Finland is the world’s happiest country yet again; Ghana less happy than previous year

For the eighth year in a row, Finland is the happiest country. This is according to the 2025 World Happiness Report.

The report comes out every year on the United Nations’ International Day of Happiness. It ranks countries based on how residents rate their quality of life. The scale used ranges from 0 to 10.

This year, Finns gave an average score of 7.74. This keeps Finland at the top of the global happiness index.

Denmark follows in second place, with Iceland third and Sweden fourth. The Netherlands ranks fifth. Costa Rica and Mexico made the top 10 for the first time, ranking sixth and tenth respectively. Meanwhile, the United States fell to 24th place, its lowest ever.

Experts say Finland's happiness comes from social trust and economic equality. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, a researcher for the report, highlighted economic equity as key to Finland’s success.

He explained that in Nordic countries, economic inequality is lower. This leads to higher well-being overall. Most Finns rate their happiness as seven or eight out of ten.

In contrast, in the U.S., there are many high ratings but also many low ones. Another reason for Finland's happiness is its people's contentment with simplicity.

De Neve noted that Finns are happy with less and appreciate what they have.

The report also shows a strong link between social trust and happiness. Believing in others' kindness boosts individual and collective well-being significantly.

In Finland and other Nordic nations, people trust that lost wallets will be returned. De Neve stated that higher social trust leads to better well-being overall.

Costa Rica and Mexico's entry into the top 10 supports this idea too. Researchers found Latin American countries excel in social connections through shared meals with family and friends.

De Neve added that these interactions are not overshadowed by social media use.

Ghana’s ranking has dropped in this year's report. It now stands at 125th out of 147 nations, down from 120th last year.

This decline reflects worsening happiness levels among Ghanaians due to economic hardships and governance issues. Ghana now ranks below Burkina Faso (120th), Benin (121st), and Somalia (122nd). However, it remains ahead of Togo (126th) and Liberia (129th).

Mauritius is Africa's happiest country at 78th globally, followed by:

- South Africa – 95th
- Mozambique – 96th
- Gabon – 97th
- Côte d’Ivoire – 98th
- Congo – 100th
- Namibia – 103rd
- Cameroon – 104th
- Nigeria – 105th
- Senegal – 107th
- Mauritania – 114th

Ghana’s lower ranking indicates increasing socio-economic difficulties affecting quality of life.

Improving governance, implementing economic reforms, and strengthening social support could help Ghana improve its position in future reports.