Where the happiest people on earth live. The happiest people on Earth: features and interesting facts Which country has the happiest people

Gallup, an American public opinion research institute, conducted a study to find out which countries' citizens are the happiest.

The results of the survey were amazing because it was found that people living in the poorest countries feel the best.

The list of happiest countries was led by El Salvador, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Trinidad and Tobago.

What is the secret of Latin American happiness?

The happiest countries

Experts conducted a survey in 148 countries in order to understand in which countries citizens most often experience positive emotions. People were interviewed in person and by telephone, and Each respondent was asked five questions:

1. How much time do they spend relaxing?

2. Do they feel respected by others?

3. Do they often smile and have fun?

4. Do they do anything interesting in life?

5. Do they enjoy what they do and life in general?

In addition, the researchers were interested in the following question: do respondents feel respected by their colleagues, and did they learn something new the day before?

According to the data received, the happiest people on the planet are citizens of El Salvador, Panama and Paraguay. These three countries are completely happy. The top ten includes 7 Latin American countries. In addition to the above, these are Venezuela, Ecuador, Guatemala and Costa Rica.

It is worth noting that Russia was not even included in the hundred happiest countries, taking one of the very last places (along with Iran and Algeria).

The happiest country in the world

However, despite the relatively small population and small size of the state, The standard of living here is relatively high. According to the study, the birth rate in the country is 20 people per 1000 (96th place among other countries), and the death rate is 4.5 people per 1000.

Mortality in Panama is almost the lowest (196th place in the ranking). The average life expectancy is impressive: among women - 74 years, among men - 80 years. In Panama, the vast majority of people live in cities - 73 percent.

The country makes money through the operation of the Panama Canal, and revenues also come from tourism, banking and insurance. Two thirds of the population work in these industries.

According to the UN, GDP per capita is about $12,000, which is very good for such a small country, whose production level is only 18 percent of annual GDP.

World analysts note that Panama is a country where people can be quite satisfied with their standard of living. UN experts believe that the standard of living of people in Panama can easily be compared with that in North America, that is, in the USA and Canada, only prices for goods and services among Latin Americans are several times lower.

For example, a meal in an upscale restaurant will cost about 50 US dollars, and the price of a taxi anywhere in the capital is 2 dollars.

The level of healthcare in the country, according to experts from the International Committee of the Red Cross, is also high. Hospitals and clinics boast modern equipment, and doctors are highly qualified, as is the key to this level of healthcare.

It is worth noting that almost all qualified doctors in Panama were trained in the United States.

Of course, experts noted that the country’s infrastructure and high quality of life were not the only factors that influenced the degree of happiness of citizens. The favorable climate played a significant role.

The temperature is almost throughout the year it stays at 25-28 degrees during the day. Panamanians will never see snow, and this is not surprising since they are located near the equator. Panama also has rainy and dry seasons.

In 2005, Panama was ranked first in a global index of the most comfortable countries in the world. Pensioners from different countries often come here for permanent residence, because the country has one of the most developed pension systems in the world.

According to the American Association of Retired Persons and International Living, The United States has included Panama in its list of the four best countries in the world to live in.

The happiest and most optimistic countries:

1. Panama - 85 percent;

2. Paraguay – 85;

3. El Salvador – 84;

4. Venezuela – 84;

5. Trinidad and Tobago – 83;

6. Thailand – 83;

7. Guatemala – 82;

8. Philippines – 82;

9. Ecuador – 81.

The most unhappy and pessimistic countries:

1. Madagascar – 54 percent;

2. Lithuania – 54;

3. Belarus – 53;

4. Serbia – 52;

5. Yemen – 52;

6. Georgia – 52;

7. Iraq – 50;

8. Armenia – 49;

9. Singapore - 46.

Despite the fact that El Salvador and Paraguay took second and third places in the Gallup rating, experts talk about a fairly low standard of living in these countries.

The urban population in these countries does not exceed 60 percent, and the economy is based on agriculture. The unemployment rate is higher than in Panama, but at the same time in these countries easier to find a job.

This is mainly labor in logging, cotton plantations and sugar cane plantations.

The average life expectancy in other Latin American countries is the same as in Panama. For men it is 73 years old, for women it is 79 years old. As for the level of healthcare, it leaves much to be desired.

For example, last year Paraguayan doctors sounded the alarm because the state faced an epidemic of yellow fever.

In 2012, the government appealed to the global community and international health organizations to provide 600,000 vaccines to prevent yellow fever.

Thus, the findings surprised researchers from Gallup, because it turned out that the happiest people live in poor countries in Latin America.

If the standard of living in Panama is comparable to developed European countries, then residents of countries such as El Salvador, Uruguay, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago cannot boast of similar conditions.

Scientists explain this by the historically established mentality of these people, who see happiness not in material wealth. According to them, people in poor countries can receive joy from moral satisfaction, which is often inaccessible to citizens of developed countries.

