10 reasons why Finland’s the happiest country on earth
In 2018 the UN declared Finland the happiest country on Earth. This news surprised almost everyone in the country. The 2018 World Happiness Report showed Nordic nations taking the top four places. Finland led the way followed by Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Sweden managed ninth place which provided the Finnish public with great satisfaction.
The report from the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network noted that Nordic countries perform well in income, healthy life expectancy, social support, freedom, trust and generosity. There are other factors involved in Finnish happiness. These are the real reasons why Finns are happy.
Nature and space
Social equality
Education system
Trust in government
Safety and security
Work-life balance
Healthcare access
Freedom of choice
Low corruption
I am wondering. Why free buckets? Can anybody fill me in??
It’s a common thing that happens when they open a new store. First 1000 customers get a free bucket! And the Finnish go crazy.
Your guess is as good as mine! The thing is, that when a new shop has their opening, they offer first 200 customers (or whatever number) a free bucket. I can guarantee, that there is a queue at the door long before opening time! Beats me why, but it is a fact. ?
JBill, all Finns usually go berry picking and need buckets…also to gather wild mushrooms !
The buckets are not empty…
Fresh bucket, for the sauna.
yeah, so one can pick polluted and cesium-filled mushrooms thanks to Chernobyl…
I am eating the mushrooms rather often and I am still alive…
What is this free bucket thing? Have heard about it but don’t really understand why you get a free bucket ?
It’s just kind of an “inside joke” of Finns. Companies often give free buckets in their opening day or what ever celebration they might have and everyone flocks there just for the bucket. There isn’t really any real reason for it.
You need buckets in saunas (often you carry the water needed from lake nearby), then is the whole berry and mushroom picking, preserving cucumbers in fall- there just can’t be enough buckets if you live in the countryside or have cottage there :-)
I am so happy that I can’t wait for the winter to come
haha fuck off we are not very fucking happy dude, whole contry is sad as fuck
Free education, free healthcare and, most of all, free speech, free to be whoever you are, stable democratic institutions and rule of law guaranteeing true freedom. Europe is the real free world and the Nordic countries are the most advanced democracies of all, guaranteeing freedom. Don’t wait until you lose it so as to appreciate it!
Free healthcare? No. There is no free healthcare in Finland. I have paid for every visit at the GP. You literally get a bill for every visit. Nothing free about that. We also pay for any medication we may need. The education isn’t free either. We pay it in taxes.
I have been to surgery 4 times in Finland only paid for the stay at the hospital and 30€ for appointment with a specialist doctor. GP never paid a cent, and I go quite often.
I study and KELA pays me.
I don’t pay to study. I come on exchange and receive two grants. Things I could never do on my original country.
In my opinion, the only thing a lot of Finns (and other people from privileged countries) is lack of perspective.
And yes, taxes are high. But you see the work done with your taxes around you. Where I come from you pay the same and don’t see anything.
If you are paying for the GP and you can’t afford it, I suggest you talk to KELA.
True, we southern european should learn from them and be ruled by a finnish representative. My humble opinion. Cheers :-)
It’s not about being happy as in smiling and singing and dancing -happy. But being content with how things are.
I do believe that you could stand to enlarge your English vocabulary, Henrik. What you are doing, is using tautology, which means repeating the same word over and over again. Also, the word you are using is not fit for civil conversation, so please find a few other ones.
There is a Finnish saying about birds not dirtying their own nest. Finland is not sad. It is sad to those who will not / cannot make their lives happy. I feel sorry for you.
Nooooop! You don’t run out of Karelian pies ???
I thought people in Denmark rode bicycles because they can’t afford cars… ? #FoxNews
You’re hilarious!
And the people of the Netherlands ice skate to work in the winter and jump at the possibility of saving the town by holding your finger in a dike.
I just keep waiting for my free baby reindeer to come in the mail. I’m sure that’s a thing.
Winter? What is it doing in this list? It’s the thing I’d be happier to live WITHOUT!
Yes, we are odd. We LOVE winter.
You love…I don’t and quite a few hate it.
Also, reindeer pizza, tazza hot chocolate and the best smelling country in the world. :) :)
Its the happiest because all the sad people kill themselves ?
Actually the Finnish suicide rate is on average level in Europe.
