Denmark ‘the world’s happiest country', says report

Denmark overtook Switzerland as the world’s happiest place, according to a report that urged nations regardless of wealth to tackle inequality and protect the environment.

The report, prepared by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Earth Institute at Columbia University, showed Syria, Afghanistan and eight sub-Saharan countries as the 10 least happy places on earth to live.

The top 10 this year were Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, and Sweden. Denmark was in third place last year, behind Switzerland and Iceland. Ireland came in at 19 with the UK 23, France 32, and Italy at 50. The bottom 10 were Madagascar, Tanzania, Liberia, Guinea, Rwanda, Benin, Afghanistan, Togo, Syria and Burundi.