World Happiness Report 2024 - Current Affairs UPSC

Recently, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network released the annual World Happiness Report 2024.

Since 2012, this report has been released annually on International Day of Happiness (20 March).
Finland for the seventh time straight became the world’s happiest country. All five Nordic countries are in the top 10.
This year, the report ranked 143 countries.
The United States and Germany, after more than a decade, have fallen below the top 20 happiest nations securing the 23rd and 24th positions respectively.
The report underscores a change wherein the happiest countries no longer include any of the world’s most populous nations.
The ranking uses six key factors to measure happiness social support, income, health, freedom, generosity, and absence of corruption.

Established in 2012 by the former UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon.
It works under UN Secretary-General to mobilize the world’s universities, think tanks, and national laboratories for action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Out of 143 countries, India ranked 126 — the same as last year’s index position. While China ranked 60th, Nepal at 93rd, Pakistan at 108th, Myanmar at 118th, Sri Lanka at 128th and Bangladesh at 129th spots.
Older age is associated with higher life satisfaction in India.
On average, older men in India are more satisfied with life than older women.

The World Happiness Report 2024 serves as a valuable resource for promoting happiness, fostering well-being, and guiding policy decisions worldwide.