Are you happy? That's the million-dollar question that the United Nations asks people every year in more than 150 countries in order to gather a world-renowned — almost competitive— joy report. This list, compiled by the UN's Sustainable Development Solutions Network, is called the World Happiness Report, and it's released annually around the International Day of Happiness (which, in fact, began in Bhutan as a result of the report) during March. The report analyzes six variables: income, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support, and generosity. Scandinavian countries blow it out of the water every year, proving that these Nordic populations are, in fact, the happiest people in the world. The United States, however, not so much.
This year's report had a focus on migration and how it affects well-being. If you hadn't already guessed, it revealed that the happiest countries were also the places where immigrants were most happy. Interestingly enough, some of the wealthiest and most technologically advanced countries (we're looking at you, China and Japan) ranked surprisingly low, while other middle-class populations ranked highest. For the top-10 happiest people in the world, happiness didn't cost a thing.
20 Happy: Finland
Taking the coveted top spot of 2018's World Happiness Report, Finland is officially the happiest country in the entire world. According to Forbes, Finns have more forest per square mile than any of their European neighbors, and they love to be outside, even when it's cold. Everyone likes to complain about the weather (don't lie, you do it too), but People Magazine says that it's perhaps this kind of shared misery that actually helps hold communities together. People are brought closer by their mutual support, it says. Of course, money always plays a role, though. Finland also has high taxes, a high GDP (gross domestic product), and low-cost higher education and healthcare, too.
19 Happy: Norway
In 2017, it was world news when Norway unseated Denmark in the UN's annual happiness report. Inhabitants of this Nordic country — a land of majestic mountains and fjords — prioritize their R&Rs, Visit Norway says. Social researcher Ottar Hellevik told one Norwegian newspaper that in recent years, more Norwegians have "replaced a materialistic way of life with an idealistic one." What a concept: when people realize they can get by with working less and earning less, their happiness soars! Norwegians don't have to be making it in Hollywood or earning an outrageous 401k to have a smile on their faces. They're happy just to curl up on the couch with a piece of chocolate and a good book.
18 Happy: Denmark
While perusing the aisles of your favorite local bookstore, you might have passed by "The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living." In it, author Meik Wiking (a Dane himself) claims the key to Danish happiness is this thing called "hygge," which, according to Visit Denmark, means "creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people." Hygge has a lot of different meanings — from the glow of a candle to hot cocoa by a warm fire — but the one thing that every Dane agrees on is that hygge is synonymous with happiness.
17 Happy: Iceland
In 2017, 2 million visitors fled this Nordic island to soak in lagoons, explore volcanoes, and trek along ancient glaciers. The number of tourists in Iceland last year actually outnumbered the locals five to one, but they didn't let the tourism surge get them down. Apparently, the natives love these picturesque hot pools just as much as we do. CNN recently reported that the secret to Icelandic happiness could be their unique water culture. The natural, outdoor pools are like a community center, always full of chatting and laughter, the article says, but you won't find this kind of neighborhood congregation in the over-visited Blue Lagoon. They keep their locals-only hot spots (literally) under wraps.
16 Happy: Switzerland
Switzerland has descended a few steps on the happiness ladder since it was ranked number one in 2015, but even so, the Swiss could teach us a thing or two about being happy. When they topped the charts, The Telegraph listed 19 reasons for their outstanding happiness, including Swiss chocolate, Swiss cheese, Ursula Andress, and a cool flag. In all seriousness, though, the Swiss are prosperous, they live long (probably because they have one of the lowest obesity rates in Europe), and they also live in the shadow of the Alps. Switzerland is a country of lovers, not fighters — according to the article, they haven't been involved in a war since 1847.
