In the 2025 World Happiness Report, Finland has maintained its top spot as the world's happiest country for the eighth consecutive year.
However, the United States has dropped to 24th place, its lowest-ever ranking, as it grapples with rising social isolation, political polarisation, and a decline in overall well-being.
Pakistan meanwhile ranks 109th on the World Happiness Index, with neighbour India following closely at 118th. Both countries show different levels of well-being, with various social, economic, and cultural factors influencing their respective rankings.
Excerpt: The latest World Happiness Index places Pakistan at 109th, while India follows at 118th,
This year’s report, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford in collaboration with Gallup and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, evaluates countries based on factors such as health, wealth, social support, generosity, and freedom from corruption.
Top 10 happiest countries in 2025:
- Finland
- Denmark
- Iceland
- Sweden
- Netherlands
- Costa Rica
- Norway
- Israel
- Luxembourg
- Mexico
For the eighth consecutive year, Finland remains at the top of the rankings, with its Nordic neighbors—Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden—closely following in second, third, and fourth positions, respectively.
The United States, however, has seen a troubling decline in its ranking, slipping further down to 24th place, one spot lower than last year and marking a significant decline from its peak of 11th place in 2012.
The report highlights the growing social isolation in the US, noting that an increasing number of Americans are choosing to dine alone. In 2023, approximately one in four Americans reported eating all of their meals alone the previous day, marking a 53% increase from 2003.
This growing trend, especially among young people, is cited as a contributing factor to the rise in "deaths of despair"—a term used to describe deaths linked to suicide, drug overdose, and alcohol-related diseases.
The report also draws attention to the impact of political polarisation in the US, with growing dissatisfaction and anti-system sentiment.
Researchers suggest that the decline in life satisfaction and rising unhappiness among Americans are closely linked to increased political polarisation.
Unhappy individuals, particularly those with low levels of trust, tend to gravitate toward the far-right, while those with higher levels of trust are more likely to support the far-left.
The 2025 report underscores the importance of social support in determining a country's happiness ranking. Finland, for example, benefits from universally accessible and high-quality health, education, and social support systems.
These systems play a significant role in promoting equality of well-being, and trust in society is also an essential factor in these rankings.
Meanwhile, countries like Costa Rica and Mexico, which ranked 6th and 10th, respectively, broke into the top 10 for the first time this year.
Their residents, characterised by strong social networks and a sense of community, report higher levels of happiness despite having lower overall wealth compared to many European countries.
Costa Rica, in particular, has been lauded for its robust family structures and communal living, where shared meals and larger households contribute positively to overall happiness.
One of the key findings in this year’s report is the importance of trust in society. People in countries with high social cohesion and trust—such as the Nordic nations—are more likely to experience happiness.
The report also suggests that sharing meals and fostering positive social interactions within households can significantly impact subjective well-being, equaling the effects of income and employment on life satisfaction.
On the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan ranked the lowest in the happiness index, followed by Sierra Leone, Lebanon, Malawi, and Zimbabwe. These nations struggle with ongoing conflict, political instability, and lack of social support systems, contributing to their positions at the bottom of the rankings.
In conclusion, the 2025 World Happiness Report emphasises that happiness is not just about material wealth but is deeply connected to trust, social support, and community. While factors like income and unemployment are important, the ability to trust others and share positive social experiences—like returning a lost wallet—are often the true drivers of happiness.
Jon Clifton, CEO of Gallup, emphasised that if countries want to improve their well-being, they must invest in building trust and fostering connections within their societies.
“We need to invest in what truly matters: each other,” Clifton said.
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