Interesting facts about the top 10 happiest countries in the world
As COVID-19 continues to sweep the globe, it’s time for some happy news.
So whether you’re looking for a new holiday destination or somewhere to relocate, this might give you some ideas on where to start.
Luckily for us, the United Nations released their 2020 World Happiness Report earlier this year, ranking not only 156 countries, but also 186 cities worldwide. The report ranks countries around the world on well-being and the effects of social, urban and natural environments on our happiness. It also evaluates a wide variety of other factors including life expectancy, social support, generosity, GDP and more.
Wondering which country to relocate to or visit next? Here’s a list of the top 10 happiest countries in the world:
10. Luxembourg
Found in northwestern Europe, Luxembourg is bordered by Belgium, France and Germany and is one of the world’s smallest countries.
Luxembourg has three official languages, French, German and Luxembourgish or Lёtzebuergesch.
In 2015, the Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel, was the first EU leader to marry a same sex partner.
This country is also home to the Restaurant Chiggeri, which will let you choose from a list of over 2,200 wines, the world’s longest wine list.
9. Austria
Located in the heart of Europe, almost a quarter of the entire population lives in the capital, Vienna.
Austria is home to the world’s oldest zoo, founded in 1752, and has declared roughly a third of its forested lands as protected areas.
All Austrian men are required to complete at least one years worth of military training.
Austria is where both the sewing machine and Red Bull energy drink were created and is also home to the largest ice cave in the world, which extends over 26 miles.
8. New Zealand
Beyond Australia’s southeastern coast, you’ll find New Zealand. As a small island nation, no part of the country is more than 79 miles away from the sea.
Strangely, only 5% of New Zealand’s population is human and the remaining 95% are animals.
In 1990, the then Prime Minister, Mike Moore, appointed a man called Ian Brackenbury Channell the official Wizard of New Zealand.
It is also one of the only countries to have two national anthems and the logo of their Royal Air Force is the kiwi, a bird that can’t fly.
7. Sweden
Found in northern Europe, Sweden is so good at recycling that they import waste from other countries.
They have over 97,500 lakes and two thirds of Sweden’s land area is covered in forests.
If you wish to chat with someone, you can dial a swede using the ‘Swedish number’ and end up connected to a random swedish person.
It is also home to the Flogsta Scream, a tradition that hears students opening their windows at exactly 10pm to scream their angst away.
6. Netherlands
Bordered by Belgium and Germany, the Netherlands is the home of the famous city of Amsterdam which has over 1,200 bridges.
The Dutch were the first in the world to legalise same-sex marriage in 2001 and are the nation that consumes the most liquorice.
The Netherlands are home to more bikes than people and has one of the highest home birth rates in the world.
They also boast the largest pub in Europe, The Drie Gezusters (The Three Sisters), found in Groningen.
5. Norway
Found in Northern Europe, Norway, surprisingly, shares a land border with Russia. It is also home to Europe’s biggest herd of wild reindeer.
The country’s name in Norwegian is actually Norge, or Noreg, depending on which written standard of the language you use. Roald Dahl also spoke Norwegian.
The island of Jan Mayen is home to the world’s northernmost volcano above sea level and Norway’s only active volcano called Beerenberg.
4. Iceland
Found in Northern Europe, Iceland is home to one of the world’s oldest parliaments.
A huge portion of the Icelandic population believe in elves or trolls, or at least think it’s possible that they exist. There are even some roads that have been diverted to avoid boulders where elves live.
There are no mosquitoes, poisonous spiders or snakes and neither are there any McDonald’s restaurants.
The Land of Ice and Fire experiences nearly 24 hours of darkness in December and 24 hours of daylight in June.
3. Switzerland
This central European country has 7,000 lakes. Most are so clear that you can drink from them.
This country has mandatory military service for male citizens and despite having one of the highest rates of gun ownership, Switzerland has one of the lowest crime rates of all industrialised countries.
It has 208 mountains and is home to Europe’s largest clock face.
One of the oldest fountains in Bern was built in 1546. It shows a statue of a giant eating a sack of babies and no one knows why.
2. Denmark
This Scandinavian country is found in Northern Europe and has the oldest state flag in the world.
It is also home to two of the world’s oldest amusement parks, Tivoli Gardens and Bakken.
You will never be further than 52km away from the ocean and the Copenhagen harbour is clean enough to swim in.
There is an old tradition that you will get cinnamon thrown all over you if you are still unmarried on your 25th birthday (although it may be used less frequently now).
They have no danish word for ‘please’ and an unofficial law called ‘Janteloven’ which means ‘no one is better than the other’ and everyone is equal.
1. Finland
For the third year running, Finland is considered the happiest country in the world.
Finnish people celebrate ‘National Failure Day’ on the 13th October every year, reminding them to learn from their mistakes.
The sun doesn’t drop below the horizon in June and July and it’s considered normal to jump in a lake after a trip to the sauna, even in winter.
It’s also home to the (famously indestructible) Nokia which adds a whole new meaning to Mobile Phone Throwing, which is an official sport in Finland.
If you wish to visit any of these countries in the future but aren’t sure where to start, here’s a list of the top 10 happiest cities in the world:
- Helsinki, Finland
- Aarhus, Denmark
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Bergen, Norway
- Oslo, Norway
- Tel Aviv, Israel
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Brisbane, Australia
Written by Juliet Horner
Juliet is a journalism graduate and has experience writing for different platforms about a variety of topics. She loves to spend time outside doing activities such as sailing, hiking or camping. She volunteers as a scout leader and worked for the breast cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel! which is what sparked her interest in topics of wellbeing.
