These Are The Happiest Countries In The World

The ninth World Happiness Report has been released by the United Nations – and while 2020 will go down as a year like no other, we’re still smiling, and one European nation in particular continues to thrive.

This global UN survey takes into account various comparable factors, from national economic success to personal wellbeing, and is regarded as the best measure of world happiness. The results for 2021 are especially interesting given the impact of the global pandemic, which resulted in rolling lockdowns and also posed challenges to the team gathering the data.

Denmark is the third-happiest country in the world this year

Finland came out on top again, holding on to the top ranking for the fourth year in a row. Fellow Nordic countries Iceland and Denmark came in second and third respectively. People who participated in the survey shared how their emotions had changed on a daily basis because of the effects of coronavirus, but their overall sentiments remained relatively constant. The happiest countries had great trust in their governments, something that saw European nations performing well. This is especially true of nations with female-led governments, including Finland, which appointed Sanna Marin as prime minister in 2019.

The 10 happiest countries in the world

Finland
Iceland
Denmark
Switzerland
Netherlands
Sweden
Germany
Norway
New Zealand
Austria

There was little movement in the list from last year, but Germany climbed several spots in the rankings, largely thanks to its early coronavirus response and strong economic performance in 2020.

New Zealand stands out as the only non-European nation to crack the upper reaches of the chart, again performing well due to a low Covid-19 death rate and universally praised leadership.

New Zealand stands out as the only non-European nation to make it into the top 10

Why is Finland the happiest country in the world?

Even though it is hard to define, happiness seems easier to come by in the Nordic countries. These nations consistently market themselves as the happiest places on earth, and these results (as well as other surveys) always rank the likes of Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway highly.

Travellers often place these countries on their own travel wish lists. Finland has a small population in comparison to its large landmass, which rewards anyone looking for open air and seclusion. There are some incredible places to stay throughout the country, from boutique hotels in the capital Helsinki to remote lodges in the northern territories in and around Lapland.

Finland has a small population with a large landmass

Finland is also known as the Land of a Thousand Lakes (although in reality there are many more than 1,000 lakes across the country), and close proximity to bodies of water where locals can fish, swim and relax is regularly cited by Finns as one of the reasons they are so happy. The Finnish are also among the biggest coffee drinkers in the world, and they have more saunas than cars. We’re not sure whether that is relevant to overall happiness, but it doesn’t seem to hurt.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.