Jumping four slots ahead, Sri Lankans were found to be happier in 2017 compared to the previous year, the World Happiness Report 2018 stated. The report released by the United Nations ranked Sri Lanka at 120 last year’s report and this year at 116. Sri Lanka was also ranked 43rd in the sub-category of best improvers from 2008-2010 to 2015-2017.

Finland is the world’s happiest country, rising from fifth place last year. The United States came in at 18th, down from 14th place last year. According to an annual survey issued on Wednesday Americans were getting less happy even as their country became richer. Britain was 19th and the United Arab Emirates 20th. Pakistan ranked 75 on the index, coming in ahead of Sri Lanka, India (133), Bhutan (97), and Bangladesh (115) While China stood at 86th spot.

While, India slipped 11 places as it was placed 122nd last year. It was behind the majority of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) nations, apart from war-ravaged Afghanistan, that stood at 145.

The 2018 top-10, as ever dominated by the Nordics, is: Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands Canada, New Zealand, Sweden and Australia. Burundi came bottom in the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s (SDSN) 2018 World Happiness Report which ranked 156 countries according to things such as GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, social freedom, generosity and absence of corruption.

Those countries are considered happy that have a healthy balance of prosperity, as conventionally measured, and social capital, meaning a high degree of trust in a society, low inequality, and confidence in government. The aim of the report is to provide another tool for governments, business, and civil society to help their countries find a better way to wellbeing.

Courtesy of dailynews.lk