Czechia ranks higher than US and Slovakia in annual World Happiness Report

Today marks World Happiness Day, and the annual World Happiness Report, compiled by the University of Oxford in collaboration with Gallup and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, has revealed the world's happiest countries.

Finland remains at the top for the eighth consecutive year, followed by other Nordic countries like Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and Lebanon rank as the least happy at the other end of the spectrum.

Czechia ranks 20th in the 2025 report, a slight decline from last year’s 18th place.

The report surveyed 147 countries, evaluating how people rate their lives and what factors contribute to their happiness, including wealth, health, social connections, trust, family structure, and even whether they believe others would return a lost wallet.

Despite its two-place drop, Czechia outranks its neighbor Slovakia which has fallen to 50th, down from 45th last year. The country is also happier than the U.S. which came in 24th place.

The report’s methodology includes analyzing indicators such as GDP per capita, life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption, alongside social factors like meal sharing and social trust. Acts of kindness, generosity, and trust within communities are key contributors to this ranking. 

Czechia’s social trust and benevolence rankings, factors that impact overall happiness, present a mixed picture, with notable discrepancies between its perceptions of neighborly and police involvement in returning lost wallets: Czechia ranks 31st for the expected return of a wallet by a neighbor, 65th for a wallet returned by a stranger, and 33rd for a wallet returned by the police.

Sharing meals is another significant factor contributing to happiness. The World Happiness Report links meal sharing to higher levels of well-being, as it fosters social connections and feelings of belonging.

The structure of family life and household size also plays a role in determining happiness. Families in Czechia tend to have higher happiness levels when they live together with children or extended family members.

“Happiness is not just about wealth or growth. It’s about trust, connection, and knowing that people have your back. If we want stronger communities and economies, we need to invest in what really matters: each other," said Jon Clifton, CEO of Gallup.