The media gave an example of the attitude to life of two people: one of them is a successful businessman from Singapore, and the second is a poor woman who sells tea on the streets of Paraguay.

“We continue to work, but we don’t get the amount of money we deserve,” complains 33-year-old Singaporean Richard Lowe. “Wealth does not bring happiness, only problems. Life is too short, so there is no room for sadness,” said Maria Solis from Paraguay.

Singapore, Iraq and Armenia rounded out the list of the happiest countries. Maybe it’s true that it’s not the standard of living, but people’s attitude towards it that matters?

10:30 9.11.2017

The UN annually conducts a study of where the happiest people in the world live in order to understand what needs to be changed in other countries to create a feeling of happiness there too.

In 2017, research showed that the happiest people live in the following countries.

Difficult climate, many cloudy days and rain. It's hard to be happy in this climate. But the Norwegians managed to do it.

In Norway, people trust each other and also feel safe.

Denmark

Denmark is another country with a rather difficult climate. The Danes know what hygge is and know how to create coziness where it seems impossible.

In Denmark, people are confident in their future and also in the future of their children. And this despite very high taxes.

In Iceland it is often cold, and summer can simply not be noticed. However, this does not prevent the people of Iceland from being happy.

They know how to enjoy the little things and rejoice at any positive turn in life.

Switzerland is not only rich, but also one of the happiest countries in the world. The Swiss trust their government, are not afraid to make long-term plans and are confident that everything will be fine.

They also enjoy the opportunity to travel.

Finland is home to not only the happiest children, but also the happiest adults. And this despite the harsh climate.

The thing is that Finns eat a lot of chocolate, they have high family values ​​and they know that tomorrow will be better than yesterday.

It’s interesting: countries where there is a middle class and virtually no social inequality feel happy.

It has the most incredible scenery, clean rivers and free education. And the people are the most positive, smiling and friendly. Do you think this is a fairy tale? According to the UN, National Geographic has compiled a list of the ten happiest countries.

Sweden

Sweden is one of the Nordic countries where the level of satisfaction with life is very high. The secret of the people of this country is the Swedish tradition of fika, which means taking a break from work to drink coffee and discuss news and business with friends. This break lasts 15 minutes and is arranged every 2 hours. By the way, Sweden is one of the largest consumers of coffee.

Australia

Australia has very low levels of pollution and high levels of cohesion and sociability among local people. And it's all because of the love for barbecue. Australian parks often offer paid or free barbecues to socialize with friends and have fun. But if you don't have Australian friends, then the BBQ tour (BBQ and XXXX Brewery) is a great chance to make them. And visit breweries together and try Australian meat dishes.

New Zealand

How can you not be happy when you are surrounded by blue mountains, wild nature and such fabulous views? Low levels of pollution and the most diverse wildlife make the inhabitants of this country truly happy.

Netherlands

Residents of the Netherlands are highly physically active and love cycling. They are proud of their 30,000 km of bike paths for safe travel. Don't forget to rent a bike and hire a cycling guide when you're in Amsterdam.

Canada

One of the largest countries in the world is a true paradise for travelers. Residents of this country boast many beautiful national parks with rugged mountains and wide open spaces. Just look at these views - that's why they are so happy.

Finland

All worries and problems are instantly evaporated in a traditional Finnish sauna. Despite the country's small population of just 5.2 million people, Finland has 3.3 million saunas, located literally everywhere - from lakeshores to office buildings.

Norway

Norwegians are proud of the nature of their country and treat it very carefully. It is believed that climbing one of the highest mountains called Skala takes away all worries from a person. Almost anywhere in the country, wherever you want, you can pitch a tent and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Iceland

Volcanoes, wild beaches, hot springs and gorgeous views - this is what makes the inhabitants of this country happy. And how can you not forget about everything in the world, lying in the warm blue waters and contemplating such views.

Switzerland

A country with so many types of chocolate cannot, by definition, be unhappy. Residents here are all about a healthy lifestyle - they go skiing, kayaking and paragliding. That's why Switzerland has the lowest obesity rate.

Denmark

Denmark is considered the happiest country in the world. And for good reason, because education and healthcare are completely free. Residents are proud of their sense of cohesion: even if they don’t know you, this doesn’t mean they won’t invite you for a cup of tea.

Scientists have conducted interesting studies on which regions of Russia are happy and which are unhappy. You can see the results for yourself. Happiness literally lives on Chechen land.

27 thousand people from 100 cities of the Russian Federation answered questions from experts about satisfaction with material wealth, ecology, safety, development and level of improvement of their city. Finally, the last question was formulated with disconcerting directness: are you happy?