And that is total bullshit nt friend
f you have been in norway you should consider this ranking is not the reality …happy is not the appropriate word to understand thge feeling of habitants…. secure is more in line…
Corruption has another name in Finland, “good brother contacts”.
Hidden away from critical foreign eyes.
Yeah, exactly. I can see this corruption in every single live aspect, including healthcare unfortunately.
Finland IS among the ten least corrupted countries in the world, sometimes in the top of the list.
So, please, do not send fake information (from Russia) to these pages.
OFFICIALLY one of the least corrupted, since the “good brother contacts” are not corruption, they are… uhm, well, you are just helping out a friend and in exchange they are helping you out. But that’s not corruption, since we don’t have any of that!
Example: our national dietary guidelines are decided by a group that is lead by a guy who receives money from Coca Cola… and he thinks sugar is not that bad, it’s just empty calories. We are all fine with that since we have no corruption in Finland. NOTHING TO SEE HERE, MOVE ALONG.
I don’t know exactly what is the rock you live under, but nobody thinks any soda’s are healthy… I swear the trumpism is spreading…
Great country,??? been on holiday at least a dozen times, north, south, summer and winter . Just like Scotland was before immigration from South,??,
Best wishes from Culloden Moor, Inverness
Thank you Ray! As a Finn I also thought that these two countries were very similar by their nature, and honesty as well! I loved living in Scotland!
Why has Sweden dropped to number 9 in the happy list?
They are unhappy because all the refuges poring in.
Have you ever considered how ironic is it that immigrants like you spout off racist bullshit? No, thought not. Next time, get your facts right before embarrassing yourself in public.
I wish some of Finland’s good examples could be copied by USA.
yes, I think so, too
I am an American who taught three times in Finland .
The Finns are the smartest people in Europe.
Yes!! Im proud of my Finnish heritage!! Would love to visit Finland for my 60th birthday in May 2019. What an awesome trip that would be!!
Tervetuloa ja onnea syntymäpäiväsi johdosta
I moved here over 20 years ago. I love this country. Safe, secure, nature and happy are the words I would choose. Fantastic Finland?
Actually, finss are not that Happy. Suicades are common, very common. People are poor, atleast 2/5 prosent of people are Living just or below poor Limit. Food charity are having so Many customers that IT takes hours of waiting in line If you are at The end of The line.
Corruption??? Not The same kind as Many countries, but yes, we have corruption, a lot. Freedom of speech? Yes Many years ago.
Justice? No.
There are no justice, violence, killings, rape , child rape – they only get 1-4years of prison IF go to prison at all.
Free education -yes , for now.
Free Healt care- no. You always get care, and you always get treated, but if you have to Be in hospital, IT IS expensive.
Medicine – expensive , Many older people leave theyr medication becouse they have to choose beetween rent, food and medicine.
There ARE lot of things on Finland that are much better than other countries, there a lot good , but fins are not Happy. Studies that clame that Finland id The happiest country, are not looking at IT trough people. Statistics lie.
There’s Your (above) regular Finn. Always moaning about stuff. Mostly these are the Finn’s that never traveled and got no comparison to what else is out there.
At the end of the day it’s all pretty swell.
The social welfare in Finland is good but I noticed there is a high rate of suicide that makes me
confused if you say that Finland is the happiest country on earth. Anyone can explain?
I’m coming to Finnland for the first time with my sisters and daughter in August! We’ve been born and raised in Canada Finnish parents and are so proud of our Heritage! Funny to read all of these conflicting posts about Finnland… I’m looking forward to finding out for myself in August!
So Happy… High suicide rates, very much violence, collective alcoholism, rapists and child molesters get little or usually no punishments, dark and cold more than half of the year, so much “no corruption”, that almost all the biggest police chiefs are now in the middle of a big legal proceedings, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer… Could continue the list, but am too depressed to do that. Because I an from Finland, and finnish are so Happy, that 1/3 of adults are on antidepressants or some other psychiatric drugs.
You know this is lie if you need to dig up some bullshit excuse for Finland to be the most happy country…
Where are all the happy people???
Finland is fantastic, been visiting for the last 25 years. you are different in your outlook to us in Ireland, you don’t talk for the sake of talking but you are warm and friendly. yes like all countries you have problems and issues but overall it’s a great country with fantastic people, good education system and health system. Sauna’s, Lakes, nice food, good beer… love the place…. and the people….