Lebanon, despite its numerous challenges, boasts a resilient population adept at finding happiness amidst adversity, even amidst prevailing discontent.
As the World Happiness Report (WHR) 2024 reveals its findings to commemorate the UN’s International Day of Happiness, Lebanon once again finds itself situated among the lower tiers.
Joining Yemen and Egypt at the bottom of the happiness index among the least happy nations in the Middle East and North Africa, Lebanon is second only to Afghanistan in global unhappiness, according to the WHR.
Recent Gallup research indicates a decline in happiness levels across all age groups in the Middle East and North Africa, as well as South Asia.
The report highlights substantial global happiness trends with Finland maintaining its top ranking for the seventh consecutive year.
Which countries were in the bottom 10?
Looking at the bottom 10 first, Afghanistan remains the world’s unhappiest country in a largely unchanged ranking. Lebanon maintained the second least happiest position from the 2022 rankings.
134. Zambia
135. Eswatini
136. Malawi
137. Botswana
138. Zimbabwe
139. Congo
140. Sierra Leone
141. Lesotho
142. Lebanon
143. Afghanistan
Which countries were in the top 10?
This year’s top 10 rankings remained unchanged, especially the top three.
1. Finland
2. Denmark
3. Iceland
4. Sweden
5. Israel
6. Netherlands
7. Norway
8. Luxembourg
9. Switzerland
10. Australia
The WHR evaluates happiness using criteria such as life evaluations, GDP per capita, healthy life, expectancy, social support, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
Since 2019, Lebanon has been dealing with a multi-layered crisis affecting the economy and political life, as well as the Beirut port blast. All causing mass migration outside of the country.
