Finland has once again been ranked the world’s happiest country, retaining its top spot for the ninth consecutive year in the latest World Happiness Report 2026, while Afghanistan remains at the bottom.
The report, backed by the United Nations, evaluates countries on factors such as income, social support, life expectancy, freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.
Among major Asian countries, India ranked 116th, showing an improvement from last year which was at 126, but still trailing several regional peers.
Pakistan was placed ahead at 104th, continuing to rank higher than India in overall happiness levels.
Meanwhile, China performed significantly better, ranking 60th, reflecting stronger scores in economic stability and life satisfaction.
Nordic countries continued to dominate the top of the rankings, with Finland followed by Denmark, Iceland and Sweden. Experts attribute their success to strong welfare systems, high levels of trust and better work-life balance.
At the other end, Afghanistan remained the lowest-ranked country, highlighting the severe humanitarian and economic challenges it faces.
The report also flagged concerns over declining well-being among young people globally, linking it partly to excessive social media use and changing lifestyles.
Overall, the findings reinforce that happiness is shaped not just by economic growth, but also by social support, governance, and quality of life—areas where countries continue to show wide disparities.
