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The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network's 2019 World Happiness Report ranks each country using six different variables: income, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support and generosity.
The top five happiest countries, according to the report, are Finland (No. 1), Denmark (No. 2), Norway (No. 3), Iceland (No. 4) and the Netherlands (No. 5).
So, where does the United States fall on the list?
At No. 19 — down one spot since last year and five spots since 2017.
According to the list, the US ranks as follows in these categories:
- Income: 10th place
- Generosity: 12th place
- Social support: 37th place
- Freedom: 61st place
- Corruption: 42nd place
The report’s co-author, Jeffrey Sachs, is the director of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network. He wrote a chapter focusing on addition in the U.S., which he feels is a major contributor to the country’s dropping happiness rank.
“Addictions come in many forms, from substance abuse to gambling to digital media,” Sachs said in a press release. “The compulsive pursuit of substance abuse and addictive behaviors is causing severe unhappiness.”
The report also notes that as a whole, global happiness has declined.
For more information about the report, click here.
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