Pakistan Ranks Higher than India in 2024 World's Happiest Countries List

Finland Retains Title of World's Happiest Country for Seventh Year, Pakistan Ranks 108th

Finland continues its streak as the world's happiest country for the seventh consecutive year, according to the annual UN-sponsored World Happiness Report. Meanwhile, Pakistan maintains its position at 108th. The report highlights that the youth in Pakistan are the happiest demographic, while the elderly are the least content.

Notably, Pakistan surpasses India as India, under Modi's leadership, holds the 126th position for the second consecutive year. Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the 143 surveyed countries.

Nordic nations dominate the top rankings, with Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden following Finland.

For the first time in over a decade, the United States and Germany are not among the top 20 happiest nations, ranking 23rd and 24th respectively. Conversely, Costa Rica and Kuwait enter the top 20 at 12th and 13th positions.

The report observes a significant decline in happiness in Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Jordan since 2006-10, while Eastern European countries such as Serbia, Bulgaria, and Latvia witness notable increases.

How is Happiness Ranked?

Happiness rankings are determined by individuals' self-assessments of life satisfaction, alongside factors like GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption.

World's 20 Happiest Countries in 2024

1. Finland

2. Denmark

3. Iceland

4. Sweden

5. Israel

6. Netherlands

7. Norway

8. Luxembourg

9. Switzerland

10. Australia

11. New Zealand

12. Costa Rica

13. Kuwait

14. Austria

15. Canada

16. Belgium

17. Ireland

18. Czechia

19. Lithuania

20. United Kingdom

The United States Drops Out of the Top 20

The US (No. 23) and Germany (No. 24) slipped out of the top 20, partly due to increased happiness in other countries, notably Czechia (No. 18), Lithuania (No. 19), and Slovenia (No. 21), while the UK held the 20th spot.

Despite Lithuania's overall 19th ranking, it claimed the top spot for happiness among respondents under 30 in 2024, but dropped to 44th for those over 60.

Happiness scores in the US and Canada differed significantly by age group, with under 30s ranking the US at No. 62 and Canada at No. 58, compared to No. 10 and No. 8, respectively, for those aged 60 and older.

Australia and New Zealand also saw notably lower rankings among younger respondents.