Portugal fell five positions in the world happiness report 2025, where it appears in 60th position. Israel surprises: it is the 8th happiest country in the world.
The Portuguese are less happy.
In 2024, Portugal occupied the 55th position with 6,030 points; In 2025, there was a Fall of five seats, result in 6,013 points.
A Finland is the happiest country From the world for the eighth year in a row, ahead of other Nordic countries, which, once again, occupy the top of the classification-reveals the study published by the University of Oxford University Welfare Research Center.
Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden remain the first four of the same order; Like the Afghanistan remains as the last classified (147).
The classification of countries is based on answers given by people in surveys when they are asked to evaluate their own lives. The study was conducted in partnership with the Gallup Analysis Company and the United Nations Sustainable Development Network.
“Happiness is not just to do with wealth or growth – It has to do with confidence, connection and know that people support us, ”explains the executive director of Gallup, Jon Cliftoncited in the report.
Larger families are happier
“If we want stronger communities and economies, we have to invest Not really matters: each other”He adds.
Researchers say that, besides health and wealth, some factors that influence happiness seem seemingly simple: share meals with other people, have someone to count to obtain social support and the size of the household.
In Mexico and Europe, for example, a family aggregate of four to five people is what foresees the highest levels of happiness, according to the study.
The US, where the Number of people who have dinner alone increased 53% In the last two decades, they have fallen to the Always Lowest Positionthe 24th, after they have already occupied the 11th place in 2011.
I lost my wallet. Are I still happy?
Believe in the goodness of others It is also much more linked to happiness than previously thought.
By way of example, the report suggests that those others are willing to Return your wallet if you lose itthey are a strong indicator of the general happiness of a population.
The Nordic countries are among the first places regarding the expected and effective return of a lost wallet, according to the study.
Generosity lost strength
Another of the reports of the report, launched on International Happiness Day (March 20), reveals that although the acts of generosity have increased during the covid-19 pandemic, lost strengthwhich, according to experts, affects global well-being, because these acts are engines of collective happiness.
“Be kind and wait for the goodness of others are stronger predictors of happiness than to avoid great negative events, such as crime or economic difficulties,” says the document.
Several surprises in the ranking
Although European countries dominate the top 20, there are some exceptions.
For example, despite the war with Hamas, Israel appears in 8th place.
I and Costa Rica and Mexico first occupy positions at the top 10occupying the 6th and 10th place, respectively.
At the end of the ranking, immediately before Afghanistan, the Sierra Leonein West Africa, it is the second most unhappy country in the world, preceded by the Lebanon.
All countries are classified according to the self-assessments of life of people inquired, calculated on average between 2022 and 2024.
Experts in economics, psychology, sociology and others seek to explain the variations between countries and over time, using factors such as gross per capita domestic product, healthy life expectancy, the fact that respondents have someone to count, the feeling of freedom, generosity and perception of corruption.
