Happiest countries in the world 2021 | CNN Travel

(CNN) – To say that the past year has been difficult for people around the world is an understatement.

The Covid-19 pandemic has not only resulted in the deaths of more than 2.6 million people worldwide, but has also caused a major shake-up in the daily lives of many of us.

But despite the devastating events of the past 12 months and the resulting decline in mental health in various destinations, there has been no change in first place when it comes to ranking the happiest country in the world.

For the fourth consecutive year, Finland topped the annual list based on data from the Gallup World Poll, with Iceland, Denmark, Switzerland and the Netherlands in second, third, fourth and fifth positions, respectively.

While the United States rose from 18th to 14th position and the United Kingdom fell from 13th to 18th position, Australia maintained its 12th position.

“We urgently need to learn from Covid-19,” said report co-editor Jeffrey Sachs, professor and director of Columbia University’s Center for Sustainable Development.

“The pandemic reminds us of our global environmental threats, the urgent need to cooperate and the difficulties of achieving cooperation in each country and globally.”

Movers and shakers

Not only did researchers fail to conduct face-to-face interviews in several countries, they also had to change things entirely, focusing on the relationship between well-being and Covid-19.

The report has been based mainly on levels of GDP, life expectancy, generosity, social support, freedom and income from corruption since it was launched in 2012.

Although there have been some changes in the top 10, with Iceland moving up two places from fourth to second on the list and Norway falling from fifth to eighth, the ratings were very similar to those of the previous year for the most part, which is seen as a positive sign.

“Surprisingly, there was, on average, a decline in well-being when measured by people’s own assessment of their lives,” said University of British Columbia professor John Helliwell, who also contributed to the report.

“One possible explanation is that people see Covid-19 as a common external threat that affects everyone and that it has generated a greater sense of solidarity and solidarity.”

Other notable moves on the list include Germany, which jumped from 17th to seventh position last year.

Croatia, which was one of the destinations where personal interviews could be conducted, rose from 79 to 23 on the list.

Trust factor

The researchers say it is no surprise that Finland has maintained its leadership position once again, as the Nordic country has always had a high ranking when it comes to mutual trust.

Trust is recognized as one of the main factors that helped protect people during the pandemic, as well as trust in governments.

For example, the mortality rate in Brazil was significantly higher than in Singapore, a fact that the report partially attributed to the difference in public confidence in the governments of each country.

He also notes that the Americas and Europe had far more fatalities for Covid-19 than East Asia, Australasia and Africa.

The report suggests that the average age of a country’s population, be it an island, and its proximity to other highly infected countries were factors that contributed to the disparity in mortality rates around the world.

Interestingly, cultural differences, such as whether the head of government was a woman, are also considered significant considerations when measuring the success of Covid-19’s strategies, along with income inequality and the knowledge gained from previous epidemics.

“The East Asian experience shows that strict government policies not only effectively control Covid-19, but also cushion the negative impact of daily infections on people’s happiness,” said collaborating professor Shun Wang of the Korea Development Institute.

Covid impact on well-being

As a result, the report found that the decline in mental health was immediate in many countries, including the United Kingdom, where the number of reported mental health problems was 47% higher in May 2020 than predicted before Covid-19.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the 2021 World Happiness Report also found that roadblocks and social detachment had a tremendous impact on the well-being of the workforce.

According to the data collected, those who were unable to work due to time off or dismissal who said they were alone at the start of the pandemic were 43% less happy than those who were not lonely at first.

“My previous research showed how happy workers are 13% more productive,” said Professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director of the University of Oxford’s Welfare Research Center, another contributor to the report.

“This article proves that happiness is not driven by payment, and that social connections and a sense of identity are more important.

“These findings point to a ‘hybrid’ future of work, with a balance between office life and working at home to maintain social connections, ensuring flexibility for workers.”

Of the 149 countries presented in the report, Afghanistan was rated the most unhappy once again, followed by Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Botswana.

Those at the bottom of the list were mainly the underdeveloped countries, where issues such as political and armed conflicts prevail, or have prevailed in recent times.

“This has been a very challenging year, but the initial data also shows some notable signs of resilience in feelings of social connection and life assessments,” said Simon Fraser University, report collaborating professor Lara Aknin.

Happiest countries in the world 2021

1. Finland

2. Iceland

3. Denmark

4. Switzerland

5. Netherlands

6. Sweden

7. Germany

8. Norway

9. New Zealand

10. Austria

11. Israel

12. Australia

13. Ireland

14. United States

15. Canada

16. Czech Republic

17. Belgium

18. United Kingdom

19. China

20. France