Finland is the happiest country in the world for the third year in a row, according to the UN Happiness Report. Denmark ranked second for the second year in a row and Switzerland came third. All the Nordic countries fit into the top seven. Iceland ranks fourth, Norway fifth and Sweden seventh. The rest of the top ten countries are the Netherlands, New Zealand, Austria and Luxembourg.

The report was released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the United Nations on March 20, the UN's annual International Day of Happiness. Countries are ranked on six key variables that support well-being: income, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support and generosity.

According to the report, the happiness of the Nordic countries is partially explained by state institutions. For example, Finland's good listing is explained by the fact that immigrants have the same services as those born in the country. Also, the social environment plays a significant role in the quality of life, according to the report.

Inequality reduces happiness. Inequalities in well-being make people even more unhappy than the pay gap. The experience of happiness is enhanced by social and institutional trust. According to the report, this effect of trust is particularly visible in the Nordic countries. Trust increases the individual's resilience to adversity. Adversity can include perceived discrimination, poor health, unemployment, low income, and fear when walking down the street at night.

"A big part of well-being is good quality public health care," says Kopperoinen, a Helsinki contractor who's married with three children. "We trust the quality and availability of it," he says, "and our social security network is important. It helps us if we lose our job, get sick or [our] kids get sick. We will lose income, but we can get compensation, which helps us survive and adjust our daily consumption."

What do you think about these results?

Do you consider your country as a happy country and why?

Influence your world,

Toluna Team