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The happiest country in the world 2025? We check which place Poland took in the ranking of the World Happiness Report

Finland has once again been declared the happiest country in the world — according to the latest UN World Happiness Report 2025. We check which place Poland took in a comparison measuring, among others, healthy life expectancy, GDP per capita and the level of social support.

The happiest country in the world 2025? We check which place Poland took in the ranking of the World Happiness Report

What will we find in the World Happiness Report 2025?

Ranking of the best countries to live World Happiness Report (UN Report) has been run by the United Nations since 2012. So far Finland is the undisputed champion of this field because for the seventh time it has been recognized as the best country to live among all in the world. Poland ranked 35th in this list, last, 143rd place, while Afghanistan took the. The summary is based on research carried out by the Gallup Center. In it we will find a comparison of 6 factors:

  1. GDP per capita,
  2. social support,
  3. healthy life expectancy (according to data from the World Health Organization - WHO),
  4. generosity,
  5. perception of their level of consumption,
  6. perceived freedom to make life decisions,
  7. level of perceived corruption.

In the study, it is worth comparing Poland (35th place in the ranking) and the Czech Republic (18th place in the ranking) - we are neighboring countries in which the communist system once reigned. So what are the differences? In Poland, lower rates are: social support and freedom of decision making and generosity. However, a higher indicator in our country is the level of corruption.

Top 10 Countries Ranked by World Happiness Report

Western countries have been on the list for years. The reason may be a high level of prosperity, social and economic stability, good social support and a high level of trust and security, which favor the feeling of happiness of the inhabitants. Who was included in this list?

  1. Finland
  2. Denmark
  3. Iceland
  4. Sweden
  5. Netherlands
  6. Costa Rica
  7. Norway
  8. Israel
  9. Luxemburg
  10. Mexico

As you can see in the top 10 best countries to live in, there are also some controversial positions such as Israel, which is waging war in Gaza. So why the 8th place in the ranking? As we mentioned above, the UN report is based on indicators such as GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom of decision-making, generosity and perception of corruption, and not on foreign policy assessments, which is why the country can achieve a high position despite external conflicts. Costa Rica is also noteworthy, which once again came to the top of the ranking, ranking 6th, which shows that smaller countries with a developed social welfare system, a high level of trust and care for the environment can achieve a high level of happiness of residents despite a lower GDP per capita.

On the other hand, countries such as Finland, Denmark and Norway are characterized by a great level of social welfare and a culture based on systemic support. An additional advantage is respect for the rights of minorities and the efficiency of public services as well as confidence in one's own state and community. They are also societies with good incomes and standard of living.

Finland - what is the secret of this country's happiness?

Finland is nature, contact with it, close relationships and female rule. Politicians of this country have held the highest positions for years, which is appreciated by the community. There is also a lot of talk about Content - that is, the Finnish philosophy of life, which gathers determination, perseverance and courage in the face of difficulties. The followers of this philosophy believe that Content helps them overcome life's challenges and maintain a positive attitude. This is the philosophy that shapes their approach to life and work. Another interesting aspect of Finnish culture is the approach to relaxation in which the Finnish sauna, already traditional for this area, leads the way. It is a place of rest, regeneration and health, but also of social gatherings in an uninhibited atmosphere. Although Finland's climate is associated with cold, Finnish children spend a lot of time outdoors since kindergarten, which is said to have a very soothing effect on their nervous system. A land of honey and milk flowing? A bit like that, although remember that Finland used to struggle with a high percentage of suicides, which was due to alcohol abuse and lack of access to enough sunlight during the year. However, this problem has been largely eliminated through social policies and educational activities.

Poland - how do we see our country?

In 2015, the CBOS conducted a study Self-Portrait of Poles and Perceived Cultural Distance to Neighbours from which it follows that the image that the Poles themselves create for themselves is quite complex and worthy of attention. In the national self-portrait, diligence comes to the fore - this feature was indicated by every fourth respondent. And this description agrees with the current data - according to Eurostat data, Poles work the longest and hardest in the European Union. At the same time, almost every fifth Pole perceives a tendency to malcontent, pessimism and complaining, which confirms a certain common stereotype about ourselves that is often repeated during conversations. The subjects also emphasized their virtues, such as kindness, cordiality, resourcefulness, entrepreneurship, hospitality or sense of humor. Certainly hospitality is our downright advertising quality - this is how we are usually perceived abroad.

On the other hand, the image of a Pole includes negative qualities: jealousy, cunning, lack of sincerity, laziness, selfishness or vanity. There are also observations about social and economic difficulties - dissatisfaction with the government, low wages, the need to emigrate. Less commonly, neutral or obscure traits were indicated, such as traditionalism, religiosity, family, impulsiveness or stubbornness. To sum up: the self-portrait of Poles shows a hardworking and resourceful nation, but also aware of its weaknesses, complex, diverse and full of contradictions. What changes have occurred over the last two decades in Poland? Certainly, Poles' satisfaction with life has increased significantly. In 2004, only 68% of residents declared it, in 2014 86%, and since 2022 it has remained stable above 90%. The latest Eurobarometer survey shows that 93% of Poles are satisfied with their lives. At the same time, Poles are distinguished by high confidence in the European Union, because as many as 63% of respondents declare their faith in the EU institutions, which places our country in the European top. The strong attachment to local communities and the European Union itself underlines that Poles combine a sense of local identity with openness to international cooperation — here as many as 95% value their place of residence, and 76% express their attachment to the EU.

summary

Finland has once again been recognized as the happiest country in the world, and its success is based on strong social support, Sisu philosophy of life, close relationships and contact with nature. Poland ranked 35th in the World Happiness Report 2025 ranking, with life satisfaction among Poles increasing to 93% in recent years, and the country is distinguished by high trust in the European Union and attachment to local communities. The results show that the happiness of the inhabitants depends both on social and economic conditions, as well as on the culture and attitude to life.

Sources:

1. https://files.worldhappiness.report/WHR25.pdf

2. https://www.pap.pl/aktualnosci/oto-najszczesliwsze-kraje-do-zycia-jak-wypada-polska-wideo

3. https://businessinsider.com.pl/gospodarka/ranking-najlepszych-do-zycia-krajow-swiata-jak-wypada-polska/7tc4mww

4. situ https://www.cbos.pl/SPISKOM.POL/2015/K_126_15.PDF? 5. https://obserwatorgospodarczy.pl/2025/01/21/usmiechnieta-polska-ponad-90-polakow-zadowolonych-z-zycia/?

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