How’s life? New report reveals world’s happiest nation is…

Despite some signs of a slowing economy, Australia has once again been crowned the world’s happiest nation based on criteria including income, jobs, housing and health.

According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Better Life Index [https://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/], Australia has managed to retain the top spot for the third year running, ahead of Sweden and Canada.

The Index ranks 34 countries that are the members of the OECD, which brings together most of the world’s developed economies and a number of emerging economies, plus key partners Brazil and Russia. Over time, the Index is expected to expand to cover the OECD’s four other key partner countries: China, India, Indonesia and South Africa.

“Australia performs exceptionally well in measures of well-being, as shown by the fact that it ranks among the top countries in a large number of topics in the Better Life Index,” the OECD said.

“Money, while it cannot buy happiness, is an important means to achieving higher living standards,” the Index said.

“In Australia, the average household net-adjusted disposable income is $28,884 a year, more than the OECD average of $23,047 a year.

“But there is a considerable gap between the richest and poorest – the top 20 per cent of the population earn six times as much as the bottom 20 per cent.

“Concerning the public sphere, there is a strong sense of community and high levels of civic participation in Australia, where 94 per cent of people believe they know someone they could rely on in time of need, higher than the OECD average of 90 per cent.

“In terms of employment, over 73 per cent of people aged 15 to 64 in Australia have a paid job, above the OECD employment average of 66 per cent.

“Some 79 per cent of men are in paid work, compared with 67 per cent of women. People in Australia work 1,693 hours a year, less than most people in the OECD who work 1,776 hours.

“Almost 14 per cent of employees work very long hours, much higher than the OECD average of 9 per cent, with 21 per cent of men working very long hours compared with just 6 per cent for women.

“In Australia, 73 per cent of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high-school degree, close to the OECD average of 74 per cent.

“This is truer of men than women, as 76 per cent of men have successfully completed high-school compared with 71 per cent of women. This difference is higher than the OECD average and suggests women’s participation in higher education could be strengthened. Australia is nonetheless a top-performing country in terms of the quality of its educational system.”

Here are the top 10 happiest nations when each of 11 categories surveyed in 36 nations is given equal weight:

1. Australia

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 29: Iconic Flinders Street Station was completed in 1910 and is used by over 100,000 people each day - 29 October 2012, Melbourne Australia,

2. Sweden

TORSTUNA, SWEDEN - JUNE 19: Folklore ensemble of Sweden in traditional folk costume at midsummer day 19 June 2009 in Torstuna, Sweden

3. Canada

MONTREAL Cirque du Soleil Before Show on June 13, 2010 in Montreal, Canada. People waiting outdoors for the Cirque du Soleil show

4. Norway

Waterfall in norway

5. Switzerland

A small swiss village near The Mountain Titlis in Switzerland

6. United States

7. Denmark

8. Netherlands

9. Ireland

10. United Kingdom

[All Images via Shutterstock]

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