Canada Ranks Among The Top 25 Happiest Countries Globally

Canada ranks among the top 25 happiest countries globally, i.e., Canada has been ranked 25th out of 147 countries in the 2026 World Happiness Report. This report measures how people in different countries feel about their lives and overall well-being.

In this year’s ranking, Canada placed slightly lower than the United States and stood between Poland, which ranked 24th, and Taiwan, which ranked 26th.

The report was released on March 19. It was prepared in partnership with Gallup, the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

Canada’s Position In The Happiness Rankings

Canada is one of five countries in North America that made it into the top 25 happiest countries in the world.

Even though Canada continues to rank among the top countries, its position has declined compared to recent years. In 2025, Canada was ranked 18th, which shows a drop in the latest report.

Canada received a life evaluation score of 6.741. This score is higher than several major countries, including the United Kingdom (29th), France (35th), Italy (38th), and Spain (41st).

The report explains that this decline is not only seen in Canada. Similar trends are also found in countries like the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. One key reason is how young people under the age of 25 rate their life satisfaction.

Here’s a look at how Canada ranked over the last several years, showcasing how the country’s rank has shifted year by year in the past:

Top Happiest Countries In The World

This year’s report saw Mexico drop out of the top 10 happiest countries. However, the other countries remained in the top group, although their positions changed slightly.

Finland ranked first again, with a life evaluation score of 7.764 out of 10. This marks the ninth year in a row that Finland has held the top position.

Nordic countries have continued to dominate the rankings since the report first started in 2013.

Costa Rica stood out this year by ranking fourth. This is the highest position ever achieved by a Latin American country.

The table below shows the top 10 happiest countries in 2026 and their life evaluation scores.

On the other side, countries ranked 100 or lower include Cameroon (100th), Pakistan (104th), India (116th), Bangladesh (127th), and Sri Lanka (134th). Afghanistan ranked last at 147th.

How The Rankings Are Measured?

The rankings are based on people living in each country, not on citizenship or place of birth. A total of 147 countries were included in the study.

Researchers asked people to rate their lives using a system called the Cantril Ladder. In this system, individuals rate their life from 0 to 10. A score of 0 means the worst possible life, while 10 means the best possible life.

The final rankings are based on average scores collected between 2023 and 2025. Each year, about 1,000 people from each country take part in the survey. The data is adjusted to represent the full population.

The report also studies factors linked to life satisfaction, including:

• GDP per capita
• Social support
• Healthy life expectancy
• Freedom to make life choices
• Generosity
• Perceptions of corruption

These factors help explain why some countries score higher than others, but they do not directly decide the rankings.

The report also highlights a decline in well-being among young people under the age of 25 in countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, & New Zealand. This group is often referred to as the NANZ region.

The study also looks at the possible impact of social media. It suggests that higher screen time may be linked to lower levels of life satisfaction among younger individuals.

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