Nepalis Top South Asia in Latest World Happiness Rankings

The 2024 Gallup World Report on Happiness, released on International Day of Happiness (March 20th), ranks Nepal as the happiest country in South Asia. This report, based on surveys from over 143 countries, measures happiness through self-reported life satisfaction.

Nepal secured the 93rd position with a score of 5.158, surpassing other South Asian nations included in the study. India ranked 126th, Bangladesh 129th, Pakistan 108th, and Sri Lanka 128th. Notably, Afghanistan ranked lowest at 143rd, with a score of 1.721. (Bhutan and Maldives were not included in the report).

The report delves deeper, providing happiness rankings by age groups. Nepal ranked 92nd for citizens under 30 but rose to 76th for those above 60. Interestingly, the 30-45 age group placed 101st, while the 45-60-year-olds ranked 93rd. Compared to data from 2006-2010, happiness levels among Nepalis appear to have declined slightly between 2021 and 2023.

Globally, Finland retained its top position for the seventh consecutive year, achieving a score of 7.741. The top ten happiest nations included Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia. Notably, U.K. ranked 20th and the United States 23rd.

The rankings are derived from surveys conducted over the past three years, where participants rated their life satisfaction on a 0-10 scale. Additionally, factors like life expectancy, generosity, and GDP were analyzed by experts to provide a more comprehensive picture.

This year’s report introduces a novel approach, presenting separate happiness rankings by age groups. The report incorporates data from 2006 onwards to identify trends in happiness levels across various demographics.