Report: The pandemic hasn’t made us any less happy

Three years into the pandemic hasn’t made us more pessimistic and unhappy. On the contrary, most of us seem to have liked the situation and taken it all in stride, as the World Happiness Report 2023 with participation of just over 100,000 people in 150 countries shows.

For example, we seem to have become more charitable towards our fellow human beings during the pandemic. The report showed that our willingness to help strangers is 25 percent higher now than it was before the pandemic, and we’re giving more money to charities. Researchers think the pandemic may have made people more caring in general.

Finland’s happiest – again

On average, most people were as satisfied with their lives in the years 2020-2022 as they were in the years 2017-2019.

And although older people often fall ill with COVID-19, they are happier now than they were before the pandemic. Those over 60 are also generally happier than younger people.

Just as in the past six years, Finns are the happiest people in the world, followed by other Nordic countries. This year, Sweden has moved up the peg on the ranking list, from seventh to sixth.

At the bottom of the list is Afghanistan.

The World Happiness Report is based on several factors, including life expectancy, gross domestic product, social support, generosity, and lack of spoilage. Measurement, initiated by the United Nations and implemented by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, has been taking place since 2012.