Happiness levels around the world: where does Ukraine rank, and are rich countries really happier?

The World Happiness Index shows how people rate their lives and their level of well-being. Find out which factors have the greatest impact on happiness and why the economy is not the only determining factor

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The World Happiness Index shows how people in different countries rate their quality of life each year. In the new World Happiness Report study, Ukraine ended up near the bottom of the list of 147 countries.

Where did Ukraine rank in the happiness index?

In 2025, Ukraine ranked 111th in the happiness index. During the survey, each participant rated their life on a scale of 1 to 10 points. Ukraine received an average score of 4.68 points. At the same time, analysts emphasize that since 2012, this indicator has decreased by 8%, which demonstrates a certain deterioration in the situation.

Ukraine's closest neighbors in the ranking were Nigeria, Pakistan, the Palestinian territories, and Senegal, which ranked higher. Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, and Kenya ranked lower. This means that the level of life satisfaction in Ukraine is currently comparable to that of African and Asian countries, rather than European countries.

Who topped the happiness ranking?

The residents of the Scandinavian countries — Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands — were recognized as the happiest in the world. These countries traditionally top the ranking thanks to their high standards of living, social support, stability, and security.

Read also: The best cities to live in 2025 — what has changed in the global ranking and why is Kyiv among the outsiders?

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Are the richest countries really the happiest?

According to The Economist, Scandinavian countries are among the richest in the world in terms of per capita income. A high level of material well-being directly affects feelings of security and life satisfaction. However, money alone does not guarantee happiness. Other important factors include the quality of social institutions, the level of trust in society, and access to quality healthcare and education.

However, it is not only rich countries that score high on happiness. Researchers note that in other surveys, Latin American countries often surpass even Northern Europe in terms of positive emotions. For example, residents of this region laugh more often, enjoy life, and demonstrate social cohesion.

Read also: Which Ukrainian cities are among the most dangerous cities in Europe?

One of the important factors cited is the culture of communal dining. In Latin America, people eat with friends or family an average of nine times a week. This creates an additional sense of social support. The study showed that this indicator has an even stronger impact on subjective feelings of happiness than GDP or other economic factors.

Analysts emphasize that indicators of social support, trust, and a sense of belonging to a community are more closely related to how people evaluate their lives than economic indicators. That is why even in countries with relatively low income levels, you can find high levels of life satisfaction if society has strong traditions of mutual aid and support.

We remind you! In 2025, the global ranking of the strongest passports — documents that give their holders maximum freedom of movement — was updated. Read about who is in the lead, where Ukraine ranks, and why this data is important not only for tourists in our previous article.

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