World’s ‘happiest’ places revealed as social media weighs on us

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Associated PressMarch 19, 2026 at 03:17 AM

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short article 1 min

The World Happiness Report 2026, published by the University of Oxford, identifies Finland as the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year, with other Nordic nations also ranking highly. The annual report highlights a significant decline in well-being among young people under 25 in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand over the past decade. Researchers suggest heavy social media use is a contributing factor, particularly impacting teenage girls in English-speaking countries and Western Europe. Costa Rica experienced a notable rise, entering the top five due to strong family bonds and social connections. The report emphasizes the importance of social connections in boosting overall happiness.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

University of Oxford 60% Sweden 70% Wellbeing Research Centre 70% Norway 70% Iceland 70% Denmark 70% New Zealand 80% Canada 80% Australia 80% United States 80% Finland ×290% World Happiness Report 2026 90%

Keywords

well-being 90% social media 80% happiness 70% world happiness report 70% young people 60% life evaluations 50% nordic countries 50% social connections 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Negative

Score: -0.20

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Source

South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

Finland

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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well-being social media happiness world happiness report young people life evaluations nordic countries social connections

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