Finland tops World Happiness Report in 2026, Thailand slips 3 places
Finland has been ranked the world’s happiest country for a ninth consecutive year in the World Happiness Report 2026, while Thailand fell three places from 49th last year to 52nd this year.
The report, published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford on March 19, said the top three countries were Finland, Iceland and Denmark. Costa Rica recorded one of the biggest improvements, rising to fourth place, its highest ranking among Latin American countries.
Sweden ranked fifth, followed by Norway in sixth and the Netherlands in seventh. Israel placed eighth, Luxembourg ninth, and Switzerland tenth.
The United States ranked 23rd, Canada 25th and the United Kingdom 29th. Thailand was placed 52nd, down from 49th a year earlier.
The rankings are based on responses from the Gallup World Poll in 147 countries. Participants were asked to evaluate their lives using a “ladder” scale, where 10 represents the best possible life and zero the worst, known as the Cantril ladder.
Researchers assessed six factors to help explain differences between countries, including GDP per capita, life expectancy, generosity, and perceptions of freedom and corruption. The rankings are based on a three-year average to reduce fluctuations caused by major events such as war or economic downturns.
On average, Finns rated their life satisfaction at 7.764.
This year’s report focused on happiness and social media, particularly its impact on people under 25. It found that the relationship between internet use and wellbeing varies significantly by generation, gender and region.
The relationship was strongly negative for Gen Z, moderately negative for millennials, close to zero for Gen X, and slightly positive for baby boomers.
Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, director of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre, said in a statement that global evidence shows the link between social media use and wellbeing depends on which platforms are used, who uses them, how they are used and how much time is spent.
He said heavy use is associated with significantly lower well-being, but those who intentionally avoid social media appear to miss some benefits. He added that, despite the complexity, people should try “as much as possible” to bring social connection back to social media.
This past January, Bangkok was named the third best city to visit in the world in The New York Times’ 52 Places to Go in 2026 list, praised for its green spaces, art scene, and recent innovations in public transport.
In a separate ranking by Condé Nast Traveller, a US-based travel magazine, Thailand was crowned the world’s best country for food, edging out Italy and Japan for the top podium spot.
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