if not belize, why not denmark?

July 29, 2006

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theworld_July785.xml & section=theworld

Denmark is happiest place in the world: UK report

(Reuters)

27 July 2006

LONDON - If you're looking for happiness, go and live in Denmark. It

is the happiest country in the world while Burundi in Africa is the

most unhappy, according to a report by a British scientist released on

Friday.

Adrian White, an analytical social psychologist at the University of

Leicester in central England, based his study on data from 178

countries and 100 global studies from the likes of the United Nations

and the World Health Organisation.

" We're looking much more at whether you are satisfied with your life

in general, " White told Reuters. " Whether you are satisfied with your

situation and environment. "

The main factors that affected happiness were health provision, wealth

and education, according to White who said his research had produced

the " first world map of happiness " .

Following behind Denmark came Switzerland, Austria, Iceland and the

Bahamas.

At the bottom came the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe and

Burundi. The United States came in at 23rd, Britain was in 41st place,

Germany 35th and France 62nd.

Countries involved in conflicts, such as Iraq, were not included.

" Smaller countries tend to be a little happier because there is a

stronger sense of collectivism and then you also have the aesthetic

qualities of a country, " White said.

" We were surprised to see countries in Asia scoring so low, with China

82nd, Japan 90th, and India 125th. These are countries that are

thought as having a strong sense of collective identity which other

researchers have associated with well-being. "

He admitted collecting data based on well-being was not an exact

science, but said the measures used were very reliable in predicting

health and welfare outcomes.

Regular studies by academics across the globe using the same tests

would allow researchers to better understand what factors affected

happiness and White said he hoped every country in the future would

carry out bi-annual checks.

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July 31, 2006

but

they have winter there