Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
Children march through a street carrying torches to mark the end of Ramadan in Jakarta

In spite of economic woes and conflicts, the world is a happier place now than what it was in 2007 and Indians are among the happiest people on this planet, says a survey.

According to a poll conducted by global research company Ipsos, despite woes and conflicts, the world is a happier place than it was in 2007 as 22 per cent (up 2 points) of global citizens say they are "very happy" and the happiest people reside in Indonesia, India and Mexico.

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
Dancers dressed in traditional attire sit on a cot during Navratri in Ahmedabad

While eight in 10 (77 per cent) citizens in 24 countries surveyed said they are 'happy' in their lives, one quarter (22 per cent) said they are 'very happy' -- a key measure that identifies comparative depth and intensity of happiness among country citizens and the world, the report said.

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
A volunteer rolls up a photograph during an open-air exhibition at Rio Bravo, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
On a national level, Indonesia has the highest proportion of happiest people with 51 per cent citizens reporting they are 'very happy', followed by India and Mexico (43 per cent) each.

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
A child waves a Turkish flag during a ceremony to mark National Sovereignty and Child's Day

Brazil and Turkey shared the third position, where 30 per cent of citizens expressed their contentment, followed by Australia and the United States each at 28 per cent.

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
Revellers attend a samba parade during pre-carnival festivities in Rio de Janeiro
On the other end, Hungary (6 per cent), South Korea (7 per cent) and Russia (8 per cent) have the lowest number of 'very happy' people, followed by Spain (11 per cent) and Italy (13 per cent).

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
Elves walk through Times Square during a parade in New York

Regionally, Latin America has the greatest proportion of 'very happy' people (32 per cent), followed by North America (27 per cent).

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
Team Canada fans dance and cheer during a hockey game

Asia-Pacific and the Middle East and Africa shared the third place with 24 per cent of 'very happy' people.

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
An Italian student gestures during a protest against various budget cuts the government has implemented in downtown Rome
Not surprisingly, it is citizens in Europe who drag the global average assessment of happiness downward as only one in six (15 per cent) say they are 'very happy'.

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
A protester holds a mask during an anti-war rally in Seoul, South Korea

The poll of 18,687 adults conducted from November 1 to November 15 last year also demonstrates that those who are married appear to be the happiest when compared to all other groups, especially those who are not married.

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
A Hungarian protestor fights with the riot police in front of the parliament in Budapest
Besides marriage, age and socio-economic factor also played an important role for determining the level of contentment among people.

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
Crowds listen to speeches during a protest in the Plaza Arriaga in Bilbao, Spain

Those who are under the age of 35 are more likely to say they are 'very happy' than those who are in the age bracket of 35-49 across all countries surveyed.

Meanwhile, those with a high education and those with a high household income are among those most likely to be 'very happy'.

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
A giant smile lights up Sydney's Harbour Bridge

The greatest improvements were found in Turkey (up 16 points since 2007) followed by Mexico (up 10 points), Australia (up 7 points), Japan (up 6 points) and India and Canada (each up 5 points).

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
A protester gestures from the window of a police bus in front of the court building in Moscow
Of the 24 countries measured, 9 countries experienced increases in happiness intensity compared with 13 that dropped and two countries with no change.

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

The happiest and unhappiest people on earth

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
Angry taxi operators set fire to rubbish bins during a march in Cape Town
Those countries experiencing the greatest drop in happiness intensity were Brazil (down 9 points) followed by Indonesia (down 7 points), Russia (down 6 points) and South Africa (down 5 points).

Click on NEXT for more...

Click here for Rediff Realtime News

Check out our top slide shows

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 08:08 IST
Click on MORE to see another set of PHOTO features...