Finland has been recognized as the happiest country in the world for the ninth consecutive year, while Latvia has risen three positions to 48th place, although it still lags behind the other two Baltic countries, according to the latest "World Happiness Report" from the United Nations (UN).
This year’s "World Happiness Report" focuses on the impact of social media on the well-being of youth, concluding that in many countries, the intensive use of social platforms worsens the condition of young people.
In the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, according to the report, happiness levels have sharply declined in the age group under 25, especially among girls and young women. In contrast, young people in other parts of the world feel happier.
"Most young people in the world today are happier than they were 20 years ago, and this trend deserves attention," said John Clifton, head of the polling organization "Gallup." The organization "Gallup" participated in the preparation of the report.
The report emphasizes that social media has a complex impact on well-being, with factors such as the amount of time spent on social media, the types of platforms, how they are used, as well as demographic factors like gender and socio-economic status playing a role.
"Intensive use of social media is associated with much lower levels of well-being, but even those who do not consciously use them seem to deprive themselves of some positive effects," says one of the report's editors, Jan Emmanuel De Neve, a professor of economics at the University of Oxford.
Of the 147 countries listed, the most dissatisfied are in Afghanistan, where the Taliban regime, which returned to power in 2021, is accused of human rights violations and restricting women's rights.
The happiness index, based on average scores over three years, considers six factors: gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, life expectancy, social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
Finland ranks among the top three happiest countries in the world, followed by Iceland and Denmark, while the top ten includes Costa Rica, Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands, Israel, Luxembourg, and Switzerland.
Latvia ranks 48th, Estonia 46th, and Lithuania 28th.
Costa Rica, which took fourth place, became the first Latin American country to receive such a high rating.
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