World Happiness Report
Topic: Human Development: Concept, Approaches and Measurement · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The World Happiness Report ranks countries by how happy people say they are. Each year, people in each country are asked to rate their own lives on a scale, using Gallup survey data (Gallup is a global polling organisation). It grew out of a 2011 UN General Assembly resolution, which also created the International Day of Happiness on 20 March. The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network has published the report every year since 2012. It shows that money alone does not decide how satisfied people feel with their lives.
Example
In 2025 Finland, a Nordic country in northern Europe, came first for the eighth year in a row. India ranked 118th (verify current).
Don't confuse with
- Gross National Happiness (GNH): GNH is Bhutan's own official measure and policy goal, built on four pillars and nine domains. The World Happiness Report is a global ranking based on people's own ratings of their lives.