Fun fact (kind of...)

World’s 20 happiest countries in 2025

1. Finland

2. Denmark

3. Iceland

4. Sweden

5. Netherlands

6. Costa Rica

7. Norway

8. Israel

9. Luxembourg

10. Mexico

11. Australia

12. New Zealand

13. Switzerland

14. Belgium

15. Ireland

16. Lithuania

8th year in a row for Finland.  US ranked 24th.


When it comes to happiness, the Nordic countries are clearly doing a lot of things right. For the eighth year in a row, Finland is the world’s happiest country, with its neighbors clustered close behind.

“Nordic countries like Finland continue to benefit from universally available and high-quality health, education and social support systems. Inequality of wellbeing is also low,” said Ilana Ron-Levey, managing director at Gallup.

Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden – the top four – remain in the same order as 2024. And Norway is again No. 7.

While social support systems that look out for residents’ welfare are important to Finland’s No. 1 ranking, the people play a role too, according to Helliwell.

“Having a welfare state doesn’t find lost wallets and return them to the owners,” said Helliwell, a longtime lost-wallet researcher, referring to data showing that Nordic nations rank among the top places for the expected and actual return of lost wallets. “Those are individuals caring about the people with whom they live.”


https://www.cnn.com/travel/worlds-happie...index.html

That is an interesting list.... There are a few countries on that "Top 16" list that give me pause... Sort of like that thread I started.."Things That Make You Go ...Hmm??"

So, on a list of the "happiest" countries in the world, we find the following....

#5 - Netherlands -- This is not a REAL surprise, but I think it's fair to comment... Netherlands is considered to be the Weed (cannabis) capital of the world. So, while they may indeed be "happy", it's probably because they are in a 'smoke' induced haze. Being constantly "baked" is not necessarily the same as "happy". Or, is it..??

#8 - Israel -- Regardless of your personal bias with regards to Israel... It's hard to believe that they are among the "happiest" people in the world. Surrounded by 'enemies' and 'frenemies', a lot of whom are "sworn" to see the destruction of the state, being under constant attack by agents of terrorism, and political "in-fighting" and "out-fighting" --- it's kind of hard to believe that those folks are "happy".!!

#10 - Mexico -- Now this one defies understanding.!! In a world of poor and (sometimes) downtrodden people --- A government so corrupt there are few words to describe them; A country that is effectively under the control of drug cartels; A country where it's own people are massing at the border in an attempt to leave; A country where it TRULY IS unsafe to drive anywhere for fear of being killed, captured, kidnapped, etc...; A country where there is currently a Level 4 warning to "avoid" travel.  And this is a "happy" country.??

#15 - Ireland -- One of my favorite countries in the "Commonwealth". Still. it's hard to believe that the home of the "potato famine", a couple of variations on the IRA, constant rivalries between Irish Catholics and the Church of England, heavy-handed British retaliatory actions, equally heavy-handed Northern Ireland violence, and an underlying drama-filled tension surrounding an independence movement that was both supported and reviled. One must still (to this day..) be 'aware' when in Northern Ireland (especially) because there is an undercurrent of political unrest that seems to be at times on the cusp of a "face-off".
Happy..??? Yes, (Maybe..), But...???