World Happiness Report 2026: Key Trends

World Happiness Report 2026 Highlights Global Well-Being Trends

Why in the News ?

The World Happiness Report 2026 highlights Finland as the happiest country for the ninth year, while Afghanistan remains the unhappiest. The report also flags the negative impact of social media on youth well-being, especially in Western countries.

Key Findings of World Happiness Report 2026:

• The World Happiness Report 2026, published by University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre in collaboration with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, ranks global happiness levels.
• Finland remains the happiest country for the 9th consecutive year.
• Other top performers include Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and Norway, reflecting strong Nordic welfare models.
• Afghanistan ranks as the unhappiest country, followed by Sierra Leone and Malawi.
• Rankings are based on surveys of ~100,000 respondents across 140 countries, evaluating life on a 0–10 scale.
• Countries with conflict, instability, and poverty consistently rank lower.
• Costa Rica entered the top 5, showing rapid improvement.
• Key determinants include income, equality, social support, health, and governance quality.

Social Media and Youth Well-Being Concerns

• The report highlights a decline in well-being among youth, especially in Western and English-speaking countries.
• Excessive social media usage is identified as a major contributing factor.
• Teenagers spending 5+ hours daily report significantly lower life satisfaction.
• The negative impact is particularly severe among teenage girls.
• Platforms with algorithm-driven feeds and visual content promote social comparison and anxiety.
• Average usage among adolescents is about 5 hours per day.
• Interestingly, moderate use (<1 hour/day) is linked with higher well-being than no usage.
• Regional variation exists: in parts of South America and the Middle East, social media shows positive or neutral effects.