Introduction:
- The 8th edition of the World Happiness Report has been released by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN). The World Happiness Report 2020 intents to rank the countries based on the state of the happiness of their citizens, as perceived by them. The World Happiness Report 2020 is primarily focused on the environment - social, urban and natural.
- Theme: Environment for Happiness.
How is the World Happiness Report 2020 calculated?
WHR 2020 is calculated using Gallup World Poll. The rankings are given based on the responses for the key life evaluation questions. Responders are asked to rate their best possible life on a scale of 1 to 10. And, then they are asked to rank their present life on the same 0 to 10 scale. This type of ranking is called the Cantril ladder.Toppers:
The Top 5 ranked countries and cities in the Global Happiness Index are listed in the following table;| Rank | Country | City |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finland | Helsinki, Finland |
| 2 | Denmark | Aarhus, Denmark |
| 3 | Switzerland | Wellington, New Zealand |
| 4 | Iceland | Zurich, Switzerland |
| 5 | Norway | Copenhagen, Denmark |
India Specific Findings:
- India has been ranked 144 out of 156 countries in the World Happiness Report 2020. With this, India is placed in the bottom ten group of the survey.
- New Delhi is the only Indian city to get a spot in the Global Ranking of Cities. Among the 188 cities, New Delhi is ranked at 180.
Important Facts:
- For the first time, cities are also ranked in the Global Happiness Report 2020.
- The Nordic Countries - Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Iceland are always ranked higher in the survey. The study has found out that lesser inequality and increased trust within the community is the reason behind their happiness.
- Finland had topped the ranking for the third consecutive year.
- Happiest countries give importance to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
- Afghanistan is the least happy country, and its capital Kabul is the least happy city, as per the rankings.
Questions:
Ques: 1: Which country topped the World Happiness Report 2020?a. Denmark
b. Sweden
c. Norway
d. Iceland
e. Finland
Answer: e
Explanation: Finland is ranked first in the World Happiness Report 2020.
Ques: 2: What is India's rank in the World Happiness Report 2020?
a. 120
b. 144
c. 111
d. 135
e. 143
Answer: b
Explanation: India is ranked 144 in the World Happiness Report 2020.
Ques: 3: Which is the only Indian city that got a rank in World Happiness Report 2020?
a. Mumbai
b. New Delhi
c. Bengaluru
d. Kolkata
e. None of the above
Answer: b
Explanation: New Delhi (180) is the only Indian city in World Happiness Report 2020.
