The World Happiness Report 2026 was released today (March 19) by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford. The report highlights that social media usage is affecting the mental health of young people, especially teenage girls. For the ninth consecutive year, Finland is leading as the happiest nation in the world. Other Nordic countries like Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are in the top 10 list.
Satisfaction rate decline in youth
The life satisfaction rates have dropped among young people under 25 in countries like Canada, Australia, the United States and New Zealand. According to experts, the reason behind the decline is social media usage; youngsters are spending hours on social media platforms. The gender comparison reveals that teenage girls are the most affected because of constant online comparison and exposure.
Costa Rica improved in ranking
This year the best performing country is Costa Rica, in 2023, it was at 23rd position, but this year it has moved to 4th position. Analysis credits the improved family bonds, social networks, and a culture that has been helpful to stability. Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, an Oxford economics professor and co-editor of the report, said, “We think it’s because of the quality of their social lives and the stability that they currently enjoy.”
Why are Nordic countries performing well?
The analysis proves that the Nordic countries are happier than other countries because of equitable income distribution, robust social welfare systems, and high life expectancy. Countries like Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and Malawi are the opposite of Nordic countries, with a heavy toll of war and poverty, placing them lowest on the list.
One concerning finding shows that the social media is affecting teenage girls. Girls who use social media more than 5 hours a day have shown signs of lower satisfaction compared to peers who don’t use social media. On an average, adolescents are spending 2.5 hours daily online. De Neve remarked, “It is clear that we should look as much as possible to put the ‘social’ back into social media.”
In today’s social media age, everything is algorithm-driven feeds, which leads to social comparison, undermining self-esteem and overall well-being. One interesting fact in the research is that in regions like the Middle East and South America, there is very little impact from social media.
How has India performed
In the latest report, India ranks at 116th position, showing a modest improvement from previous editions. And for second consecutive year, countries like United States ranks 23rd, Canada 25th, and the United Kingdom 29th, have failed to make it to top 10.
Top 10 countries
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Finland
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Denmark
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Iceland
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Sweden
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Netherlands
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Costa Rica
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Norway
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Israel
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Luxembourg
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Mexico
Least Happy Countries
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Afghanistan– lowest happiness score
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Sierra Leone
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Malawi