The World Happiness Report rankings are in! Australia’s position may surprise you
- Replies 9
Happiness is a tricky thing to measure, but each year, researchers attempt to rank the world's nations based on just that—how content their citizens feel.
The latest findings have shaken up the list, with some countries climbing the ranks while others have slipped.
So, where does Australia stand in this global happiness race?
Australians may not be feeling as cheerful as they once were, at least according to the latest World Happiness Report.
The 2025 rankings saw Australia slip to 11th place, just missing out on the top 10.
New Zealand followed closely behind in 12th, while Nordic nations continued their dominance, with Finland, Denmark, and Iceland securing the top three spots.
The annual World Happiness Report provides insight into global wellbeing, measuring how satisfied people are with their lives.
The rankings are largely based on data from the Gallup World Poll, which surveys over 100,000 people across more than 140 countries.
Participants rate their lives on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being the worst possible and 10 being the best.
A country’s final ranking is determined by averaging three years' worth of responses, with about 1,000 people surveyed annually per country.
This year’s report placed a strong focus on kindness, exploring both its impact on recipients and those who extend it to others.
Researchers found that people consistently underestimate the generosity of others.
One study showed that wallets dropped in public were returned far more often than people expected.
The findings also highlighted that overall well-being is influenced by how people perceive the kindness of those around them.
Communities with higher levels of benevolence tend to see the most significant happiness boost among those who were previously the least happy.
The report also noted a lasting increase in kindness following the COVID-19 pandemic, with acts of goodwill remaining 10 per cent higher than before 2020.
While the Nordic countries held onto their top rankings, this year’s top 20 also included two Latin American nations, with Costa Rica in sixth and Mexico in 10th.
Israel, representing the Middle East, secured the eighth position.
The report found that Western industrialised nations have generally become less happy compared to 2005–2010.
For the first time, none of the world’s largest industrial powers made it into the top 20.
Back in 2013, all of the top 10 happiest countries were industrialised Western nations, but by 2025, only seven remained.
Countries that fell out of the top 10 over the years included Switzerland, which ranked third in 2013, first in 2015, and 13th in 2025.
Canada, once sixth in 2013, dropped to 18th in the latest rankings.
Australia, which previously held 10th place in 2013, narrowly missed the top tier at 11th in 2025.
Understanding how the World Happiness Repor is compiled can give deeper insight into what influences a country's ranking.
Watch this video to learn more about the factors shaping global happiness scores.
Source: Youtube/Mint
With Australia slipping in the rankings, do you think the nation’s happiness is truly declining or just changing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
The latest findings have shaken up the list, with some countries climbing the ranks while others have slipped.
So, where does Australia stand in this global happiness race?
Australians may not be feeling as cheerful as they once were, at least according to the latest World Happiness Report.
The 2025 rankings saw Australia slip to 11th place, just missing out on the top 10.
New Zealand followed closely behind in 12th, while Nordic nations continued their dominance, with Finland, Denmark, and Iceland securing the top three spots.
Australia slips in latest happiness rankings.
The annual World Happiness Report provides insight into global wellbeing, measuring how satisfied people are with their lives.
The rankings are largely based on data from the Gallup World Poll, which surveys over 100,000 people across more than 140 countries.
Participants rate their lives on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 being the worst possible and 10 being the best.
A country’s final ranking is determined by averaging three years' worth of responses, with about 1,000 people surveyed annually per country.
This year’s report placed a strong focus on kindness, exploring both its impact on recipients and those who extend it to others.
Researchers found that people consistently underestimate the generosity of others.
One study showed that wallets dropped in public were returned far more often than people expected.
The findings also highlighted that overall well-being is influenced by how people perceive the kindness of those around them.
Communities with higher levels of benevolence tend to see the most significant happiness boost among those who were previously the least happy.
The report also noted a lasting increase in kindness following the COVID-19 pandemic, with acts of goodwill remaining 10 per cent higher than before 2020.
While the Nordic countries held onto their top rankings, this year’s top 20 also included two Latin American nations, with Costa Rica in sixth and Mexico in 10th.
Israel, representing the Middle East, secured the eighth position.
The report found that Western industrialised nations have generally become less happy compared to 2005–2010.
For the first time, none of the world’s largest industrial powers made it into the top 20.
Back in 2013, all of the top 10 happiest countries were industrialised Western nations, but by 2025, only seven remained.
Countries that fell out of the top 10 over the years included Switzerland, which ranked third in 2013, first in 2015, and 13th in 2025.
Canada, once sixth in 2013, dropped to 18th in the latest rankings.
Australia, which previously held 10th place in 2013, narrowly missed the top tier at 11th in 2025.
Understanding how the World Happiness Repor is compiled can give deeper insight into what influences a country's ranking.
Watch this video to learn more about the factors shaping global happiness scores.
Source: Youtube/Mint
With Australia slipping in the rankings, do you think the nation’s happiness is truly declining or just changing? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
.png){kind=icon}
