Meet the happiest countries in times of pandemic

International Happiness Day arrived and with it the World Happiness Report. Subway highlights the most interesting data and figures from this year’s research findings and talks to the report’s editor, Professor John Helliwell, of the University of British Columbia and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research.

The happiest countries are:

1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Swiss
4. Iceland
5. Netherlands
6. Norway
7. Sweden
8. Luxembourg
9. New Zealand
10. Austria

The top 10 places are occupied by the same countries as in 2017-2019. There was no decline in well-being when measured by people’s own assessment of their lives. 149 countries are evaluated for the report.

The report is produced annually by the United Nations Network for Solutions for Sustainable Development.

The variables to support well-being are:

• income
• Healthy life expectancy
• social support
• freedom
• confidence
• generosity

The impact of VOCID-19 on the Study

• Greater economic insecurity
• anxiety
• Alteration of all aspects of life
• Stress
• Challenges for mental and physical health
• Being stopped during the pandemic is associated with a 12% drop in life satisfaction

social connections

People the feeling of connection decreased had less happiness, just as people the feeling of loneliness increased and social support decreased. Many positive features of a person’s life helped protect their sense of connection. Among them are:

• gratitude
• Value
• previous connections
• volunteering
• Do exercise
• Have a pet

The least happy countries are:

• 140. Burundi
• 141. Yemen
• 142. Tanzania
• 143. Haiti
• 144. Malawi
• 145. Lesotoo
• 146. Botswana
• 147. Rwanda
• 148. Zimbabwe
• 149. Afghanistan

7 QUESTIONS TO … John Helliwell, report editor and professor at the University of British Columbia and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research

1. Tell us about the topic of this year’s report.
-This year’s report is about life during COVID-19. This is done from two perspectives, the first assesses assessments of life and emotions during 2020, and the second asks what factors, and especially those that support happiness, have allowed countries to choose effective strategies to control infections and deaths. The key factor linking these two parts of the report is trust, which remains a strong support for happiness, and has been especially important in explaining success in the fight against COVID-19. Trust in public institutions and trust in others are equally important.

2. How did people find happiness during the pandemic?
-People who were unable to travel the world for business or vacation reasons discovered or rediscovered their neighbors and their neighborhoods, which are key supports for a happier life. Helping others in times of need in the face of a common threat provided both purpose and happiness. People over the age of 60, despite being the most at-risk age group, were most often found supported by their physically distant friends and family and connected to them. Of course, surveys could not reach the care centers for the elderly, prisons and refugee camps, where the difficulties are greatest.

3. Which country ranks first this year and why?
-Finland returns to the first place with the largest margin in its history. The country has very high levels of social and institutional confidence, which have served to support its happiness and make possible a public health strategy that has achieved very low COVID-19 mortality rates. The first places, and also the general classification, are very similar to those of last year.

4. What are the main changes you have observed?
-The most important changes have been the upward movements in two very large countries: China and India. In the case of China, the increase likely reflects a successful combination in reducing COVID-19 deaths, along with a strong economy and the possibility that mobile phone surveys conducted this year due to COVID- 19 have reached a different mix of respondents. In the case of India, the rise represented a welcome partial reversal of a long fall. Having the two largest countries perform well in these times helps support population-weighted global happiness.

5. Tell us about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the happiness of everyone.
-Life assessments have been quite resilient during the pandemic. The biggest changes have been fairly widespread increases in sadness and worry. Due to the magnitude of the second wave, the full effects are still accumulating.

6. What other factors have had a major impact on the happiness of people around the world?
-People’s lives have been altered in almost every respect: income, social connection, public confidence, unemployment and the nature of work and family life have changed. And these consequences have been felt unevenly. This year’s report pays a lot of attention to how they feel about the consequences of different genders and age groups.

7. Will the world be happier in 2021?
-This is the main question, which will be answered in the issue of the tenth anniversary of the World Happiness Report in 2022.

Here you can read the report:

WHR + 21 from Metro Puerto Rico to Scribd

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