The Happiest Countries in The World

a woman smiling outdoors.
(Image credit: Warren Goldswain, Shutterstock.com)

Paraguay is the happiest country in the world, according to a new Gallup poll of people in 143 countries.

The newly released 2014 Gallup Positive Experience Index surveyed about 1,000 people in each country and asked them five questions about how they felt the day before, including whether they laughed or smiled, felt well rested and felt as if they were treated with respect. Participants also answered whether they had learned something interesting yesterday, and whether they felt enjoyment. Gallup officials then used the answers to calculate each country's "positive experience index score." [Read the full story on the 2014 happiest country ratings]

Below is a graph showing how the countries ranked.

Swipe to scroll horizontally
 CountriesPositive experiences index score
Paraguay89
Colombia84
Ecuador84
Guatemala84
Honduras82
Panama82
Venezuela82
Costa Rica81
El Salvador81
Nicaragua81
Philippines80
Singapore80
Switzerland80
Uruguay80
Argentina79
Bhutan79
Canada79
Chile79
Dominican Republic79
Netherlands79
New Zealand79
Norway79
Rwanda79
Sweden79
United States79
Denmark78
Finland78
Indonesia78
Luxembourg78
Puerto Rico78
Taiwan78
Uzbekistan78
Bolivia77
Germany77
Kenya77
Belgium76
France76
Ireland76
Mauritius76
Mexico76
Nigeria76
Sri Lanka76
Australia75
Austria75
China75
Peru75
South Africa75
Thailand75
United Kingdom75
Brazil74
Mauritania74
Namibia74
Senegal74
Spain74
Belize73
Mali73
Portugal72
Saudi Arabia72
Tanzania72
Malaysia71
Vietnam71
Ghana70
India70
Italy70
Jamaica70
Poland70
Cambodia69
Malawi69
Malta69
Sierra Leone69
Guinea68
Myanmar68
Slovenia68
Zimbabwe68
Botswana67
Cyprus67
Greece67
Hong Kong67
Jordan67
Kyrgyzstan67
Madagascar67
Zambia67
Japan66
Niger66
Ivory Coast65
Kazakhstan65
Russia65
Slovakia65
Turkmenistan65
Algeria64
Angola64
Burkina Faso64
Cameroon64
Estonia64
Latvia64
Macedonia64
Northern Cyprus64
Tajikistan64
Uganda64
Albania63
Burundi63
Czech Republic62
Lebanon62
Chad61
Haiti61
Hungary61
Iran61
Israel61
Mongolia61
Benin60
Bulgaria60
Congo (Brazzaville)60
Ethiopia60
Iraq60
Montenegro60
Romania60
Yemen60
Armenia59
Gabon59
Palestinian Territoies59
South Korea59
Belarus58
Egypt58
Kosovo58
Togo58
Congo (Kinshasa)57
Croatia57
Liberia57
Pakistan57
Azerbaijan56
Moldova56
South Sudan56
Ukraine56
Afghanistan55
Bosnia &Herzegovina55
Lithuania55
Nepal55
Bangladesh54
Serbia54
Turkey54
Tunisia52
Sudan47

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Laura Geggel
Editor

Laura is the archaeology/history and Life's Little Mysteries editor at Live Science. She also reports on general science, including archaeology and paleontology. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Scholastic, Popular Science and Spectrum, a site on autism research. She has won multiple awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association for her reporting at a weekly newspaper near Seattle. Laura holds a bachelor's degree in English literature and psychology from Washington University in St. Louis and a master's degree in science writing from NYU.