The International Day of Happiness is celebrated on March 20th. The ninth World Happiness Report was released on the same day. Despite the current global pandemic, Finland has been ranked the happiest country again! We Finns have long been the pioneers of a happy way of life and overall contentment with life. As a result, Finland has been declared the world’s happiest country by the United Nations World Happiness Report in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Because of the current state of the world, this year’s World Happiness Report was a little different than last year’s. The consequences of COVID-19, how the governments dealt with it, and how it affected people’s emotions and happiness levels were the focus criteria this year. Based on that, countries were also compared to one another.
WHERE DOES OUR HAPPINESS COME FROM?
Happiness is a metric of general satisfaction with one’s life and, most specifically, the belief that one lives in a place where people look out for one another. The Nordic countries, especially Finland, have scored extremely well on indicators of mutual confidence, which have aided in the protection of our lives and the management of the pandemic. Overall, according to the report, the rankings remained essentially unchanged over the past year. Happiness can be evaluated using factors such as life expectancy, social support, and corruption.
EFFECTS OF COVID-19 IN FINLAND
In comparison to other countries, Finland has managed reasonably well in the presence of the pandemic. This year’s World Happiness Report survey contained questions about how people’s lives and emotions may have changed in 2020 compared to prior years.
According to the report’s publisher, John Helliwell, “surprisingly, there was not, on average, a deterioration in well-being as assessed by people’s own evaluation of their lives.” “One potential reason is that people see COVID-19 as a widespread, external threat that affects all, which has resulted in a greater sense of unity and fellow-feeling.” People in Finland trust the government, follow rules, and most try to do what is best for the country as a whole. In times like this, it is important to follow regulations and work together to overcome difficulties.
FINNISH CULTURE
Finland is a small country where people live independently. This is one of the key reasons why, amid the pandemic, we Finns have stayed relatively happy. We are also surrounded by beautiful nature, and our enjoyment of being out in nature has grown significantly.
Happiness is also linked with Finnish culture. In the great scale of things, Finns prefer their own personal space. In comparison to many other nations, Finnish people do not greet with cheek kisses. Shaking hands is more common, but it takes place in more formal situations. In addition, the public transportation system works well. Buses in Finland are rarely fully packed, and there is still room for everyone. Also, in larger cities, buses come and go often, so you can pick the less crowded bus.
GOOD QUALITY PUBLIC HEALTHCARE
Finland’s high-quality public healthcare system contributes significantly to our well-being. It is considered one of the best in the world. It makes no difference whether you are a Finnish resident or a student from outside the European Union. You will also be able to benefit from the same advantages as anyone else. When times like these arise, the healthcare system is put to the test. Finland has managed to avoid “overcrowding” hospitals while also providing care to its people.
After all, happiness is still subjective. However, according to the survey, we are the happiest nation in the world. Finland is wonderful, and most importantly, it is a welcoming and equal place to live and study!
Want to know more facts about Finland? Read our bucket list for Finland or see our blog post about 5 Fun Facts About Finland. Interested in learning some Finnish? Check out our post on the Finnish language!
