Finland has claimed the top spot as the happiest country in the world, according to a report by The Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, with Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden finishing in the top 5 list out of over 130 countries.
The University of Oxford ranked countries according to self-assessed life evaluations and answers to the Cantril ladder question. The Cantril ladder poses the question of thinking of a ladder with the best possible life for them being a ten and the worst being a zero, then rating their situation based on that scale.
Six variables are also considered in addition to the Cantril ladder, including GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and freedom from corruption.
Finland took the top spot on the list with a score of 7.741, Denmark coming in 2nd, Iceland taking 3rd place, Sweden coming in 4th, and Norway taking 7th place.
On Finland’s triumph, Heli Jimenez, Senior Director of International Marketing at Business Finland, explained, “Finnish happiness boils down to the simple things in life: connecting with nature, caring for one’s mind and body, and appreciating design and art around us. Happiness can be found in moments of pure contentment you get when the setting is just right: on a bike ride in a forest with the perfect playlist on or enjoying a post-sauna sausage while cooling off on a beautiful summer evening.”
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