India ranks 122, below Pak and China, in World Happiness Report 2017

New Delhi: Norway has emerged as the world’s happiest country, out of the 155 countries, in the World Happiness Report 2017 which was released to coincide with the United Nations’ International Day of Happiness on Monday.

Sadly, India has been ranked 122 behind immediate neighbours Pakistan and China, in the international report of economists which rank world countries on happiness.

The rankings are based on income and life expectancy figures, along with how people rate social support, personal freedom, corruption and generosity. Together it is used to generate a happiness score from 1 to 10.

Other factors by which 155 countries were measured in the annual World Happiness Report are: inequality, life expectancy, GDP per capita, public trust (i.e. a lack of corruption in government and business), and social support.

Among the eight Saarc nations, Pakistan was at 80th position, Nepal stood at 99, Bhutan at 97, Bangladesh at 110 while Sri Lanka was at 120. However, Maldives did not figure in the World Happiness Report.

Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland and Finland round out the top five, while the Central African Republic came last in the World Happiness Report. Western Europe and North America dominated the top of the table, with the US and Britain at 14th and 19th, respectively, reported BBC.

Countries in sub-Saharan Africa and those hit by conflict have predictably low scores. Syria was placed at 152 of 155 countries — Yemen and South Sudan, which are facing impending famine, came in at 146 and 147.