The 2022 World Happiness ranking, prepared by the United Nations, aims to measure the degree of happiness of citizens among 146 countries, based on six different criteria: GDP per capita, the expectation of a healthy life, social support, individual freedom, generosity and the perception of corruption.

According to this ranking, Portugal now occupies 56th place, up two positions compared to last year. In 2019, Portugal climbed 11 positions, rising to 66th place, having then risen in 2020 to 59th place. Portugal is ahead of countries like Greece, China, Russia, Ukraine or Turkey.

For the fifth year in a row, Finland has been “crowned” as the happiest country in the world, with scores substantially above other countries. Still on the podium are Denmark and Iceland. In the top 10 are Switzerland, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Israel and New Zealand.

Over the past 10 years, the biggest increases in this ranking have occurred in Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania, while the biggest declines have been recorded in Lebanon, Venezuela and Afghanistan. The authors also point out that they detected, on average, an upward to moderate long-term trend in terms of stress, worry and sadness in most countries, as well as “a slight long-term decline in quality of life”.