KATHMANDU, MARCH 21

The World Happiness Report for 2024, released on Wednesday, has placed Nepal in the 93rd rank out of 143 countries listed.

Finland has secured the top rank for the seventh consecutive year. "The top 10 countries have largely remained unchanged since before COVID. Finland maintains its top position, with Denmark closely behind, and all five Nordic countries in the top 10.

However, there have been more changes in the next 10, with Eastern European transition countries such as Chechnya, Lithuania, and Slovenia experiencing increased happiness.

As a result, the United States and Germany have fallen to 23rd and 24th place in the rankings," the report, prepared in partnership with Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, stated.

The report highlights that life satisfaction generally declines from childhood through adolescence into adulthood in most countries.

Globally, young people aged 15-24 still report higher life satisfaction than older adults. "However, this gap is narrowing in Western Europe and has recently reversed in North America due to a decline in life satisfaction among the young. Conversely, in Sub-Saharan Africa, life satisfaction among the young has increased."

Overall, globally, young people aged 15-24 have experienced improved life satisfaction between 2006 and 2019, with stability in life satisfaction since then.