Taiwan ranked first in East and Southeast Asia as well as 25th globally in the latest World Happiness Report released March 20 by the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network, marking the country’s second year running finishing at its best-ever position in the annual survey.
Taiwan’s score rose to 6.455 out of 10, placing it third in Asia behind Israel, 14th, and the United Arab Emirates, 21st. The country outperformed Singapore, 31st; the Philippines, 52nd; Thailand, 54th; South Korea, 61st; Japan, 62nd; and China, 94th.
According to the survey, the happiest country in the world is Finland, topping the list for three consecutive years. Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland and Norway, respectively, hold second through fifth places, while Central African Republic, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, South Sudan and Afghanistan occupy the bottom rankings.
The report was written based on surveys conducted with around 1,000 residents each from 153 countries and territories between 2017 and 2019. Satisfaction was determined by assigning scores for gross domestic product per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and perceptions of corruption.
This year’s report emphasized the influence of natural, social and urban environments on happiness. In its separate examination of 186 urban areas around the world based on surveys conducted from 2014 to 2018, Helsinki finished first, with Taipei City placing 47th.
Launched in 2012, the World Happiness Report aims to measure relative well-being of countries’ inhabitants around the globe and analyze the factors influencing life satisfaction. Eight editions have been published to date, with Taiwan’s ranking jumping from 46th in the first report to this year’s 25th. (Taiwan Today)