The study was conducted by the NewsEffector agency together with the Regions of Russia Foundation. The result is amazing (see table). As it turned out, the happiest Russians do not live in Moscow and other million-plus cities. The first places in the rating were taken by Grozny, Tyumen, Kazan, Surgut, Krasnodar, Sochi, Nizhnevartovsk, Novorossiysk and Belgorod. Moscow was only in 52nd place, St. Petersburg - 16th, Ekaterinburg - 49th, Novosibirsk - 13th.


Actually, Anton Semenovich Makarenko explained everything a long time ago: the true stimulus of human life is tomorrow’s joy. Apparently, the “rich” Muscovites, who have great opportunities, lack just that. If your working day begins with stress in traffic jams, you breathe fumes from 5 million exhaust pipes (being, moreover, the unfortunate owner of one of them), and on TV you see mostly details of either the mass death of children or the death of your favorite actress - this is happiness, to put it mildly, it doesn’t add anything. There is no clear prospect and hope that tomorrow traffic jams will clear up, road accidents will stop, and air and food will provide us with health and longevity.

On the contrary, the feeling of positive dynamics - a record 73% of respondents feel it - brought the capital of Chechnya to first place. Well, why not, when every year your city becomes better and more comfortable. Well, at the same time, one should not discount the natural optimism and cheerfulness of this people.

Bratsk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Chita close the happiness rating. Residents of Bratsk set a kind of sad national record: only 3% of respondents said that they were satisfied with the local ecology. There is another problem on Sakhalin: the people there are not satisfied with the dynamics of urban development, that is, simply put, the townspeople demand changes for the better from the authorities.

The most unusual picture beyond Baikal. Chita “did not fail” any single indicator. For example, in Dagestan, Buryatia or the Chelyabinsk region, which ranked higher, the people are more dissatisfied with their financial situation. And the level of urban amenities of an outsider is quite comparable to such much more prosperous cities as Sochi, Pskov and Tver. But overall, Chita’s happiness index is half that of Grozny.

But still. Look at the penultimate column - the one that indicates the percentage of those who feel happy. From 60 to 80%. This is how people think about themselves. And compare this with the results of research by analysts at the British research center New Economic Foundation. According to their data, Russia, with its sense of happiness, was in 122nd place out of 151 countries. Somewhere between Liberia, Zimbabwe and Congo on one side and Nigeria, Uganda and Burkina Faso on the other.

A recent study was conducted: in which country do the happiest people live? According to survey results, northern Europe turned out to be happier than southern Europe, and residents of the former USSR are more likely than others to feel unhappy.

The World Value Survey Foundation conducted a study aimed at identifying the countries where the happiest people on Earth live. To do this, a survey is conducted of people who answer two questions: “Do you think that, in general, you are very happy, fairly happy, not very happy or not at all happy?” and “Overall, how satisfied are you with your life today?”

The results revealed that the happiest people in the world live in Denmark. Moreover, every year there are more and more Danes satisfied with their lives. The Danes' "formula of happiness" is simple: low taxes and a high level of technical development. In addition, most citizens of the “happiest country in the world” are well educated.

But if you look below, it becomes clear that the Danish formula is not a recipe for happiness for everyone. Because Puerto Rico is in second place among the happiest countries. But if everything is more or less clear with Puerto Rico - this island belongs to the United States, then Colombia comes in third place. How this country, in which there is a civil war, in which there is a high level of crime, in which the majority of the population is as poor as a church mouse, got into the top three happiest is a mystery. All that remains is to blame the coca growing in these parts - there is no other explanation for Colombian happiness.

In fact, the list of the happiest countries contains many amazing moments that do not correspond to established stereotypes about this world. Thus, the second ten is opened by El Salvador, located between Austria and Malta. The United States is only in 16th place: people there are not much happier than the people of Guatemala. And the people of Venezuela, led by the resilient Hugo Chavez, are happier than the people of Finland.

The last country with a positive happiness index is Azerbaijan. The list of unfortunate countries opens with Macedonia. Of course, it is alarming to live in a country when another country wants to rename your country.

Russia in this list took 88th place out of 97 possible. We are less happy than the people of Rwanda, Pakistan and Ethiopia. By the way, last year Esquire magazine provided a list of new English words, where the word “Russian” among the British is actually an analogue of the word “depressive”. By the way, according to Russian polls, the citizens of our country are simply glowing with happiness. According to a survey by VTsIOM, which included the question of happiness, 77% of our fellow citizens consider themselves happy. Although there were some surprises here: residents of Moscow and St. Petersburg feel the worst, only 74% of them consider themselves happy people. Well, the happiest people in our country are the residents of the south, where 84% answered the question about happiness in the affirmative.

Researchers from the World Value Survey claim that the level of happiness around the world is only growing year after year, but are unable to explain this phenomenon. Interestingly, on average, after 40 years, men feel happier than women, although before this age, the weaker sex is the leader in happiness. It is also known that the older a person gets, the more often he considers himself happy. Can we conclude from this that it is men who become wiser with age?

Based on materials from Turist_ru.