International
Denmark overtakes Switzerland as world’s happiest country
According to a report prepared by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and the Earth Institute at Columbia University, Denmark overtook Switzerland as the world’s happiest place.
Nigeria ranks 103 on the list with 4.875 points higher than Cameroon which ranks 114 on the list with 4.513 points and Ghana ranked 114 with 4.276 points.
The ranking published on Wednesday also urged nations regardless of wealth to tackle inequality and protect the environment.
Syria, Afghanistan and eight sub-Saharan countries were ranked as the 10 least happy places on earth to live.
The top 10 this year were Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Australia, and Sweden. Denmark was in third place last year, behind Switzerland and Iceland.
Read also: Denmark MPs pass anti-refugee law
The bottom countries 10 in the ranking are Madagascar, Tanzania, Liberia, Guinea, Rwanda, Benin, Afghanistan, Togo, Syria and Burundi.
The United States came in at 13, the United Kingdom at 23, France at 32, and Italy at 50.
“There is a very strong message for my country, the United States, which is very rich, has gotten a lot richer over the last 50 years, but has gotten no happier,” said Professor Jeffrey Sachs, head of the SDSN and special advisor to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
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