These are the Happiest Countries in the World

The 2019 World Happiness Report contains good news for Canadians. Despite all the political bickering, we’re actually one of the happiest nations on the planet. We even made it to the top ten! The rankings in the report come from questions that are based on respondents ranking their own lives from 0-10 plus six other factors including generosity, social support, GDP, life expectancy, freedom, and corruption. The final scores, out of 10, are based on rankings from 2016-2018. These are the 20 happiest countries in the world, ranked by their overall happiness score.

LINK: https://worldhappiness.report/

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20. Czech Republic: 6.852

Given the country's communist past (as Czechoslovakia), it's remarkable that the Czech Republic is now in the top 20 of the happiest countries. It has decent rankings in most areas but slips a little when it comes to perceptions of corruption. Prague, the capital, is also one of the best places to travel in May. And the rest of the country, like Cesky Krumlov (pictured) is pretty nice too.

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19. United States: 6.892

If you watch the news these days, you wouldn't think there's much happiness in the U.S. at all. But if you get away from politics you'll find a relatively happy nation. The country does well when it comes to things like GDP per capita but could use a little work in the social support area. For the traveller, it's easily accessible and filled with incredible diversity and landscapes.

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18. Belgium: 6.923

Home of the Tomorrowland Music Festival, one of 20 epic trips you need to take in your 20, Belgium ranks 18th overall. Belgians are big givers, with 40.7% saying they donated money to a charity in the past month and 25.9% said they volunteered in the past month.

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17. Germany: 6.985

Germany ranks 17th in terms of GDP per capita but only 39th in social support. The country is filled with breathtaking scenery (and castles!) not to mention the incredible buzz you'll only find in Berlin. Long known as a cultural hub of Europe, Germany is a foodie paradise. And let's not forget Oktoberfest. Prost!

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16. Ireland: 7.021

Ireland is certainly a charmer, with its impressive churches, ancient ruins and spectacular scenery all a relatively short flight from Canada's East Coast. The country ranked sixth in GDP and social support and 16th in generosity. Personally, I think it ranks number one for pub culture and traditional music. If you're planning to visit Ireland, you might want to learn some of the Irish words that Canadians don't quite understand.

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15. United Kingdom: 7.054

Even with Brexit going on (or rather not going on), the citizens of the United Kingdom remain quite happy, thank you very much. Overall, the UK ranks 15th on the list. The country is eighth when it comes to social support and ninth in generosity. The weather may often be damp and dreary but that just adds to the experience.

Pro-tip: If you're in swiping mode and British boys are your jam, we have a guide to dating English men.

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14. Luxembourg: 7.090

Officially known as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Luxembourg is not only one of the smallest countries in Europe, it is one of the least-populous. But nearly 620,000 merry residents make this the 14th happiest country in the world. Luxembourg is also one of the world's richest countries and ranks second in GDP per capita. It may not be on the top of many travel bucket lists, but there are still plenty of things to see and do.

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13. Israel: 7.139

Israel didn't rank particularly high in many of the areas the World Happiness Report took into consideration, but overall it still scored high enough to put it in 13th place. The country also ranked 13th in healthy life expectancy. Israel is definitely one of the more interesting places in the world to visit, offering everything from lush beachside resorts to some of the world's most important religious sites.

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12. Costa Rica: 7.167

Looking for an affordable place to retire? The funky beach town of Tamarindo, Costa Rica is one of 20 affordable places for Canadian snowbirds to retire. And who wouldn't want to retire — or visit — the 12th happiest country in the world? Costa Rica has a warm climate, incredible national parks and some of the best beaches in Central America. It's also easy to get to from Canada.

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11. Australia: 7.228

Australia has it all: a great climate, dazzling cities, and cute animals. It's diverse and open-minded and scored well in most categories. Australia ranks tenth for generosity, 11th for healthy life expectancy, 13th for corruption and 18th for GDP. It is truly one of the world's greatest holiday destinations.

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10. Austria: 7.246

Austria takes tenth place in 2019. The country has a high GDP and fairly low perceptions of corruption. It ranked 17th for healthy life expectancy. If you're planning to visit Austria, prepare to be blown away by the scenery. If it's too cold outside, you can always venture into grand buildings like the Austrian National Library in Vienna, one of the most Instagram-worthy spots in Europe.

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9. Canada: 7.278

Home sweet home! Canada is in ninth place this year, which says a lot about how awesome our country is. In terms of metrics, we're ninth for healthy life expectancy and freedom. Corruption is low (we're 11th) and we're pretty generous (17 out of 156). We also have decent GDP and social support rankings. There's a lot of things to be happy about in Canada, but number one is that we get to live in this big, beautiful diverse country. We're not perfect, but we're heading the right way.

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8. New Zealand: 7.307

New Zealand is a top destination if you're looking for one of the world's most extreme vacations. But it's also a land of very happy people. The country ranks eighth in freedom to make life choices, 12th in generosity and fifth in perceptions of corruption. New Zealand is home to world-class snowboarding and skiing and the landscape is staggeringly beautiful. You'll feel like you're in the Lord of the Rings!

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7. Sweden: 7.343

While it ranks tenth for freedom to make life choices and 13th for GDP per capita, Sweden has low corruption and an exceptional healthcare system. For the visitor, you'll find some of the world's best Instagram-worthy vistas, immaculate cites and, yes, Ikea.

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6. Switzerland: 7.480

It's all about mountains in Switzerland, but that doesn't mean you need to be a climber to enjoy what the country has to offer. Sure, there's fantastic skiing. But there are also vibrant cities like Zürich, Geneva, and Bern (pictured) to explore. Switzerland ranks fifth for healthy life expectancy and 11th in freedom to make life choices. It's also one of the world's top tax havens.

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5. Netherlands: 7.488

A cyclist's paradise, the Netherlands takes fifth place this year. It ranks 14th for generosity and 12th for both perception of corruption and GDP per capita. With exceptional public transport and a network of bike trails across the country, moving around is easy. English is widely spoken, so the Netherlands makes a stress-free introduction to mainland Europe.

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4. Iceland: 7.494

Iceland always ranks high in the report and this year is no exception. For social support, it ranks first. Iceland is also in seventh place for freedom to make life choices and eighth in generosity. While Iceland is one of the best places to visit in June, it's no slouch at other times of the year, especially for fans of the aurora borealis.

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3. Norway: 7.554

Another Nordic country to make the top 20 is Norway. It ranks third in social support and the freedom to make life choices. It's seventh in GDP and ranks low for corruption. For the traveller, Norway is very safe and the scenery is magnificent.

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2. Denmark: 7.600

Denmark is a small country with a population of just 5.6 million. But for what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in happiness and giving back as one of the most generous countries in the world. Denmark ranked third for perceptions of corruption and fourth for social support. Copenhagen's Tivoli amusement park is a must-see and driving through rural Denmark makes you feel like you're going back in time.

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1. Finland: 7.769

And in first place: Finland. The country ranks second in social support, fourth in perceptions of corruption and fifth in the freedom to make life choices. For the visitor, Finland offers endless adventures in the summer and winter. Not only is it a great spot to witness the Northern Lights, the capital, Helsinki, is one of the healthiest cities in the world.