World Happiness Report 2026: Top 10 happiest and least happy countries; where India ranks?

World Happiness Report ߪ Top and Bottom 10 Countries List: Amid rising geopolitical tensions, 79 countries recorded significant gains in happiness levels from the 2006–2010 base period to 2023–2025, according to the World Happiness Report 2026, published on Thursday.

Finland remains the happiest country in the world in 2026, holding the top spot for the ninth consecutive year.

The Finnish population reported an average life evaluation score of 7.764 out of 10 this year, up 0.375 points from last year.

The Nordic countries, Iceland (2nd), Denmark (3rd), Sweden (5th), and Norway (6th), also rank among the top 10 happiest countries in 2026.

Costa Rica is a standout performer this year, climbing steadily from 23rd in 2023 to 4th in 2026, its highest-ever ranking. Switzerland returned to the top 10 at 10th place after slipping to 13th last year.

The 2026 rankings showed a notable absence of English-speaking countries, with none appearing in the top 10 for the second consecutive year.

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Only a few English-speaking countries appear in the top 20: New Zealand is 11th, followed by Ireland at 13th and Australia at 15th.

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Meanwhile, the United States ranks 23rd, Canada 25th, and the United Kingdom 29th.

In contrast, Afghanistan, at the bottom of the list at 147th, has once again been ranked the world’s unhappiest country, along with Malawi (145th) and Sierra Leone (146th), all affected by conflict.

Top 10 Happiest Countries in the World 2026:

World's Top 10 Happiest Countries

2026 Life Evaluation Rankings

#1

Finland

7.764

Score

YoY Change

+0.375

#2

Iceland

7.540

Score

YoY Change

+0.185

#3

Denmark

7.539

Score

YoY Change

-0.154

#4

Costa Rica

7.439

Score

YoY Change

+0.182

#5

Sweden

7.255

Score

YoY Change

-0.225

#6

Norway

7.242

Score

YoY Change

-0.413

#7

Netherlands

7.223

Score

YoY Change

-0.289

#8

Israel

7.187

Score

YoY Change

-0.114

#9

Luxembourg

7.063

Score

YoY Change

0.000

#10

Switzerland

7.018

Score

YoY Change

-0.632

Source: World Happiness Report 2026 | Based on Life Evaluation Scores

Indian Express InfoGenIE

Top 10 Unhappiest Countries in the World 2026

World's Top 10 Unhappiest Countries

2026 Life Evaluation Rankings

#147

Afghanistan

1.446

Score

YoY Change

-2.594

#146

Sierra Leone

3.251

Score

YoY Change

-1.067

#145

Malawi

3.284

Score

YoY Change

-0.829

#144

Zimbabwe

3.346

Score

YoY Change

-1.481

#143

Botswana

3.464

Score

YoY Change

-0.506

#142

Eswatini

3.909

Score

YoY Change

-0.958

#141

Lebanon

3.723

Score

YoY Change

-1.208

#140

DR Congo

3.761

Score

YoY Change

-0.817

#139

Egypt

3.862

Score

YoY Change

-0.411

#138

Tanzania

3.902

Score

YoY Change

+0.132

Source: World Happiness Report 2026 | Based on Life Evaluation Scores

Indian Express InfoGenIE

Where does India rank in the World Happiness Report 2026?

India’s standing in World Happiness Report

India improved its ranking from 126th in 2024 to 118th in 2025, rising two positions this year and currently standing at 116th with a life evaluation score of 4.536.