By Léa Giandomenico
Published on
It’s spring, and it’s also World Happiness Day on Friday, March 20, 2026. As every year, the United Nations releases an annual report on happiness to rank the countries where people are happiest. Finland tops the list for the ninth consecutive year. However, what stands out for 2026 is the intensive use of social media that is harming the well-being of young people globally, the report underscores.
Another remarkable fact: Costa Rica ranks fourth, entering the top 5 for the first time and achieving the highest ranking ever by a Latin American country. France ranks 35th (33rd in 2025), behind countries like Saudi Arabia (22nd), Kosovo (16th), or Kazakhstan (33rd).
The Blame on Social Media Usage
The link between social media usage and well-being is highlighted in this report as many countries consider imposing restrictions on young people’s social media use.
“Spectacular drops” in happiness levels have been recorded among under-25s in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, “particularly among girls,” the report indicates. Conversely, an increase in average happiness levels among young people is emerging in other regions of the world.
“Most young people in the world are happier today than they were 20 years ago, and this is a trend that deserves our attention,” said Jon Clifton, Gallup’s general manager, who contributed to the report. The impact of social media usage on well-being is “complex,” the report emphasizes.
“Some Positive Effects”
Among the influential factors are time spent on social media platforms, the type of platform, how it is used, as well as demographic factors such as gender and socioeconomic status.
“Intensive use is associated with significantly lower well-being, but those deliberately turning away from social media also seem to experience certain positive effects,” explains Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, one of the report’s authors, a professor of economics at the University of Oxford and director of its Wellbeing Research Centre.
Among the 147 countries listed, the lowest life satisfaction levels were recorded in Afghanistan, where Taliban leaders, who returned to power in 2021, are accused of human rights violations and mistreatment of women.
GDP per Capita, Generosity, etc.
Calculated over a three-year average, the happiness index considers six factors, including GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
Nordic countries continue to dominate the top of the rankings, with Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway joining Finland to take five of the top six spots this year. For the first time, no English-speaking country is in the top 10 since the report’s first publication in 2012.
Afghanistan finishes at the bottom of the ranking (out of 147 countries).
Based on the freedom criterion, France ranks 114th. In terms of health, France reaches 14th place and 63rd place in generosity.
“Intact Nature”
Finland maintains its top position with a score of 7.764 out of 10. According to Juho Saari, a professor of social and health policy at Tampere University, Finland continues to face challenges, including a record unemployment rate and significant cuts in social benefits. “Despite all this, we are happy,” he tells AFP.
“This shows us that politics are not that important,” he adds, explaining that people’s private lives are a decisive factor.
Known for its thousands of lakes, sauna culture, and highly developed social protection system, the 5.6 million inhabitants of the country show a high level of trust in authorities and low levels of inequality.
“We have unspoiled nature, and the peace and tranquility here are probably our major asset in explaining why it’s good to live here,” says 30-year-old Karolina Iissalo, celebrating her birthday in a public sauna in downtown Helsinki.
With AFP
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