Belgium ranked 28th happiest country

28 July 2006

BRUSSELS — Belgians are listed 28th in a new study ranking the world’s populations in terms of happiness.

The study indicated the Danish are the world’s happiest people, followed by Switzerland and Austria, ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively.

The University of Leicester study also revealed that three of Belgium’s neighbours were ranked lower on the ‘World Chart of Happiness’.

The UK was ranked 41st, Germany 35th and France 62nd. Luxembourg and the Netherlands scored better and were ranked 12th and 15th respectively.

The US was ranked 23rd, Japan 90th, India 125th and Russia 167th. At the bottom of the 178 studied nations were the African countries Zimbabwe and Burundi.

The study was based on data from more than 100 other studies. Data from the UN, the CIA and the World Health Organisation was used.

Psychologist Adrian White also used surveys in which 80,000 people across the globe were asked about happiness and personal satisfaction.

The answers were then compared with data relating to living conditions, education and the health system.

White concluded that in the estimation of personal satisfaction, health plays a greater role than education or prosperity. However, the three factors were closely linked.

Countries with good medical care, high economic growth rates and good access to education had happier populations.

The top 10 nations were:

Denmark
Switzerland
Austria
Iceland
Bahama’s
Finland
Sweden
Bhutan
Brunei
Canada

Subject: Belgian news