World Happiness Report 2025

According to the World Happiness Report 2025 published by Gallup, once again the happiest countries continue to be Finland, Denmark and Iceland, which remain at the top of the ranking thanks to a strong sense of social trust and a good quality of life. However, there is a decline in happiness in the United States (dropped out of the top 20 for the first time, now in 24th place) and in some European nations, while several emerging economies show improvement. In countries characterized by high inequality and political instability, welfare levels tend to be lower. Afghanistan, due to the ongoing conflict, economic difficulties and low trust in institutions, is the most unhappy country in the world.   

The main indicators examined continue to be GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, having someone to rely on, the sense of freedom to make important life decisions, the average frequency of donations and the perception of corruption in government and business. 

The focus this year was the impact of caring and sharing on people’s happiness. In particular, acts of benevolence (helping others, donating, volunteering) had a greater impact on happiness than financial gains.   

In this context, so-called ‘wallet question’ were also analysed, i.e. the respondents’ predictions regarding the behaviour of others when faced with the opportunity to show benevolence. This analysis showed that trusting others, such as believing that a lost wallet will be returned, had a positive impact on life satisfaction. Once again, the Nordic countries are at the top of this ranking.
Specifically, benevolent actions offer greater benefits in terms of well-being when they involve: caring connections, choice of how to do it and a clear positive impact.   

Another factor that emerges from the report concerns loneliness, a factor that greatly affects happiness. People who live alone are much less happy than those who live with others, with an increase in loneliness observed especially among young people. In 2023, 19% of young adults said they had no one to rely on, a 39% increase since 2006. However, as shown by an intervention conducted at Stanford University, young people often underestimate the benevolence of others and become happier when they experience the kindness of their peers. 

This emphasizes that happiness is not just an individual matter, but a social phenomenon that depends on the quality of governance, solidarity and opportunities for all citizens. The report calls on governments and international organizations to consider happiness as a key indicator of well-being, progress and sustainable development.   

Source:
World Happiness Report 2025