Who wouldn’t be happy if they lived in a country renowned for rich chocolate, hard cheese, and vast mountains?! The results from the latest World Happiness Report are in, and it seems that when it comes to being happy - Switzerland has it nailed.
The 2015 report has identified that the countries with the highest levels of happiness rank as Switzerland, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Canada. Australia and New Zealand weren’t too far behind, coming in ninth and tenth respectively.
The annual report’s results are judged by leading experts across fields that include economics, psychology, statistics, health and public policy.
The report looked at six factors to determine happiness - these were: GDP per capita, healthy years of life expectancy, social support (as measured by having someone to count on in times of trouble), trust (as measured by a perceived absence of corruption in government and business), perceived freedom to make life decisions, and generosity (as measured by recent donations, adjusted for differences in income).
The first report of its kind was released in 2012 ahead of the UN meeting on happiness and wellbeing and its importance within society. The second was released in 2013, with the third being published this year.
