According to the World Happiness Report (2025 edition), Afghanistan is the least happy country in the world, consistently ranking at the bottom due to ongoing instability, humanitarian crises, and severe human rights issues, particularly affecting women and girls. Sierra Leone and Lebanon often follow as the second and third least happy nations, with countries like Malawi, Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo also appearing in the bottom ranks.
Ranking of the least happy countries worldwide 2024, by score. Afghanistan was ranked the least happy country in the world, according to the World Happiness Report from 2025. The country scored only 1.36 on a scale from 0 to 10.
The latest Expat Insider 2025 ranking reveals the world's least friendly countries for foreigners, with Kuwait once again taking the top spot. Expats cite challenges in making local friends, difficulties integrating into the culture, and a generally unwelcoming social environment.
One weird question picks the world's "happiest country"
What is the most aggressive country in the world?
Afghanistan continues to hold the position as the most dangerous country in the world. Persistent terrorism, rampant political instability, and large-scale displacement have left the nation in a state of severe unrest and a highly dangerous place.
Iceland. Ranked number one since 2008, Iceland remains the world's most peaceful nation, leading across all three domains: safety and security, ongoing conflict and militarisation.
A new WorldAtlas ranking puts Canada at number 1 on the list of the top 20 most loved countries on the planet, ahead of every U.S. and European destination.
Finland has been named the world's happiest country for the eighth year in a row, but the outlook in other parts of Europe was not quite so sunny. This year's World Happiness Report saw the UK's happiness sink to its lowest level since 2017, coming in at number 23 on the list.
The UK is the 2nd most depressed country in the world. The 2023 Mental State of the World Report collected answers from 500,000 respondents across 71 counties. Countries were then given a Mental Health Quotient (MHQ), where the higher the score, the more satisfied the people. The UK came 2nd to last.
Since 2012, the mood in the United States has been on the decline, sliding from 11th to 24th in the global rankings, according to Gallup's 2025 World Happiness Report. Finland holds the top spot for the eighth consecutive year. Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and the Netherlands round out the top five happiest countries.
A huge research study concluded that in developed countries, people start having decreasing levels of happiness starting at age 18. It continues in their 20s and 30s before reaching an unhappiness peak — or bottoming out, if you prefer — at the precise age of 47.2.
Nestled in Silicon Valley, California, is America's happiest city, according to WalletHub's 2025 rankings. Fremont, Calif., a suburb of San Jose, topped the list because its residents have high rates of emotional and physical well-being, and life satisfaction, in addition to higher incomes than the national average.
Ukraine has the lowest happiness score in Europe (4.7 out of 10) for 2025, driven by war, economic hardship, displacement, and insecurity. In the EU specifically, Bulgaria is consistently the least happy, with scores below 6/10. Albania and North Macedonia also rank low.
Iceland remains the most peaceful country in 2022, a position it has held since 2008. It is joined at the top of the index by New Zealand, Ireland, Denmark and Austria.
Singapore ranks as the world's safest country. The rankings are based on surveys across 144 nations, measuring the share of residents who feel safe walking alone at night. That is according to Gallup's 2025 Global Safety Report.
Here's a list of countries currently on the "Do Not Travel" list: Afghanistan: Due to armed conflict, civil unrest, crime, terrorism, and kidnapping. Burkina Faso: Due to terrorism, crime, and kidnapping. Central African Republic: Due to armed conflict, crime, civil unrest, and kidnapping.
There's no single "best," as it depends on priorities, but Taiwan, South Korea, and Australia consistently rank at the top in recent global indices for overall performance, balancing infrastructure, costs, and outcomes. Other highly-rated systems include Singapore (efficiency/tech), Japan (quality), Canada, Sweden, and Netherlands, often praised for universal access, high quality, or specific strengths like preventative care, though rankings vary by report.
Iceland. Topping the Global Peace Index, Iceland is the most peaceful country in the world. This island nation has exceptionally low crime rates, no standing military, and a strong sense of community. It experiences few internal conflicts and almost no violent demonstrations.
