In terms of global life satisfaction, Finland has topped the happiness ranking for seven consecutive years, but the United States, the world‘s largest economy, has fallen outside the top 20 countries for the first time. This was due to a decline in the living standards of young Americans.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) announced on the 20th,world happiness report”, Denmark and Iceland maintained their second and third place respectively. The United States fell from 15th to 23rd place, “due to a significant decline in happiness among people under 30,” the report said.
Japan ranks 51st. Among those under 30, it ranked 73rd, but among those over 60, it ranked 36th.
World Happiness Report 2024
The rankings are based on factors such as gross domestic product (GDP), life expectancy, dependability, freedom, generosity and perception of corruption. However, “the rankings themselves are simply based on the answers people give when asked to rate their own lives.”
“When comparing generations, people born before 1965 are on average happier than people born after 1980,” the report said. “Among Millennials, the evaluation of one’s life declines with age, but among Baby Boomers, life satisfaction increases with age.”
Millennials are generally those born between 1981 and 1996, and those born after World War II until 1964 are called baby boomers.
Happiness Scoreboard
Nordic countries dominate the top of the happiness ranking
The results are based on three-year averages, reducing the effects of single-year changes. Not all countries are surveyed every year.
Original title:Finland Is Happiest Nation Again, But US Slides Down the Ranking(excerpt)