Luxembourg remains one of the happiest countries in the world, at least, according to the latest “World Happiness Report 2026”. The Grand Duchy was ranked ninth, while Scandinavian countries continue to take the top spots.
Finland is officially the world’s happiest country, closely followed by Iceland, Denmark, and Costa Rica. Sweden and Norway came fifth and sixth, while the Netherlands, Israel, Luxembourg and Switzerland round out the rest of the top ten.
Afghanistan came last out of 147 countries.
The report is based on the public’s perception of satisfaction and quality of life. The rankings are based on average scores from 2023 to 2025 and despite global challenges, the list has remained stable for the most part.
A Canadian researcher who worked on the report said that community activities go a long way towards improving happiness. In the Nordic countries, it is common for people to participate in sauna or ice bath activities, which are physically strenuous and bring people together.
Alongside the classic ranking, the 2026 report also concentrates on the connection between social media and wellbeing, particularly among younger people. Analysis shows that happiness is highest amongst people who don’t spend much time using social media, and declines the more it is used.
The effects are particularly evident in western Europe and in English-speaking countries, where happiness amongst young people has reduced in comparison to previous decades. Data shows that teens who spend more than seven hours a day on social media have significantly lower happiness levels than their peers who spend less than an hour online.
The report noted that this effect is particularly evident in girls.
Researchers concluded that intensive use of social media brings real risks and can lead to issues such as depression, stress, and negative social comparisons. At the same time, they noted that social media is not the sole factor in the decline in happiness and wellbeing.
The structure of the platforms also plays an important role: communication-oriented services tend to be associated with positive effects, while algorithm-driven content is more often associated with low happiness.
Overall, the report shows that countries like Luxembourg continue to perform very well, but at the same time are also faced with real risks.
The World Happiness Report is published every year around the International Day of Happiness, which this year falls on 20 March.
