Finland continues to reign as the happiest country in the world for the eighth consecutive year, according to the World Happiness Report 2025, a comprehensive analysis of happiness that evaluates the well-being of populations across 147 countries. Following closely behind Finland are Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden, establishing a trend that solidifies Northern Europe as a beacon of quality of life and personal satisfaction.
This year’s report has introduced some intriguing developments. For the first time ever, both Mexico and Costa Rica have made their way into the top ten happiest countries, with Costa Rica ranking sixth and Mexico landing in tenth place. Meanwhile, Argentina has seen a significant leap in its ranking, rising six spots to claim the 42nd position, its best standing since 2019.
One of the more notable observations from the report is the United States' alarming drop; it landed in 24th place, marking its worst performance on the happiness scale to date. This decline reflects a broader sense of social dissatisfaction prevalent in one of the world’s strongest economies.
The World Happiness Report 2025 was put together by the Center for Research on Well-being at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Gallup, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and various members of an independent editorial board. The report assesses a variety of elements that contribute to an individual's perception of happiness, including GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, perceived corruption levels, personal freedoms, generosity, and the degree of social support available.
The factors examined in the report provide vital insights into why certain regions of the globe perform better in terms of happiness than others. Finland and its Nordic neighbors exemplify this, with economic stability, low corruption rates, comprehensive welfare systems, and equilibrium between work and personal life contributing to their sustained high rankings. Jennifer de Paola, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, noted that, "the happiness in Finland is related to a different conception of success, focused on everyday harmony rather than the accumulation of wealth."
Latino America made significant strides in this year’s findings. Not only did Costa Rica and Mexico enter the top ten, but Argentina's rise in the rankings shows an upward trend that reflects improvements in social support and personal freedoms. Costa Rica’s ranking solidifies it as a key reference point in discussions around happiness metrics in Latin America.
In contrast, the report reveals that the United States’ decline can be attributed to growing political polarization, increased loneliness, and waning trust in institutions, all of which signal a downturn in collective societal well-being.
Moreover, the data alongside the rankings point out that happiness is not merely a question of economic viability. The relationships between citizens, social support, and personal freedoms play a crucial role in shaping the overall happiness landscape. For instance, the ranking highlights that Argentina surpassed both Chile and Colombia, ranking them respectively at 45th and 61st places.
Among the 50 happiest countries in 2025, Finland leads the pack, followed by Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. The Netherlands, Costa Rica, Norway, Israel, Luxembourg, Mexico, and Australia round out the top ten. Conversely, the report also shed light on the ten least happy countries, with Afghanistan at the bottom at 147th place, followed by Sierra Leone and Lebanon.
The comprehensive findings of the World Happiness Report 2025 reaffirm the idea that various socio-economic variables significantly impact perceptions of happiness in nations. As countries like Finland set an example, the data encourages a reevaluation of what constitutes happiness, highlighting the need for a more balanced approach that values community ties, personal freedom, and equitable support.
