World Happiness Report 2025: Key Insights and India’s Performance

The World Happiness Report 2025, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre, University of Oxford, ranks Finland as the happiest country for the 8th consecutive year. While India’s ranking has improved, it still lags behind Pakistan and Nepal despite having stronger economic and governance indicators.

The report is based on Gallup surveys and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, evaluating life satisfaction across 147 countries.

Methodology of the Report

• Based on Gallup World Poll – People rate their lives on a 0-10 scale (Cantril Ladder method).
• Three-year average – Data from 2022-2024 is considered.
• Key factors influencing happiness:
  • GDP per capita
  • Healthy life expectancy
  • Social support
  • Freedom to make life choices
  • Generosity
  • Perception of corruption

Global Trends and Key Highlights

• Top-ranked countries – Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden dominate the top four.
• New entries in top 10 – Costa Rica (6th) and Mexico (10th).
• Declining happiness in the West –
  • USA (24th) – Dropped from 11th in 2012 due to rising isolation.
  • UK (23rd) – Recorded lowest happiness level since 2017.
• Least happy nations – Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Lebanon.

India’s Performance

• Ranking improved – Moved from 126th (2024) to 118th (2025).

• Happiness score – Increased from 4.054 to 4.389 (on a 10-point scale).

• Sub-indicator rankings:

  • 10th in volunteering
  • 57th in donations
  • 74th in helping strangers

• Comparison with neighbors – Ranks below Pakistan (109th) and Nepal despite better economic indicators.

Discrepancies in India’s Rankings

• India’s per capita income ($2,480.8 in 2023) is much higher than Pakistan’s ($1,365.3).
• India’s healthy life expectancy (58.1 years) is slightly better than Pakistan’s (56.9 years).
• India ranks 96th in Corruption Perceptions Index 2024, whereas Pakistan ranks 135th.

Conclusion

While India’s ranking has improved, the report’s methodology raises concerns, as it does not fully reflect economic strength and governance quality. The findings suggest social trust and well-being perceptions play a larger role in happiness than material prosperity.

As Gallup CEO Jon Clifton states:

"Happiness isn't just about wealth; it's about trust, connection, and knowing people have your back."