India 136 out of 146 in world happiness index. But which countries are top?

India has been ranked 136 out of 146 countries in the UN World Happiness Report 2022, which was released on Friday (March 18). Last year too it was just outside the bottom 10, ranking 139 out of 149. 

Finland has been named the world’s happiest country for the fifth consecutive year in the annual UN-sponsored index, which again ranked Afghanistan as the unhappiest.

The Top 20 happiest countries are: Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Israel, New Zealand, Austria, Australia, Ireland, Germany, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Czechia (Czech Republic), Belgium and France.

The 10 unhappiest are: Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Lesotho, Botswana, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Lebanon and Afghanistan.

The Nordic countries all score very well on the measures the report uses to explain its findings: healthy life expectancy, GDP per capita, social support in times of trouble, low corruption and high social trust, generosity in a community where people look after each other and freedom to make key life decisions.

War-traumatised Afghanistan, already bottom of the table, has seen its humanitarian crisis deepen since the Taliban took power again last August. UN agency UNICEF estimates one million children under five could die of hunger this winter if not aided.

“This [index] presents a stark reminder of the material and immaterial damage that war does to its many victims,” co-author Jan-Emmanuel De Neve said.

The rankings are based largely on life evaluations from the Gallup World Poll. The latest edition was completed before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“The lesson of the World Happiness Report over the years is that social support, generosity to one another and honesty in government are crucial for wellbeing,” report co-author Jeffrey Sachs wrote.

“World leaders should take heed.”