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This article was first published 12 years ago

Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest

Last updated on: June 28, 2012 11:33 IST


Photographs: Reuters

The popular Abba single, "Money, money, money...must be funny in a rich man's world" seems true for people from these countries. At least that is what one can deduce from New Economics Foundation's Happy Planet Index (HPI).

The latest HPI results show how these countries produce long, happy and sustainable lives for their people. The overall index scores rates countries based on their efficiency, how many long and happy lives each produces per unit of environmental output.

Each of the three component measures – life expectancy, experienced well-being and ecological footprint. Also, the overall ranking is not based on GNP and growth figures, but purely on environmental factors.

Thus, NEF's list of happiest countries does not feature the usual suspects.

Source: Happy Planet Index

...

Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest

Image: A boy jumps into the Llanos del Cortes waterfall in Bagaces, Costa Rica
Photographs: Juan Carlos Ulate/Reuters

Costa Rica

Ranking: 1

Happy Planet Index score: 60.4

2009 HPI Rank: 5

Experienced Well-Being: 5.8

Life Expectancy: 75.2

Ecological Footprint: 1.4

GDP Per Capita: $3,205

Population: 86.9 million

...

Tags: , GDP , HPI , Costa Rica

Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest

Image: A Hmong woman displays traditional costumes for sale at the Vietnamese cultural village of Dong Mo, outside Hanoi
Photographs: Kham/Reuters

Vietnam

Ranking: 2

Happy Planet Index score: 60.4

2009 HPI Rank: 5

Experienced Well-Being: 5.8

Life Expectancy: 75.2

Ecological Footprint: 1.4

GDP Per Capita: $3,205

Population: 86.9 million

...

Tags: , GDP , HPI , Vietnam

Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest

Image: Flamingos fly over a reserve near the town of Manaure, Guajira province, Colombia
Photographs: Reuters

Colombia

Ranking: 3

Happy Planet Index score: 59.8

2009 HPI Rank: 6

Experienced Well-Being: 6.4

Life Expectancy: 73.7

Ecological Footprint: 1.8

GDP Per Capita: $9,453

Population: 46.3 million

...

Tags: , GDP , HPI , Colombia

Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest

Image: Britain's Prince Harry dances at a street party in Belmopan, Belize
Photographs: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters

Belize

Ranking: 4

Happy Planet Index score: 59.3

2009 HPI Rank: 27

Experienced Well-Being: 6.5

Life Expectancy: 76.1

Ecological Footprint: 2.1

GDP Per Capita: $6,670

Population: 345,000

...

Tags: , GDP , HPI

Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest


Photographs: Reuters

El Salvador

Ranking: 5

Happy Planet Index score: 58.9

2009 HPI Rank: 8

Experienced Well-Being: 6.7

Life Expectancy: 72.2

Ecological Footprint: 2

GDP Per Capita: $6,668

Population: 6.2 million

...

Tags: , GDP , HPI

Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest

Image: A Jamaican child plays at Hellshire beach in Kingston
Photographs: Daniel Aguilar/Reuters

Jamaica

Ranking: 6

Happy Planet Index score: 58.5

2009 HPI Rank: 3

Experienced Well-Being: 6.2

Life Expectancy: 73.1

Ecological Footprint: 1.7

GDP Per Capita: $7,673

Population: 2.7 million

...

Tags: , GDP , HPI , Jamaica

Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest


Photographs: Alberto Lowe/Reuters

Panama

Ranking: 7

Happy Planet Index score: 57.8

2009 HPI Rank: 18

Experienced Well-Being: 7.3

Life Expectancy: 76.1

Ecological Footprint: 3

GDP Per Capita: $13,608

Population: 3.5 million

...

Tags: , GDP , HPI , Panama

Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest

Image: Managua's Tiscapa Lagoon in Nicaragua
Photographs: Oswaldo Rivas/Reuters

Nicaragua

Ranking: 8

Happy Planet Index score: 57.1

2009 HPI Rank: 11

Experienced Well-Being: 5.7

Life Expectancy: 74

Ecological Footprint: 1.6

GDP Per Capita: $2,913

Population: 5.8 million

...

Tags: , GDP , HPI

Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest

Image: Venezuelan soccer fans
Photographs: Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters

Venezuela

Ranking: 9

Happy Planet Index score: 56.9

2009 HPI Rank: 36

Experienced Well-Being: 7.5

Life Expectancy: 74.4

Ecological Footprint: 3.0

GDP Per Capita: $12,233

Population: 28.8 million

...

Tags: , GDP , HPI , Venezuela

Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest

Image: Calle Santander tourist street in Panajachel, Guatemala
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikimedia Commons

Guatemala

Ranking: 10

Happy Planet Index score: 56.9

2009 HPI Rank: 4

Experienced Well-Being: 6.3

Life Expectancy: 71.2

Ecological Footprint: 1.8

GDP Per Capita: $4,785

Population: 14.4 million

Tags: GDP , HPI , Guatemala