KATHMANDU, MARCH 22: The World Happiness Report 2024 released recently positioned Nepal in the 93rd rank out of 143 countries surveyed. Finland secured the highest score, maintaining the first rank for seven consecutive years. The report noted that the top 10 countries remained largely unchanged since before the COVID-19 pandemic, with Finland leading and Denmark closely following, while all five Nordic countries featured in the top 10.
However, there were notable shifts in the next 10 countries, with transition countries in Eastern Europe, such as Chechnya, Lithuania, and Slovenia, experiencing increased happiness. Consequently, the United States and Germany dropped to 23rd and 24th in the rankings, respectively. The report also highlighted a gradual decline in life satisfaction from childhood through adulthood in most countries, with young people aged 15-24 generally reporting higher life satisfaction than older adults.
However, this gap is narrowing in Western Europe and has recently reversed in North America due to declining life satisfaction among the youth. Conversely, life satisfaction among the young has increased in Sub-Saharan Africa. Overall, globally, young people aged 15-24 have experienced improved life satisfaction between 2006 and 2019, with stability observed since then.
