultivates crops to provide food and he taps palm wine to have drink for merriment.he doesn't have to worry about terrorism,inflation,economic recession,cyber crime or chemical weapons.who are you to say he is not happy. Why did they f....kn list African countries at the bottom.the order should be reversed, We are the happiest people.