Context:

• The World Happiness ranked 156 countries on happiness levels, based on factors such as life expectancy, social support and corruption.

Other highlights of the index:

• The annual report is published by the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
• India is placed at 133 and has slipped 11 places from last year.
• Finland has emerged as the happiest place to live. It is followed by Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland respectively.
• Burundi is placed at the last in the index.
• The report also evaluated 117 countries by the happiness and well-being of their immigrants.
• TThe UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s (SDSN) 2018 World Happiness Report ranks 156 countries in GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, social freedom, generosity and absence of corruption.
• India’s ranking was far behind from other neighbouring countries such as Pakistan, Nepal and China to name a few.
• Among the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries, Pakistan was ranked 75th, while Nepal was ranked at 101st. Bhutan has been placed at 97th rank and Sri Lanka at 116th position. Bangladesh is ranked at 115th in the happiness index.

Other Facts:

Nordic Countries

• The Nordic countries or the Nordics are a geographical and cultural region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic, where they are most commonly known as Norden (literally “the North”).
• The Nordic countries are generally considered to refer to Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, including their associated territories (Greenland, the Faroe Islands and the Åland Islands).

Scandinavian countries

• The term Scandinavia in local usage covers the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
• After inclusion of the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland and Iceland etc. in Scandinavian countries, the broader region is known as Nordic countries.

Source:Business Standard & Wiki