World Happiness Index
Why in news?
World Happiness Report for the year 2018 has been released. The World Happiness Report 2018, ranks 156 countries by their happiness levels, and 117 countries by the happiness of their immigrants.
Main Approach:
The main focus of this year’s report, in addition to its usual ranking of the levels and changes in happiness around the world, is on migration within and between countries.
The report includes four chapters on migration, both internal (within-country) and international (cross-country), investigating the happiness of migrants, their families left behind, and others living in the cities and countries receiving migrants.
About the World Happiness Report:
What is it? The World Happiness Report is a measure of happiness published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
How are the countries ranked? The rankings are based on Gallup polls of self-reported wellbeing, as well as perceptions of corruption, generosity and freedom.
Performance of various countries:
- Finland has been ranked the most stable, the safest and best governed country in the world. It is also among the least corrupt and the most socially progressive. Its police are the world’s most trusted and its banks the soundest. Finland’s immigrants are also the happiest immigrant population in the world.
- Top ten in order of overall happiness are Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, and Australia.
- The United States came in at 18th, down from 14th place last year. Britain was 19th and the United Arab Emirates 20th.
- Burundi in east Africa, scarred by bouts of ethnic cleansing, civil wars and coup attempts, is the unhappiest place in the world. Strikingly, there are five other nations – Rwanda, Yemen, Tanzania, South Sudan and the Central African Republic – which report happiness levels below that of even Syria.
- All the Nordic countries scored highly on income, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom, trust and generosity.
Performance of India and its neighbours:
- India ranked 133rd, far behind terror-ravaged Pakistan and poorest-of-poor Nepal.
- It was placed 122nd last year, which was a drop from 118th rank the preceding year.
- Among the eight Saarc nations, Pakistan was at 75th position, up five spots from last year.
- Nepal stood at 101, Bhutan at 97, Bangladesh at 115 while Sri Lanka was at 116.
- China is far ahead at 86th spot.
MEAUREMENT OF THIS INDEX:
The Report is measured by certain variables that have been found to support well-being: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, perceptions of corruption and dystopia.
| Country | Happiness score | Dystopia (1.92) + residual | GDP per capita | Social support | Healthy life expectancy | Freedom to make life choices | Generosity | Perception of corruption |
For details go to page: http://worldhappiness.report/
Sources: the hindu.
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