India ranked 118th out of 157 countries on the United Nations’ World Happiness Index (WHI) 2016.
It was revealed by the fourth World Happiness Report 2016 published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), a global initiative for the UN.
Key Points
Top 10 countries: Denmark (1st), Switzerland (2nd), Iceland (3rd), Norway (4th) and Finland (5th), Canada (6th), Netherlands (7th), New Zealand (8th), Australia (9th) and Sweden (10th).
5 Least happiest countries: Rwanda (152nd), Benin (153rd), Afghanistan (154th), Togo (155th), Syria (156th) and Burundi (157th).
Among BRICS: Brazil (17th), Russia (56th), China (83rd), South Africa (116th) and India (118th).
India’s Neighbours: Nepal (78th), China (83rd), Bhutan (84th), Pakistan (104th), Bangladesh (110th), Sri Lanka (117th) and Afghanistan (154th).
For the first time, the report has given a special role to the measurement and consequences of inequality in the distribution of well-being among countries and regions.
Countries where there was less inequality were happier overall. Top five countries have strong social security systems.
About World Happiness Report
The report aims at influencing government policy and is prepared based upon study undertaken by Gallup World Poll.
The World Happiness Index ranks nations based upon score of different variables on a scale running from 0 to 10.
These variables include real GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, corruption levels and social freedoms India was ranked 111th in 2013 and 117th in 2015.
Current Affairs 16th March, 2016 Highlights of Union Budget 2016-17 Highlights of Railway Budget 2016
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