Reasons Why Finland is the Happiest Country for Seventh Year in a Row

Finland – The International Day of Happiness is commemorated every March 20, 2024, serving as a moment for people worldwide to raise awareness about the importance of happiness in life.

In observance of World Happiness Day, it turns out that one of the happiest countries in the world, Finland.

Finland holds the top position in the list of happiest countries according to the annual World Happiness Report sponsored by the United Nations for seven consecutive years.

According to the 2024 World Happiness Report or the latest one published on Wednesday, the Nordic countries maintain their positions among the top 10 happiest countries in the world, with Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden following Finland.

Even though this country faces cold weather, long winters, and a lack of sunlight for parts of the year in some regions, Finland remains in good spirits and happy country. So, read below to know more the reasons.

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Despite these seeming contradictions, Finnish society still manages to achieve life satisfaction for various reasons, according to mental health experts.

This is largely due to the fact that Finland has systems in place that reduce stress in various aspects of life, with education mostly being free, ample rest time for work, and guaranteed healthcare services.

Additionally, the country is much smaller compared to the United States (its population being smaller than the population of New York City), which also makes some things easier.

However, beyond these systems, there are habits and beliefs embraced by Finnish society that help them consistently rank at the top of the World Happiness Report.

Finnish mental health experts share reasons why people in their country feel happier.

Though Finns work hard, their working hours are mostly reasonable, which means most people have a good work-life balance.

“This gives you time to relax in everyday life (and) gives you time to take care of yourself,” Larivaara said.

Mirka Hintasen as a psychology professor at the University of Oulu stated that inhere, there's time for activities other than work.

Juho Saari, a faculty dean at the social sciences department of Tampere University, added that most people don't have to commute long distances to work, which also increases their happiness levels with their jobs and the amount of leisure time they have at work.

The three experts speak about the crucial role of nature in the lives and happiness of many people in Finland.

In fact, the country has regulations known as Everyman's Right, which allows Finnish people to use almost all forests, lakes, and coastal areas for free, Saari conveyed.

This means activities like camping, picking berries, picking mushrooms, swimming, hiking, horseback riding, and skiing are all free in these public spaces.

Hintsanen remarked that one is always close to nature in Finland, whether you're in one of the major cities or small towns. “There is nature everywhere,”

“There is research showing that nature actually reduces stress, and this is also related to happiness (when) your stress decreases, it's easier to feel happy,” Hintsanen concluded. 

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This is largely due to the fact that Finland has systems in place that reduce stress in various aspects of life, with education mostly being free, ample rest time for work, and guaranteed healthcare services.