Happiness of Nations - causes
1.
Chart from http://wvs.isr.umich.edu/fig.shtml Source: R.Inglehart and H-D. Klingemann, "Genes, Culture and Happiness," MIT Press, 2000.Countries on top are the happiest, on the right the richest
2.
USA Today 12/13/99 reports: Happiness is the American WayConfidence, not money, makes us smile. That, plus good sex
The 10 happiest countries
(out or 22 surveyed)% below is fraction of citizens saying they are "very happy" overall
49% Denmark
47% Australia
46% USA
44% Venezuela
41% Kuwait
37% India
36% Great Britain
34% Malaysia
30% Mexico
29% Argentina
The USA is the third happiest country in the world, and Americans are the third happiest with their sex lives, according to a global survey. More than one-fourth (27%) of Americans are very happy with their sex lives, but Venezuela (46%) and Brazil (32%) edge out the USA.
Overall, Americans seem quite blissful. The USA ranks somewhere between first and fourth in eight of the 10 happiness categories, says Tom Miler of Roper Starch Worldwide. Researchers surveyed 22,500 adults in 22 countries.
Denmark is No. 1 overall. The research finds that different factors drive happiness in the USA compared with other countries. Globally, the amount of money you have, the material goods you own and the job you hold are the factors most associated with overall quality of life. "You have to have at least sufficient money to feel good about other things," Miler speculates.
For Americans, the biggest happiness driver is not money but the level of self-confidence. "This trend has been emerging for the better part of the 1990's," Miller says. "We are seeing Americans become more self-reliant, more optimistic. Americans are increasingly feeling good about themselves."
Folks worldwide are content with their personal relationships. The Kuwaitis (70% are very happy), British ((61%), and Australians (60%) are the happiest with family and friends, followed by Argentines (57%), Americans (56%) and Egyptians (56%).
Factors judged to contribute to happiness include relationships, money, self-confidence, the role of religion, job, leisure time, and mastery of technology.
Most unhappy with their quality of live are people in the former Soviet Union, specifically Russia and Ukraine
USA Today source:The Roper Starch "Global Happiness Barometer" is based on 22,500 interviews with a representative sample of respondents ages 18 years and older in 22 countries. Countries included in the study were: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, China, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Italy, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Spain, the UK, Ukraine, the United States, and Venezuela.