Finland ranks world’s happiest country for 9th year in a row

Finland has been ranked as the happiest country in the word for the ninth consecutive year, according to the latest report of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a global initiative of the United Nations published on Thursday.

As in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, Finland again took the top spot as the happiest country in the world, said the report published marking the International Day of Happiness.

Another Nordic country Denmark secured the second place on the list, followed by Iceland, Sweden, Netherlands, Costa Rica and Norway.

Afghanistan ranked at the very bottom of the list of 147 countries followed by Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

Researchers evaluate six factors including GDP per capita, life expectancy, generosity and perceptions of freedom and corruption to help account for variations among countries.

The rankings are based on a three-year average, which smooths out spikes and dips occasioned by big events such as war or financial downturns.

The Finns reported an average score of 7.764 to evaluate their life satisfaction.

Finland’s deep commitment to cooperation helps explain its staying power at the top of the ranking, John F. Helliwell, professor emeritus of economics at the University of British Columbia and a founding editor of the World Happiness Report, said.

“Finland is the Happiest country in the World for the 9th year running. We also climbed up the world brand index from 7th to 5^th,” President Alexander Stubb wrote in a post on his social media platform X.

He does not think there is a magic potion, but it helps to have a society which strives towards freedom, equality and justice.

The basis of it all is a welfare society, a robust education system, a sense of security and a close attachment to nature, the President said.

“There is no such thing as a perfectly happy society, but providing some building blocks that give us a chance to live a meaningful life, to help others, will nudge us in the right direction during the journey of life,” he added.