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This article was first published 11 years ago

Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

September 12, 2013 08:21 IST

Image: A child tries to hold onto the handrails in a crowded suburban train.
Photographs: Danish Siddiqui/Reuters

Many factors are taken into account when ranking the happiness of a country. While wealth obviously plays a major part, other important reasons are perception of corruption, freedom, social support, generosity and healthcare.

Let's take a look at some of the happiest nations, according to World Happiness Report, 2013.

Click NEXT to see where India ranks...

Tags: India

Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: A boy shakes his head to remove coloured powder while celebrating Holi in Agartala.
Photographs: Jayanta Dey/Reuters

India

Happiness score: 4.772

Overall rank: 111 out of 156

India is ranked a lowly 111 maybe because the tough economic situation has made the outlook bleak. Other factors in play could be rise in corruption cases, deteriorating infrastructure and bad governance.

Click NEXT to see some of the happiest nations...

Tags: India

Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: A dog sits as he waits next to his owner to cross a street in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Photographs: Radu Sigheti/Reuters

Denmark

Happiness score: 7.693

Overall rank: 1

Denmark, one of the wealthiest economies in the world, enjoys the top spot primarily due to its excellent infrastructure, safety net, good governance and social equality.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Royal Palace at the end of Karl Johans Gate in Oslo, Norway.
Photographs: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters

Norway

Happiness score: 7.655

Overall rank: 2

Norway, which has some of the biggest oil and gas reserves in the world, is one of the least unequal countries, provides excellent governance and enjoys low corruption.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: A view of Geneva and Lake Leman, Switzerland.
Photographs: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

Switzerland

Happiness score: 7.650

Overall rank: 3

Switzerland, which attracts some of the richest investors in the world, is a stable, prosperous and competitive country.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: People sit on a quay at the Leliegracht canal in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Photographs: Michael Kooren/Reuters

The Netherlands

Happiness score: 7.512

Overall rank: 4

The Netherlands, one of the richest economies in the world, is an open society, has low corruption and world-class healthcare.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: A view of Stockholm, Sweden.
Photographs: Ints Kalnins/Reuters

Sweden

Happiness score: 7.480

Overall rank: 5

Sweden, one of the most liberal countries, has excellent infrastructure, good governance and low corruption.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Snowboarders ride a chair lift on one of the many snow runs during night skiing on Grouse Mountain with the city of Vancouver, British Columbia down below, Canada.
Photographs: Andy Clark/Reuters

Canada

Happiness score: 7.477

Overall rank: 6

Canada, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, is witnessing a boom in economy.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Tourists take part in the reindeer safari at Arctic Circle near Rovaniemi, northern Finland.
Photographs: Kacper Pempel/Reuters

Finland

Happiness score: 7.389

Overall rank: 7

Finland, one of the most developed countries in the world, is constantly ranked high in Human Development Index.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Tourists photograph each other in the Austrian world heritage village of Hallstatt.
Photographs: Leonhard Foeger/Reuters

Austria

Happiness score: 7.369

Overall rank: 8

Austria, one of the most prosperous countries in the world, has world-class infrastructure, competitive economy and excellent healthcare.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Children skate on the ice of the frozen Tjoernin lake in central Reykjavik, Iceland.
Photographs: Stoyan Nenov/Reuters

Iceland

Happiness score: 7.355

Overall rank: 9

Iceland, which has a population of 320,000, is a free-market economy with low corporate taxes.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Large whale-shaped kites and others fly above a crowd gathered for the Festival of the Winds on Sydney's Bondi Beach, Australia.
Photographs: David Gray/Reuters

Australia

Happiness score: 7.350

Overall rank: 10

Australia, the 12th-largest economy in the world, is also one of the wealthiest.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: A view of Tel Aviv with the Mediterranean Sea in the background, Israel.
Photographs: Nir Elias/Reuters

Israel

Happiness score: 7.301

Overall rank: 11

Israel, whose financial center is Tel Aviv, has the highest standard of living in the Middle East.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Red Metal Church in Grecia, Costa Rica.
Photographs: Juan Carlos Ulate/Reuters

Costa Rica

Happiness score: 7.257

Overall rank: 12

Costa Rica, which has been ranked as the greenest country in the world, has a good record on Human Development Index.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: A view of Auckland, New Zealand.
Photographs: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

New Zealand

Happiness score: 7.221

Overall rank: 13

New Zealand, whose major exports are dairy products, meat and wine, enjoys one of the highest standards of living in the world.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Motorists drive along Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Photographs: Mosab Omar/Reuters

United Arab Emirates

Happiness score: 7.144

Overall rank: 14

United Arab Emirates, which holds one of the biggest reserves of oil and gas, has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Vehicles drive on a street around the centre of Panama City, Panama.
Photographs: Henry Romero/Reuters

Panama

Happiness score: 7.143

Overall rank: 15

Panama, which earns a lot from Panama Canal, is one of the fastest growing economies in Central America.

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Image: A view of downtown Mexico City, Mexico.
Photographs: Tomas Bravo/Reuters

Mexico

Happiness score: 7.088

Overall rank: 16

Mexico, one of the largest economies in the world, carries out most of its trade with the United States.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Pedestrians sit in a viewing area on the High Line park in New York City, United States.
Photographs: Lucas Jackson/Reuters

United States

Happiness score: 7.082

Overall rank: 17

United States, the biggest economy in the world, has one of the highest per capita incomes in the globe.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: A woman cycles past the 'Coffee To Get Her' restaurant near Dublin city centre which becomes a bar and club in the evenings, Ireland.
Photographs: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters

Ireland

Happiness score: 7.076

Overall rank: 18

Ireland, which is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, is highly ranked for press, economic and political freedom.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Petrusse River near old fortifications of the city of Luxembourg, Luxembourg.
Photographs: Laurent Dubrule/Reuters

Luxembourg

Happiness score: 7.054

Overall rank: 19

Luxembourg, which has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, has a population of 524,853.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: People have a drink at 360, a three-tiered rooftop bar, in Caracas, Venezuela.
Photographs: Jorge Silva/Reuters

Venezuela

Happiness score: 7.039

Overall rank: 20

Venezuela, which has huge gas and oil reserves, is one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: People rest in the Parc du Cinquantenaire of Brussels, Belgium.
Photographs: Sebastien Pirlet/Reuters

Belgium

Happiness score: 6.967

Overall rank: 21

Belgium, which has a population of 11 million, is one of the wealthiest countries in the world.

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Image: A view of Piccadilly Circus in central London, United Kingdom.
Photographs: Olivia Harris/Reuters

United Kingdom

Happiness score: 6.883

Overall rank: 22

United Kingdom, one of the main financial centres of the world, is one of the developed countries in the world.

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Image: Sea water shoots out of a crevice in the rocks, known as a 'Blowhole', in Mughsail Beach in Salalah, Oman.
Photographs: Randolph Caguintuan/Reuters

Oman

Happiness score: 6.853

Overall rank: 23

Oman, whose economy relies to a large extent on oil, fishing and agriculture, is one of the most developed and stable countries in the Middle East.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: Tourists take pictures with the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon in the background in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Photographs: Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

Brazil

Happiness score: 6.849

Overall rank: 24

Brazil, one of the fastest growing economies in the world, is a major manufacturing and export powerhouse.

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Is India among the happiest countries? Find out...

Image: An aerial view shows the Arc de Triomphe, centre, and rooftops of residential buildings in Paris, France.
Photographs: Charles Platiau/Reuters

France

Happiness score: 6.764

Overall rank: 25

France, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, provides excellent healthcare, social security and infrastructure.

Tags: France , India