this post was submitted on 20 Mar 2025
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Finland is named the happiest country in the world for the eighth year in a row, according to the World Happiness Report 2025 published Thursday.

Other Nordic countries are also once again at the top of the happiness rankings in the annual report published by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford. Besides Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden remain the top four and in the same order.

Country rankings were based on answers people give when asked to rate their own lives. The study was done in partnership with the analytics firm Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

When it comes to decreasing happiness — or growing unhappiness —the United States has dropped to its lowest-ever position at 24, having previously peaked at 11th place in 2012. The report states that the number of people dining alone in the United States has increased 53% over the past two decades.

Nation Table

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[–] robocall@lemmy.world 4 points 14 hours ago

I am American and can confirm I feel like this.

[–] MacStache@sopuli.xyz 50 points 1 day ago (8 children)

We are the happiest because we don't give a fuck. Today I took my bike to work and slipped on some ice. Hurt my back a bit. What I did was yell "PERKELE!" and just go on my merry way. Work was shit but what can you do.

Best day of my life.

[–] TorJansen@sh.itjust.works 23 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Any culture built on keeping yer yap shut is always bound to have less trouble. My Finn friend just nodded in agreement. Haven't heard him speak a full sentence in years...

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[–] afronaut@slrpnk.net 12 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

It’s easy to not give a fuck based on your own material conditions.

Today I took my bike to work

Damn, I have to sit in about 8 hours of traffic per week for a commute to work. Doesn’t leave much time for exercise, you know, like bicycling.

sigh

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[–] quetzaldilla@lemmy.world 20 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I love people from Finland.

You are all like seals, letting the bad vibes roll off your back.

Also, always nibbling on fish.

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[–] MisterOwl@lemmy.world 23 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

My paternal grandparents were both Finnish immigrants. Do I have a path to citizenship? Please say yes, I would like to leave the 4th Reich as soon as possible.

[–] ptu@lemm.ee 10 points 21 hours ago

There are so few professional-level expatriates that processes are not well formed and bureocracy might hit you, but personally I welcome you here.

[–] vga@sopuli.xyz 12 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (1 children)

Oddly enough, our problem is that not enough good people are migrating in. But it's not trivial: https://www.infofinland.fi/en/moving-to-finland/non-eu-citizens

[–] MisterOwl@lemmy.world 8 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Shoot, it sounds like they need to be living relatives. Ah well, have a sauna for me sometime. :(

[–] jalkasieni@sopuli.xyz 14 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

https://www.infofinland.fi/en/moving-to-finland/non-eu-citizens/remigration-to-finland

”If you have Finnish ancestry or a close connection with Finland, you may be granted a residence permit in Finland on this basis. This means that you are considered a returnee (paluumuuttaja). Receiving a residence permit depends on the directness and closeness of your Finnish ancestry. No other reason, such as work or study, is required in order to receive the permit.”

Not an expert but I would imagine grandparents is considered pretty close and direct.

[–] MisterOwl@lemmy.world 10 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

... time to find out how much old paperwork the family has stashed away!

And win the lottery to afford moving costs, but one step at a time.

[–] Hotzilla@sopuli.xyz 8 points 18 hours ago

If you find a job, and move here, you will gain permanent residency in 5-8 years. Jobs are listed here: https://www.workinfinland.com/en/open-jobs/

There is everything listed there.

[–] CandleTiger@programming.dev 3 points 15 hours ago (2 children)

I thought Finland and Nordic countries were notoriously depressed all winter??

[–] MeThisGuy 4 points 15 hours ago

that's just the loganberries talking.

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[–] Krik@lemmy.dbzer0.com 175 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Can relate. Am I secretly a Finlandian?

[–] 1984@lemmy.today 51 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

Thats hilarious. I love that about finnish people, its a no bullshit country. Say what you mean, do what you say.

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[–] isar@lemm.ee 10 points 1 day ago

Oh that’s what we got wrong in Iceland, we should’ve kept that red line out of our flag!

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 201 points 1 day ago (1 children)
[–] ours@lemmy.world 23 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)
[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 55 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (3 children)

I don't get how Finland managed to push Denmark to 2nd place?? 🤔
We have way more bacon and beer than they do. 🥓🥓 🍻🍻
Look I even had enough beer and bacon to share it with EVERYBODY on the internet!!

Anyways congrats to our Finish brothers. 👍 😀

[–] vga@sopuli.xyz 18 points 22 hours ago

We all decided to lie on the questionnaire just to screw over you guys and especially Sweden.

[–] random_character_a@lemmy.world 32 points 1 day ago (2 children)

🥓🥓Maybe🍻🍻, but we have 🍸vodka🍸 and russian drinking habbits. All the sad people are dead.

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[–] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 10 points 22 hours ago

And Canada appears to have reduced happiness, I suspect due in part to our proximity to the USA.

[–] rickdg@lemmy.world 48 points 1 day ago (3 children)

Damn socialists with their happiness. If my neighbour is happy, it makes me mad /s

[–] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 30 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago)

conservatives: "Socialism Bad!"

"Then why are socialist countries like Norway and Finland (and many similar countries) having a higher quality of life?"

conservatives: "That's not Socialism!"

"Great, why don't we switch to whatever that system is?"

conservatives: "😡😡😡"

[–] prole@lemmy.blahaj.zone 21 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You joke, but this is literally how the average American thinks.

[–] Dagwood222@lemm.ee 8 points 22 hours ago

I literally had that conversation.

[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 8 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

Social democracy, not socialism (though in the same extended family)

[–] rickdg@lemmy.world 3 points 15 hours ago

I know, I was mocking the murican perspective.

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 118 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Here's an old Finnish joke:

Why are people in Finland the happiest people on Earth?
Because all the sad people have killed themselves.

[–] Kusimulkku@lemm.ee 22 points 1 day ago (1 children)

It sucks that we still have that reputation abroad. We're doing a lot better in that front. Also at least 2019 and 2016 our suicide rate was actually lower than the US, where a lot of these jokes come from (I was pretty surprised)

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 10 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 23 hours ago) (2 children)

That's why I said it's an old Finnish joke.

I lived in Finland long enough to know that the Finns are not really happy. Or unhappy. Or excited. Or anything at all. If they are, they hide it really really well. The only true sentiment I ever felt in the Finns is quiet pride of their country.

[–] bigFab@lemmy.world 6 points 17 hours ago

Finns are the ones who watch, listen and nod. Surprisingly rare in this world of today.

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[–] kerchow@lemm.ee 7 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

The United States is still at 24th, where do they rank amongst first world countries?

[–] SchwertImStein@lemmy.dbzer0.com 15 points 21 hours ago

they kinda don't rank amongst 1st world countries

[–] Midvikudagur@lemmy.world 8 points 21 hours ago

Presumably nr 24...

[–] MyOpinion@lemm.ee 83 points 1 day ago (8 children)

It is like being a Nazi does not make you happy. Imagine that.

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