Albanians too unhappy: Learn the happiest places, and why they are.

What countries have achieved happiness, and why does this matter matter? When we observe global rank, we often talk about things like gathering power, military resources, and business alliances. But some experts believe happiness is actually a better indicator of the development and success of public policies than of other factors, Periscope follows.

So we're going to look at today's World Happiness Report, which is annual, to see which countries continue to stand on the top of the list, and why. The report already in its sixth year has been produced by the UN Initiative called the Network for Sustainable Development Solutions. They've come up with Periscopi. Let's talk about a subject that's essentially subjective and difficult to quantify.

You look at the list, and you wonder if you're seeing something on top of the 10 happiest countries?

Yes, all Nordic sites are there. They've all come up on top 10 since this report started coming out. And Switzerland, which was fifth, has also flown to the top.

What are the facts that rank Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, and Switzerland as the happiest countries in the world?

NowThis World, spoke to economist John Helliwell, who has edited these reports from the beginning. He said the data was drawn up by Gallup's global survey, in which people were asked to assess their lives from 0 to 10. Economists had also analyzed six major factors they say explain a significant part of it: to come per capita, life expectancy and health, social assistance, freedom to make life decisions, generation, and freedom from corruption [trust in businesses and government].

And although we can expect personal and national wealth to be the most crucial factor, in fact, this does not stand.

For you to be a place on this list, you don't have to be very rich or have strong social connections or have a really good government. It's a mix of things. ”

In the United States, for example, GDP has increased for more than three million dollars over the three years in which data has been collected, but the rate of happiness had dropped to four countries in the 18th.

Helliwell, translates Periscope, says that social assistance, freedom, generation, and belief in institutions are actually the most significant factors in the happiest countries. For people who have no job in Switzerland, there are great benefits to their generation. In Nordic countries, for example, opportunities for free schooling, universal healthcare delivery, and sometimes free of charge and a host of other social policies have a tremendous impact.

Norway offers up to a year of payment for people who do not work for health causes. In Sweden, parents take up to 16 months of paid vacations to care for their newly born children. This includes those who are unemployed. While in Finland, this year's winner of the prize, the government has offered “the baby's” ) packed with things such as clothing, drawers, slippers, spoons and a thermometer. Or instead, parents may choose to receive a lot of money.

In 2017, Finland became the first country in Europe to pilot a Universal Basic Revenue Programme, under which 2 thousand unemployed citizens would receive monthly salaries from the government.

And Helliwell said citizens are generally happy to pay the price. Finland, Norway, Denmark and Iceland rank among the countries placing highest taxes in the OECD.

Researchers have also found violations between countries of major social security and citizens who feel cheaper to make decisions. Why?

These systems are the ones that give quality education opportunities for everyone. No matter what environment you come from, you will have the same educational opportunities as anyone else. And of course, they're pretty good systems too. Same goes for the health system.

But this goes beyond taxation and social services.

By the standards of this report, “Social Assistance” also means having someone you can count on when you're gone, or you need to. It is what allows some countries to maintain high standards of happiness despite financial crisis, while other countries suffer terrible, drastic declines.

For example, Hillwell says, when Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal faced severe financial crises, they all faced a major decline in the happiness report. But in Iceland, when the banking system settled, the level of happiness remained high. That's because social capital or social relations connection is strong.

In other countries around the world, residents face corrupt governments, crises related to bad weather, and poverty. And, just because a country manages to get into its <x0) happy state”, it doesn't mean that this country has no problem, or that it shouldn't be criticized.

For example, Nordic countries have been among those who have seen the rise of far-right political parties, of nationalist anti-imgration institutions after the crisis they faced and are facing across Europe. /Periscopi

*For information, Albania is in 112th, Serbia is 78th place, while Kosovo is not listed at all.