RASC News Agency: The 13th Annual World Happiness Report was released in conjunction with International Happiness Day on March 20. In the 2025 rankings, Finland has again claimed the top spot as the happiest country in the world, marking its sixth consecutive year in the lead. Afghanistan, however, remains at the bottom of the list, earning the distinction of the saddest country for yet another year. Following Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands secured the second to fifth positions as the happiest countries globally. Afghanistan holds the 147th position, with Sierra Leone (146th), Lebanon (145th), Mawlawi (144th), and Zimbabwe (143rd) also occupying the lowest ranks as the world’s saddest nations.
The report also reveals that the United States has dropped one spot, now ranking 24th, while the United Kingdom has reached its lowest happiness score since 2018, placing 23rd. Meanwhile, Canada remains in the top 20, ranking 18th among the happiest nations. This report is produced in collaboration with the Gallup Organization, the Oxford University Center for Health Studies, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the World Happiness Report editorial board.
While decades of conflict and instability had already fostered widespread despair about life’s prospects in Afghanistan, the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 further dashed any remaining hopes. Under their medieval-style laws and strict rule, the country’s atmosphere became more oppressive, with despair taking hold in the streets and happiness fleeing from the lives of its people.