15 Happy: The Netherlands
People in The Netherlands grow up happy. Unlike the rest of us who suffer through awkward emo, gothic, and punk phases as teenagers, Dutch kids stay classy and happy throughout puberty. Teens in the Netherlands feel supported by their friends, families, schools, and society, The Guardian says. According to one report, they eat a healthy breakfast, too (proof that you should have believed your mother when she told you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day). Over the years, report after report has revealed that Dutch kids are the happiest kids on earth, and apparently, happiness is not something you simply grow out of.
14 Happy: Canada
While the United States took 18th place in the UN report, Canada's seventh-place ranking proved that North Americans can be happy, too! One Canadian publication, Global News, says that maybe it's living in a city that makes people unhappy. A study by Montreal's McGill University and the Vancouver School of Economics revealed that Canadians were happier living small-town lives. While city dwellers had higher incomes, lower unemployment rates, and higher levels of education, they lacked the sense of community that country folk has. And lucky for its citizens, there's plenty of countries to surround oneself within the world's second largest country, from its southern lakes to the North Pole.
13 Happy: New Zealand
If you lived in the shadow of the snow-capped Southern Alps where you could hike along icy blue glacial lakes without a single threatening animal around to bother you, you would probably be as happy as these Kiwis, too. New Zealand is the most prosperous country on earth, according to the Legatum Institute, but they credit the natural beauty of their little island for keeping them happy. New Zealand, according to National Geographic, is one of the most biodiverse islands in the world, and Kiwis know it. It's evident that they work hard to protect it, seeing as it's repeatedly ranked one of the cleanest countries in the world.
12 Happy: Sweden
How do Scandinavians stay so darn happy? Of the 10 happiest countries in the world, half are in the Nordic nations of Northern Europe. The Swedes are all about living a balanced life; they even have a word for it. According to Business Insider, "Lagom" means "not too little. Not too much. Just right." And that philosophy is precisely what keeps a smile on the Swedes' faces. The residents of Sweden know how to work without working too much to remain stress-free, and to have without having too much to avoid getting greedy. In this happy country, everything in moderation is key.
11 Happy: Australia
Even though this Down Under country ranked amongst the top 10 in this year's UN World Happiness Report, the Aussies immediately started panicking that they were "slipping" down the happiness scale. The report looked at just how "international" the world's happiest countries were — meaning they reported on the foreign-born population shares of each country — and how that affected residents' happiness. The result: migration had a tremendous (and positive) effect on people. The average foreign-born share, according to the report, was about 20 percent, but Australia had the highest, at 28 percent. Perhaps Australians are so happy because they're officially the new melting pot of the world.
10 Over It: United States
On a list of 156 countries, 18th place doesn't seem so bad. Considering, however, that we're talking about the United States here — a world superpower — many people are distraught at how low America ranked on the happy list, especially because it dropped four whole places since the previous year. One of the report's editors told the New York Times that "there really is a deep and very unsettling signal coming through that US society is in many ways under profound stress." Even though the economy here is stable (much more stable than other countries', at least), Americans are still unhappy because they feel overworked and are lacking social support.
9 Over It: United Kingdom
Just one spot behind the United States is the United Kingdom. Much of this year's World Happiness Report analyzed the wellbeing of immigrants, and with the UK currently undergoing Brexit, the tension surrounding this particular topic is inevitably high. When the happiness of immigrants was taken into account, the United Kingdom — in 20th place — fell behind the United States, Mexico, and United Arab Emirates, according to The Standard. On a lighter note, the UK Office for National Statistics reported last year that the region continued to see small improvements in overall life satisfaction. Apparently, the happiest country in this European cluster is Northern Ireland.
8 Over It: Thailand
This Southeast Asian country dropped 14 places from 2017's report. According to the Bangkok Post, "Thailand is less joyous than ever." People living in Kuwait, Colombia, Trinidad, and Taiwan (a country that is currently facing Chinese invasion) all ranked higher on the happy scale than Thais. But why? One Thai news site, The Nation, says that workers are less happy than they used to be. Young employees — especially fresh graduates — here have a newfound interest in moving around and more ambition to rise to the top, probably, according to the article, due in large part to an increased exposure to social media.
