Finland named happiest country for the eighth consecutive year
Finland has once again secured its position as the happiest country in the world, marking its eighth consecutive year at the top of the World Happiness Report. The 2025 edition of the report, published on Thursday by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, highlights the Nordic nation's consistent success in fostering happiness among its citizens.
Trust, Support, and a High Quality of Life
The rankings are based on survey responses, where people rate their overall life satisfaction. Researchers found that beyond economic prosperity and healthcare, factors such as social support, trust in institutions, and a strong sense of community play a pivotal role in Finland's success.
Jouni Purhonen, a Helsinki resident, attributes the country’s happiness to its calm and peaceful way of life.
"We are really calm. So we have the time to think about things like live our life really peacefully and I guess easily, if you will," he said.
Alexandra Peth, a managing director in Helsinki, emphasizes the importance of trust in Finnish society.
"People trust each other in Finland and I think on many levels in the society, we try to support each other. So I think the system makes it kind of that you can trust it somehow," she explained.
Nordic Nations Dominate the Rankings
In addition to Finland, other Nordic nations also ranked among the happiest. Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden continued to secure top spots, reinforcing the trend of high well-being in Northern Europe.
Helsinki resident Aino Virolainen, a digital commerce director who has lived abroad, says she will always return to her native Finland.
"And the nature, of course. It’s clean and the air is fresh, and what’s there not to love?" she said, highlighting the country's pristine environment and high quality of life.
Global Trends and Notable Changes
The study, conducted in collaboration with analytics firm Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, revealed some key global trends.
While European countries dominate the top 20, Costa Rica and Mexico have entered the top 10 for the first time, ranking 6th and 10th, respectively. Despite its ongoing war with Hamas, Israel secured the 8th spot in the rankings. The United Kingdom, however, dropped to 23rd place, marking its lowest ranking since 2017. The United States also saw a decline, reaching its lowest position in the history of the report.
At the bottom of the rankings, Afghanistan remains the unhappiest country, followed by Sierra Leone and Lebanon. Afghan women, in particular, reported especially difficult living conditions, according to the study.
The Science Behind Happiness
Researchers found that happiness is strongly linked to seemingly simple factors: sharing meals, having social support, and living in a household of four to five people. Additionally, believing in the kindness of others significantly influences happiness levels.
One striking finding of the study is that people’s belief in the likelihood of having their lost wallet returned is a strong predictor of overall happiness. Nordic countries, which consistently rank high in the happiness index, also report high levels of wallet return rates.
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