Finland has once again topped the World Happiness Report—marking its ninth straight year at number one—according to the latest rankings compiled by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford. The Nordic nation continues to dominate the list, with fellow heavy hitters Iceland and Denmark trailing close behind in second and third place. The top five saw a notable shake-up further down the rankings. Costa Rica landed in fourth—its highest placement ever and a milestone for Latin America—while Sweden rounded out the list. The report draws on data from the Gallup World Poll, analyzing responses from 147 countries over a three-year period. Participants rate their lives on a scale from 0 to 10, with researchers factoring in metrics like GDP per capita, life expectancy, social support, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. Finland posted an average score of 7.764, cementing its grip on the top spot. John F. Helliwell, a founding editor of the report, credited the country’s strong sense of social trust and cooperation, telling CNN that “successful societies cooperate in the face of adversity.”
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