Portugal is the 56th happiest country in the world. Finland leads for the fifth consecutive year

Portugal has once again climbed up the United Nations world happiness ranking, now occupying 56th position. For the fifth consecutive year, Finland was "crowned" as the happiest country in the world.

Portugal adds up and keeps going. After a galloping rise in 2019 and milder rises in 2020 and 2021, this year the country climbed two positions in the world ranking of Happiness, now occupying the 56th position. Finland continues to top the list drawn up by the United Nations.

At stake is the World Happiness Ranking 2022, prepared by the United Nations, which aims to measure the degree of happiness of citizens among 146 countries and based on six distinct criteria: GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, individual freedom, generosity, and the perception of corruption.

According to this ranking, Portugal now ranks 56th, up two positions from last year. In 2019, Portugal had climbed 11 positions to 66th place, having then risen in 2020 to 59th place. The national territory is ahead of countries like Greece, China, Russia, Ukraine or Turkey.

For the fifth year in a row, Finland was "crowned" the happiest country in the world, with scores substantially above peers. Denmark and Iceland are also on the podium. The top 10 also includes Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Israel and New Zealand.

Over the past 10 years, the biggest rises in this ranking occurred in Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania, while the biggest declines were registered in Lebanon, Venezuela, and Afghanistan. The authors also point out that they detected, on average, an upward to moderate long-term trend in stress, worry and sadness in most countries, as well as "a slight long-term decline in quality of life. Remember that World Happiness Day is next Sunday.

Source: AICEP