7 Over It: Italy
Everyone thinks Italians are living "la dolce vita," when really, Italians are some of the least happy people in Europe. Apparently, wine, pasta, and pizza can only keep you happy for so long. Contrary to what people say about Scandinavians and the happiness they derive from their strong sense of community, one Italian professor told The Local that the cheerful interactions that happen in coffee shops and markets around Italy don't actually represent the mentality of the locals. "Happiness is not just composed of social interactions, and what you see on the streets is very superficial," she said, "it's just a cultural way of being with people who you don't know very well."
6 Over It: Japan
Japanese people are so unhappy that there's actually been a decline in sexual activity here as of late. The Japan Times says this could be because too much internet time is compromising real-life socialization, and too much work is leading to low energy levels, which is leading to, well, less time for hanky panky. Japanese teens, too, are feeling the gloom as their levels of anxiety have reportedly gone up and motivation in school has gone down. In fact, one study showed that Japanese teens were the least likely out of 20 surveyed countries to think that contributing to society as a whole is important — one thing is clear: the Japanese just don't care anymore.
5 Over It: Jamaica
One Jamaican newspaper, The Gleaner, said it best with a 2014 headline that read "why so miserable?" But really, don't these people live on real-life tropical beaches and listen to Bob Marley all day? The 2016 World Happiness Report revealed that "J'cans" — as they call themselves — experienced the most drastic fall in happiness over a single decade in the world. At first, the economic crisis was to blame. Now, however, many Jamaicans would point to political corruption as the key to their misery. But, in the words of one Rasta king, "every little thing is gonna be alright" for Jamaica, we're certain.
4 Over It: Greece
Apparently, the black-sand beaches of Santorini and ancient Roman relics aren't enough to keep the people of Greece happy. Unsurprisingly, politics are to blame. Last year, 79 percent of Greek people reported that they were unhappy with their country's democratic system. Only 14 percent said they trusted their government. Lately, Greece has been hit by a massive economic crisis, too, with not much debt relief from the European Union, which is making people both angry and poor. Unfortunately for Greeks, there are some things that black-sand beaches just can't fix.
3 Over It: China
You can almost hear Scandinavians saying "told you so" if they were to read this 2017 Washington Post article about how a rise in wealth led to a decline in happiness amongst Chinese people. In the past few years, the people of China have been able to buy things they haven't been able to afford for a long time — color television and air conditioning, among other things — but, according to the article, they're less happy than they were 25 years ago when they were poor. Studies repeatedly show that when people make more money, they set higher standards and aspirations for themselves, and it's that feeling of always wanting more than perpetually thwarts happiness.
2 Over It: Sri Lanka
Every year, Westerners flood into this island in the Indian Ocean seeking emotional reprieve with yoga and meditation retreats. Its towering jungle ferns and Buddhist ruins bring more than 2 million international tourists to the South Asian island each year, but as far as happiness goes, even Ghana, Iran, Palestinian Territories, and Nigeria ranked higher on this year's report that the tourist destination of Sri Lanka. Unlike many other low-ranked countries, Sri Lankans aren't extraordinarily poor or faced with political unrest; rather, the Daily Mirror pointed to unemployment and citizens' lack of power and voice in government matters as a source of unhappiness when Sri Lanka's rank first started to decline back in 2015.
1 Over It: India
On the UN's list of 156 countries, India is in the bottom 25. Just below it, you'll find Uganda, Sudan, Afghanistan, Haiti, and Syria. Even Pakistanis are higher on the list! Between 2017 and 2018, India dropped a whopping 11 places. The Times of India said that Indians are "getting unhappier by the year," so why are these seemingly cheerful people — always bedecked in bright colors and lavish jewelry — so darn sad? The Hindustan Times says that "Indians are not a generous people." Because their economy is on the rise after being poor for so long, Indians are hoarding their wealth now and battling trust issues with their government. Surely, though, they'll come around.