Happiest Countries in the World

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10. Australia
> Residents who say they have freedom to make life’s choices: 91.8%
> Residents who say they have social support: 94.8%
> Residents who believe corruption is widespread in their government: 38.9%
> Healthy life expectancy at birth: 72.7 years

Australia is the only continent covered by a single country. Though its roots are as a penal colony, the country today is one of the least corrupt in the world. Yet, it holds a whopping 28% of foreign-born residents. It’s been said that four out of five Aussies live less than 31 miles from the coastline.

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9. Sweden
> Residents who say they have freedom to make life’s choices: 92.9%
> Residents who say they have social support: 91.9%
> Residents who believe corruption is widespread in their government: 23.9%
> Healthy life expectancy at birth: 72.7 years

With roughly 10 million Swedes living in 174 million square miles, there’s a lot to be happy about. All of that nature — forests, lakes, and mountains — where Swedes can hike, bike, fish, camp, swim, and sail at their leisure. And with Sweden’s unique Allemansrätt or The Right of Public Access, any citizen or tourist has the government-given right to roam freely in land that is not private.

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8. New Zealand
> Residents who say they have freedom to make life’s choices: 93.7%
> Residents who say they have social support: 96.0%
> Residents who believe corruption is widespread in their government: 22.9%
> Healthy life expectancy at birth: 71.6 years

New Zealand is an island country situated in the Pacific Ocean. Because of its remote location, it’s one of the last places on Earth to be settled by humans. New Zealand ranks second on Gallup’s Migrant Acceptance Index for most-accepting countries. Polynesians who settled there in the 14th century named it the land of the long white cloud.

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7. Canada
> Residents who say they have freedom to make life’s choices: 92.4%
> Residents who say they have social support: 93.2%
> Residents who believe corruption is widespread in their government: 41.0%
> Healthy life expectancy at birth: 72.2 years

Canada has demonstrated to the world that there’s plenty of room at the table. At a time of anti-immigrant sentiment, the country has embraced foreigners — many of them refugees — taking a decidedly tolerant approach to people of other races and religion. Canada gives new meaning to the term “culturally diverse.”

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6. Netherlands
> Residents who say they have freedom to make life’s choices: 91.1%
> Residents who say they have social support: 91.4%
> Residents who believe corruption is widespread in their government: 40.3%
> Healthy life expectancy at birth: 71.6 years

The Netherlands is sometimes referred to as Holland, but the people are always known as Dutch. About one-third of the country is below sea-level, so it’s no surprise that the country boasts an intricate water management system that keeps its inhabitants safe. And the Netherlands has exported its knowledge globally.