Switzerland - the happiest country in the world.

(Baonghean) - According to a ranking recently published in New York, Swiss people are considered to have the happiest lives in the world. Following Switzerland are Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Canada.

The ranking was based on a survey conducted in 158 countries worldwide. According to the results, Finland, the Netherlands, Sweden, New Zealand, and Australia ranked 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th respectively. In terms of happiness, Americans ranked only 15th, Belgians 19th, Britons 21st, Germans 26th, French 29th, and Spaniards 36th. Italians were ranked 50th, and Greeks dropped even lower, to 102nd place.

A natural landscape in Switzerland. Photo: AFP

Jeffrey Sách, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University in New York, one of the researchers, noted that the top 13 countries in 2015 remained the same as in 2014, but their positions had changed. It is worth noting that this is the third assessment on this issue since the United Nations published its first report on the happiness levels of people in various countries in 2012.

To arrive at these conclusions, researchers often rely on criteria such as average life expectancy, GDP per capita, level of social support, level of trust (assessed based on the number of corruption cases in politics or business), and perceived freedom of choice in life.

While Western countries occupy the top positions in the ranking, it's not surprising that the countries at the bottom are from Africa and the Middle East. The ranking assesses happiness levels as follows: Chad at 149th, Guinea at 150th, Ivory Coast at 151st, Bushkina Fasco at 152nd, and Afghanistan at 153rd. Despite civil war and ISIS terrorism, Syria ranks 156th. Even more surprising is Iraq securing the 112th position, ahead of South Africa, India, Kenya, and Bulgaria. The final position, 158th, is held by Togo.

Through this ranking, the authors aim to emphasize the importance of fairness, honesty, trustworthiness, and well-being in their "calculation." Evidence shows that despite the financial crisis severely impacting Europe, Iceland and Ireland remain among the top-ranked countries with strong social support. Similarly, in Fukushima, Japan, the study notes that the 2011 double disaster also "led to increased trust and happiness" by strengthening relationships.

Chu Thanh

(According to Le Monde, April 24)