News Excerpt:

Finland emerged as the happiest country in the world, topping the World Happiness Report 2024, the seventh successive year that the country has occupied the top spot on the list.

About World Happiness Report:

• The World Happiness Report is released annually around March 20th as part of the International Day of Happiness celebration by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN).
• The World Happiness Report is a partnership of Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR's Editorial Board.
• It considers six variables: GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom, generosity, and absence of corruption.
• The World Happiness Report now provides separate rankings by age group.
• This year's report ranked 150 countries.
• The other top 10 countries after Finland are Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Australia.
• The United States and Germany did not find a place among the list of 20 happiest nations.
• The US trailed at the 23rd spot, while Germany at the 24th spot respectively.
• Afghanistan remains bottom of the overall rankings as the world's 'unhappiest' nation, followed by Congo, Sierra Leone, Lesotho, and Lebanon.

India’s Position: 

• India's Ranking:  In the World Happiness Report for 2024, India was ranked 126th out of the countries surveyed. 
• India's rank in the happiness index is lower than its neighboring countries like  China ranked 60th, Nepal at 93, Pakistan at 108, Myanmar at 118.
• The report noted a gender disparity in happiness within India, with older women reporting lower levels of life satisfaction compared to older men.
• Education and caste emerged as significant factors affecting life satisfaction in India. Individuals with higher levels of education and belonging to higher social castes reported higher happiness levels. 
• India's ranking for happiness among young people, aged 30 and below, was notably lower at 127th place.
• This indicates potential challenges or disparities the younger demographic faces regarding overall life satisfaction and well-being.
• India's ranking for happiness among older people, aged 60 and above, was slightly higher at 121st place. 
• This suggests that older individuals in India may perceive higher levels of life satisfaction compared to their younger counterparts, despite potential gender disparities within this age group.