Norway is the "happiest" country in the world; Iran ranks "108th"

The first of April has been designated as the "International Day of Happiness." The reason for this designation is the adoption of a resolution at the United Nations in 2012, which mentioned the "pursuit of happiness and well-being" as one of the "fundamental goals of humanity."

The purpose of this designation is to encourage and encourage the consideration of the element of happiness - as one of the important parts in the sustainable development of human societies - in the political and economic planning of various governments around the world.

But the official website for the International Day of Happiness, owned by the United Nations, goes further than naming happiness as one of the human goals and declares it one of the pillars of "human rights."

Since 2012, when the first day of Farvardin was named the International Day of Happiness, a list has been published every year by the United Nations that identifies the "happiest" and "sadest" countries in the world, taking into account various factors.

This year, Norway has risen three places from the previous year to take first place on the list, ahead of Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland. Flanders, the Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden are in fifth to tenth place on the table.

Iran, which was ranked 105th in the table last year, fell three places to its 2015 position and is now ranked 108th in the table.

At the bottom of the list are the Central African Republic, Burundi, Tanzania, Syria, Rwanda, Togo, Guinea, Liberia, South Sudan, and Yemen.

Among the world's superpowers, the United States ranks 14th, Germany 16th, Britain 19th, and Russia 49th. Japan is 51st and China 79th.

According to CNN, in compiling this list, the level of happiness among people in different countries was measured based on factors such as healthy life expectancy, generosity, having someone to support in life crises, freedom of choice in various aspects of life, social trust (which is measured by the lack of corruption in government and business), and gross national product per capita.

The "happiest" country in the world 

Although Norway's main income comes from oil extraction and export, according to this report, the decline in oil prices in global markets has not only not affected the happiness of its people, but Norway is now at the top of the list of the happiest countries in the world, having risen three places.

John Hillwell, one of the report's authors and a professor at the University of British Columbia in Canada, believes that Norway is building a better future for the next generation of its citizens by investing in its oil industry. Norway has protected itself from the economic ups and downs that are common among oil-rich countries around the world: "The emphasis on the future rather than the present has increased the level of mutual trust between the people and the government."

Having a common goal between people and government, generosity, and good governance are among the things seen in Norway and other happy countries around the world.

Happiness at work

Another area of ​​focus in this year's happiness report was happiness at work. People spend most of their lives at work, says Dr. Jean-Emmanuel de Nou, a professor at the University of Oxford. So understanding the role of work and unemployment in shaping people's happiness is important. "People's happiness is influenced by the type of work they do, their job position, and the industry they work in," the report says. While pay is a factor in happiness, money is only one aspect of work, the report says. "Work-life balance, job variety, and the level of autonomy in making professional decisions" are other factors that determine happiness at work.

Source: Radio Farda