It may be painfully expensive to buy a beer at times and it may get cold – like really cold – in the winter, but none of that matters when it comes to true happiness in Switzerland, as the country has been ranked as one of the happiest places to live on the planet yet again.
The ranking appears in the annual World Happiness Report published by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network. For the fifth year in a row, Finland topped the table, followed by Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland, with the Netherlands in fifth place. Clearly, the Nordic countries are the place to be if you want to boost your happiness.
Although impressive, Switzerland’s position at number four is one spot lower than the previous World Happiness Report rankings in 2021, which placed the country third in the table. The United Kingdom ended up a lot lower down the rankings in 17th place, one spot below the United States in 16th.
The report uses data from the Gallup World Poll and assesses a range of factors to measure happiness, including life expectancy, gross domestic product, social support and freedom to make life choices. It should also be noted that the data was collected before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
If you’re looking for ways to celebrate Switzerland’s pretty-darn-happy status, take a look at our recommendations for the best things to do around the country, which includes lots of tips for making the most of Switzerland’s magnificent outdoors.