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Denmark overtakes Nigeria as world’s happiest people – UN

  Advertisement The United Nation (UN)’s first comprehensive survey on national mood has rated Nigerians as the 100th happiest people in the world, South Africans … Continue reading Denmark overtakes Nigeria as world’s happiest people – UN


 

The United Nation (UN)’s first comprehensive survey on national mood has rated Nigerians as the 100th happiest people in the world, South Africans as the 90th and Namibians as the 97th.

The new report comes two years after Nigeria was rated in a 2010 Gallup global poll as having the “happiest people on earth”. The poll of 64,000 people from 53 countries around the world found Nigerians to be the most optimistic in the world in their outlook for 2011. It also found that the most optimistic people mostly live in low income countries, such as Nigeria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Peru and Bangladesh.

However, the Happiness Ranking report rated Denmark at the top of the scale, ahead of Finland, Norway, the Netherlands and Canada, Britain and the United States while Togo, which was rated at the bottom of the scale was declared the nation of the least happy citizens in the world.

The 158-page report, which covered 156 countries, largely found that the world’s wealthiest nations were the happiest, on a sliding scale  but it also found that money does not just buy happiness.

“The world enjoys technologies of unimaginable sophistication; yet has at least one billion people without enough to eat each day…Countries achieve great progress in economic development as conventionally measured; yet along the way succumb to new crises of obesity, smoking, diabetes, depression, and other ills of modern life.” the report said.

“In an impoverished society…The poor suffer from dire deprivations of various kinds: lack of adequate food supplies, remunerative jobs, access to health care, safe homes, safe water and sanitation, and educational opportunities. As incomes rise from very low levels, human well-being improves…For most individuals in the high-income world…There is enough food, shelter, basic amenities (such as clean water and sanitation), and clothing to meet daily needs…however, affluence has created its own set of afflictions and addictions. Obesity, tobacco-related illnesses, eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia, psychosocial disorders, and addictions to shopping, TV, and gambling, are all examples of disorders of development” the report further said

The report concluded with “It is not just wealth that makes people happy: Political freedom, strong social networks and an absence of corruption all play a part…other factors found to be important to happiness include personal health, job security and stable family life.”