Which is the happiest country in the world?

The World Happiness Report, published each March using Gallup World Poll data, asks people in around 140 countries to rate their lives on a ladder from 0 to 10. Finland has taken the top spot every year since 2018, with an average score of about 7.7 in the 2025 edition. Denmark, Iceland and Sweden usually fill the next places, making the Nordic countries the happiest region on Earth. Researchers point to high trust in institutions and neighbours, low corruption, strong social safety nets and a good work-life balance rather than sheer wealth. In one famous experiment, around 11 out of 12 wallets dropped in Helsinki were returned to their owners.