Global South’s happiest and unhappiest countries ranked  

Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden follow closely behind Finland in the 2025 ranking.

The rankings are based on how people rate their own lives, using a scale from 0 to 10.

Researchers considered key factors such as income, social support, life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption levels to explain differences in happiness across countries.

While wealthier countries generally rank higher, happiness is not solely about money.

Costa Rica and Mexico made it into the top 10, showing that strong social connections and a sense of purpose can make a big difference.

At the bottom of the list, Afghanistan remains the least happy country, with an average score of just 1.36.

The situation is even worse for Afghan women, who report even lower life satisfaction. Other countries struggling with low happiness levels include Lebanon, Venezuela, and several African nations.

The World Happiness Report also tracks changes over time. Countries in Central and Eastern Europe, such as Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania, have seen big improvements.

Meanwhile, some of the world’s richest nations, including the United States, Canada, and Switzerland, have dropped in rankings compared to previous years.

Here’s how countries in the Global South rank by region:

Asia:

China

Mongolia

Philippines

Vietnam

Afghanistan (lowest-ranked)

Africa:

Togo

Congo

Malawi

Botswana

Egypt

Latin America:

Nicaragua

Costa Rica (6th happiest in the world)

Mexico (10th happiest in the world)

Venezuela (ranked among the unhappiest)