Finland has been named the world’s happiest country for the seventh consecutive year by the World Happiness Report, which was initiated in 2012 by the United Nations (UN) to promote sustainable development goals. The survey asked participants to rate their lives on a scale of one to ten, with Finland scoring highest at 7.7 and Afghanistan at the bottom with a score of 1.7.
Factors contributing to Finland’s happiness include gender equality, trust in national institutions and citizens, and low levels of corruption. The country was the first to grant women the right to vote and run in parliamentary elections in 1906.
The Finnish capital, Helsinki, was found to be the most honest city in a study where wallets were intentionally “lost” to test citizens’ honesty. Transparency International ranks Finland as the second-least corrupt country in the world after Denmark. Free education, universal healthcare, and family-friendly policies also contribute to Finland’s overall well-being.
In addition to these factors, Finland’s abundance of saunas is considered a key factor in its happiness. With over 3.5 million saunas for a population of 5.5 million, saunas are a fundamental part of Finnish culture. The Finnish embassy in Berlin recently hosted an exhibition celebrating sauna culture, which was a popular and fully booked event.
Finland consistently dominates the top rankings in the World Happiness Report due to its commitment to gender equality, transparency, health care and family-friendly policies as well as its cultural traditions such as saunas that bring people together and promote relaxation.
The UN has praised Finland for its efforts towards sustainable development goals through this report which highlights how important it is for nations to focus on their people’s well-being rather than just economic growth.
Overall, Finland is an example of how nations can achieve true success when they prioritize their people’s happiness above all else.
