Nepal ranked happiest country in the South Asia

March 20, 2021

London — Nepal has been ranked as the happiest country in South Asia. Nepal has ranked 87th among 150 countries of the world, while India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh placed 140th, 106th, 130th, and 101st respectively.

The World Happiness Report 2021 published by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network showed that Nepal has received higher happiness among all its South Asian peers.

The Report sheds light on the effects of COVID-19 pandemic and how people round the globe responded to the unprecedented threat posed by it.

Nepal notched five positions up compared to 2020’s 92nd position to lead the countries in South Asia with an index of 5.269 where Afghani people are reported to be the world’s least happy. Afghanistan, according to the report, lags at the bottom of the table of 149 countries with a point of 2.523.

Finland, for the fourth straight time, was declared as the happiest country while Afghanistan came out at the bottom of the annual list prepared from data compiled by the Gallup World Poll.

The other two Scandinavian nations, Iceland and Denmark, ranked 2nd and 3rd while Switzerland and the Netherlands came in fourth and fifth positions.

The US moved up from 18th to 14th place and the UK dropped from 13th to 18th. Australia held its 12th place position.

The report ranks countries on six key variables that support well-being, including income, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support, and generosity.

Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, however, The World Happiness Report 2021 was assembled slightly differently.

This year, the researchers focused on the relationship between wellbeing and Covid-19 to ensure the countries are judged in light of the new normal.

See the list of SAARC countries:

Rank Country Points

87 Nepal 5.269

89 Maldives 5.189

101 Bangladesh 5.025

105 Pakistan 4.934

129 Sri Lanka 4.325

139 India 3.819

149 Afghanistan 2.523

List of top ten happiest countries