On Friday, March 20, 2026, the United Nations will publish its annual report on happiness, ranking the happiest countries in the world. This year, Finland tops the list for the ninth consecutive year. However, a notable highlight for 2026 is the detrimental effect of excessive social media usage on the well-being of young people globally, as highlighted in the report.
Another significant development is that Costa Rica ranks fourth, entering the top 5 for the first time and achieving the highest ranking ever attained by a Latin American country. France ranks 35th (33rd in 2025), behind countries like Saudi Arabia (22nd), Kosovo (16th), and Kazakhstan (33rd).
The report points out the link between social media usage and well-being at a time when many countries are considering imposing restrictions on young people’s social media use.
The report also mentions that most young people worldwide are happier today than they were 20 years ago, with a trend that deserves attention.
Factors influencing happiness levels include time spent on social media platforms, the type of platform, how it is used, as well as demographic factors such as gender and socio-economic status.
Some positive effects were observed for those who intentionally stop using social media, indicating that a deliberate disconnection can lead to certain positive outcomes.
Among 147 countries surveyed, the lowest life satisfaction levels were recorded in Afghanistan, where the Taliban leaders, who returned to power in 2021, have been accused of human rights violations and mistreatment of women.
The happiness index, calculated over a three-year average, considers six factors including GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perception of corruption.
Nordic countries continue to dominate the top of the ranking, with Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway joining Finland in the top six positions this year. For the first time, no English-speaking country is in the top 10 since the report’s first publication in 2012.
Afghanistan ranks last among 147 countries, while France is ranked 114th in terms of freedom, 14th in health, and 63rd in generosity.
Finland retains its top spot with a score of 7.764 out of 10, despite facing challenges like a record unemployment rate and significant cuts in social benefits. The country’s high level of trust in authorities and low levels of inequality are contributing factors to its happiness.
Finland’s pristine nature, sauna culture, and highly developed social welfare system are highlighted as major reasons for the country’s high quality of life.
The article concludes by mentioning the opportunity for readers to customize their news by adding their favorite cities and topics with the “Mon Actu” feature.
