As we speak, Gallup unveiled its 2025 World Happiness Report, which shared the happiest international locations on Earth and, extra importantly, what makes them so joyful anyway.

For the eighth consecutive yr, Finland secured the highest spot, thanks largely to its residents’ dedication to volunteering, donating to causes, and serving to others in want. The nation scored 7.736 out of 10 (which was slightly less than its 2024 result).

Fins indicated they implicitly belief these round them, with most individuals responding they assume the police, a neighbor, or perhaps a stranger would return their pockets, no questions requested. And Finland is not alone—all its neighbors scored excessive marks, too. 

«Within the newest happiness rankings, Nordic international locations proceed to dominate the highest spots, with Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden sustaining their positions because the happiest international locations on this planet,» a Gallup report shared with Journey + Leisure acknowledged. «Finland stays in a league of its personal, adopted by Denmark and Iceland, that are intently grouped collectively, and Sweden rounding out the highest 4.» Norway is seventh.

As for what makes these international locations so joyful, Gallup defined that its residents stay with the understanding of being form to 1 one other. 

«One of many report’s most placing revelations is that being form and anticipating kindness from others—believing that your pockets could be returned in the event you misplaced it—are stronger predictors of happiness than avoiding main unfavourable occasions like crime or financial hardship,» Gallup’s findings defined. «In different phrases, believing within the goodwill of these round us can have an even bigger affect on our wellbeing than incomes the next wage.» The report additionally discovered that sharing a meal and family measurement are intently linked to perceived happiness.

For the primary time within the report’s 13-year historical past, Costa Rica and Mexico rating within the high 10, with the Central American nation rating sixth and our southern neighbor in tenth. Nonetheless, there’s little excellent news for the US because it fell one spot down from final yr to its lowest place ever—No. 24. Afghanistan was as soon as once more on the backside of the general rating.

Gallup famous that this yr’s report comes at a vital time. It discovered that «acts of benevolence,» comparable to serving to a stranger, volunteering, and donating cash, have considerably decreased from their pandemic-era peak. The findings added, «Although nonetheless increased than pre-pandemic ranges, the sudden drop-off in these behaviors raises questions on the place these traits is likely to be headed.»

“This yr’s report quantifies the human parts of life which can be usually laborious to measure,» Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director of Oxford’s Wellbeing Analysis Centre, professor of economics on the College of Oxford and an editor of the World Happiness Report, added. «It seems that sharing meals and trusting others are even stronger predictors of wellbeing than anticipated. These findings push us to look past conventional determinants like well being and wealth and encourage individuals to get again across the desk collectively.”

See the total checklist of the happiest international locations on gallup.com.