For the ninth year running, Finland has claimed the title of happiest country in the world, according to the World Happiness Report 2026, compiled by Oxford University's Wellbeing Research Centre. A dominance that seems almost impossible to shake.
The survey questioned respondents in 147 different countries, asking them to assess their quality of life in a number of areas: from health to education, from perceived freedom to trust in institutions. The Finns obtained an average score of 7.76 out of 10.
Finland's success owes nothing to chance: it's rooted in a social model based on collective well-being, a deep bond with nature and values such as mutual trust and inner resilience - known as 'sisu' in Finnish. Added to this is the concept of 'fluxing', a more open approach to life, where there's no shame in asking for help when it's needed.
In the Top 3 are Iceland and Denmark, just behind Finland, confirming the dominance of Northern European countries. The most striking novelty is Costa Rica's fourth place, its best ever result for a Latin American country. The ranking is completed by Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Israel, Luxembourg and Switzerland. No English-speaking country features in the top ten.
In last place, at 147th, is Afghanistan, with a score of just 1.4.
The happiness crisis among young people deserves a chapter of its own, having already been highlighted as an alarming trend in the previous edition. Prolonged use of social media networks - more than seven hours a day, according to the PISA study of teenagers in 47 countries - is associated with significantly lower levels of well-being. Obsessive comparison with the 'perfect' lives of others, isolation from the real world and reduced time for physical activity and authentic relationships are eroding the well-being of new generations. Digital progress shouldn't be demonized, but framed with greater discernment.
The Top 10
- Finland
- Iceland
- Denmark
- Costa Rica
- Sweden
- Norway
- Netherlands
- Israel
- Luxembourg
- Switzerland
(©GreenMe.it 2026/Managing editor: Julie Morgan - The Press Junction/Picture: Mary Ray via Unsplash)