United Nations Happiness Report: Pakistan Surpasses India Again

In the most recent United Nations-backed Happiness Report, Pakistan has once again surpassed India, maintaining its 108th position while India slipped to 126th place. The report, released on Wednesday, revealed that Finland retained its title as the world's happiest country for the seventh consecutive year, with Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden following closely behind. Other nations in the top 10 included Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia.

On the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan, grappling with a severe humanitarian crisis following the Taliban's resurgence in 2020, remained at the bottom of the 143 countries surveyed. Surprisingly, the United States and Germany, typically considered prosperous nations, were ranked 23rd and 24th, respectively, marking their absence from the top 20 happiest countries.

The report highlighted that the happiest countries predominantly featured smaller populations, with only the Netherlands and Australia having over 15 million inhabitants in the top 10. Notably, the largest countries in terms of population were absent from the happiest rankings.

Factors contributing to the happiness ranking included individuals' self-assessed life satisfaction, GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption levels. Additionally, a new list categorizing countries by age was introduced this year, with Lithuania leading in happiness among individuals under 30.

In the age-specific rankings, Denmark claimed the top spot for individuals aged 60 and above, while Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh secured varying positions. The report also identified the 20 unhappiest countries, with Afghanistan, Yemen, Jordan, Egypt, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh among them.

The United Nations Happiness Report sheds light on the diverse factors influencing global happiness levels, showcasing the importance of well-being beyond economic indicators. As countries strive to enhance the quality of life for their citizens, these rankings serve as a valuable benchmark for policymakers and communities worldwide.