World Happiness Report
The ranking is prepared by a group of independent experts.
The report is based on several key factors, including the quality of health care, the longevity of the population, financial stability, personal freedom and the possibility of social ties.
An additional factor this year is the global coronavirus pandemic, with researchers examining how it has affected people’s quality of life in terms of mental health, social interaction, a safe work environment and even the authorities’ response to limiting the incidence.
The ranking covers a period of 2 years, as the previous report covered the period 2017-2019, while the current one is valid for the years from 2018 to 2020.
Out of a total of 149 countries, our country ranks 88th, falling outside the first half of the happiest countries. This is a serious decline with Bulgaria’s position in last year’s report, where it ranked 56th. Bulgaria falls by 32 places in the world ranking of the happiest countries – the “World Happiness Report”.
Thus, the country is behind countries such as Ivory Coast (85), China (84), Libya (80), Russia (76) and Belarus (75).
Among the Balkan countries, Slovenia is the happiest, ranking 29th. Shortly afterwards, Kosovo is 33rd, Serbia is 48th and Greece is 68th.
Bulgaria is followed by Albania and Northern Macedonia, which are 93rd and 94th, while Turkey is 104th.
At the top of the list for another year is Finland, and this year behind it in the top ten are Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Austria.
Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Botswana and Lesotho remain at the bottom of the list.
