Costa Ricans are now the merriest in a list of 151 countries.

The index, compiled by the[b] London-based New Economics Foundation (NEF)[/b], is different from the more well-known happiness index issued by the United Nations.
In addition to life expectancy and happiness, the HPI takes environmental sustainability into consideration.
“The Happy Planet Index measures what really matters -- long and happy lives now and the potential for good lives in the future,” said Nic Marks, creator of the index, in a press release.
“For too long we have relied on incomplete measures of progress that focus only on economic activity, such as GDP.”

Central America and Caribbean rule the chart

Costa Ricans are the happiest, live the longest and produce only one-third the ecological footprint of their U.S. counterparts.
Seven of the top 10 countries are in Central America or the Caribbean. The exceptions are Vietnam, which came in second, and Colombia and Venezuela, which ranked third and ninth respectively.
Surprisingly, typical happy frontrunner Denmark ranked 110th.
Despite scoring high in life expectancy and overall well-being, the Scandinavian country is also home to some of the biggest ecological footprint producers on the planet.
The U.K. settled at 41st, ahead of all other G8 nations. The U.S. came in 105th.

With poor performance in all three criteria, Botswana was named the saddest country in the world.


Happiest countries on the planet (score):

1. Costa Rica (64.0)

2. Vietnam (60.4)

3. Colombia (59.

4. Belize (59.3)

5. El Salvador (58.9)

6. Jamaica (58.5)

7. Panama (57.

8. Nicaragua (57.1)

9. Venezuela (56.9)

9. Guatemala (56.9)

11. Bangladesh (56.3)

12. Cuba (56.2)

13. Honduras (56.0)

14. Indonesia (55.5)

15. Israel (55.2)

16. Pakistan (54.1)

16. Argentina (54.1)

16. Albania (54.1)

19. Chile (53.9)

20. Thailand (53.5)



Saddest countries on the planet:

132. Benin (31.1)

133. Tanzania (30.7)

134. Democratic Republic of the Congo (30.5)

134. Burundi (30.5)

136. Trinidad and Tobago (30.3)

137. Guinea (30.0)

138. Luxembourg (29.0)

139. Sierra Leone (28.

140. Macedonia (28.3)

141. Togo (28.2)

141. South Africa (28.2)

143. Kuwait (27.1)

144. Niger (26.

144. Mongolia (26.

146. Bahrain (26.6)

147. Mali (26.0)

148. Central African Republic (25.3)

149. Qatar (25.2)

150. Chad (24.7)

151. Botswana (22.6)

source: http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/life/denmark-ousted-100-latest-worlds-happiest-country-561826

What do you think of the new index as compared to the more well-known happiness index issued by the United Nations

http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/life/united-nations-announces-world%E2%80%99s-happiest-country-247768

Wen Jesus in d family happy happy o..

Guy wher i fit buy gari 4 dis thread?

Where z my beloved 9ja nw

Am jst lust in da imagination of how costa rica would be..rape free beautiful girlzz handy Guyz gooshhh... buh am lost in da imagination of hw Heaven too would look like hmmmmn my ever dreamed paradise wish 2 be there....

Pipsland78: Some eeeediots just wake up and decide to compile a list and some bigger eeeeeeeeediots decide to believe the list and broadcast it.

its not by force to comment, side effect of 10mb daily data subscription.

Na wa o,,,,,,,top happy countries,naija no dey,,top sadddest countries naija stil no dey,,,,,shey dem wan make we form our own list of sometin ni??