The Happiest Countries Quiz




4 Min Quiz

People in how many countries were surveyed for the 2016 Happiness Report?

Unsurprisingly, personal happiness varies greatly depending on your location and circumstances.


According to the Happiness Report, there are at least how many important criteria for being happy?

Lower corruption, more generosity and more freedom, among other factors, all contribute to higher levels of happiness.


What year was the Happiness Report first published?

It's hasn't been around long, but the reports have garnered massive media attention.


Survey respondents are asked to rate their lives by imagining what?

They answer questions on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 representing the worst possible circumstances.


Which country was listed as the happiest country in 2016's survey?

Denmark knocked of the former champion, Switzerland.


In the four times the report has been published, how many times has Denmark topped the list?

If happiness is a boxing match, Denmark is the heavyweight champion of the world.


In 2016, where did the U.S. rank on the Happiness Report?

By admission of its own citizens, the U.S. trailed a dozen other countries.


In the happiest countries, what are people more likely to do?

Higher social support is extremely important to the level of happiness that people experience.


What was the United States' Happiness score in 2016?

That was nearly a half a point behind Denmark


Where did China rank on the 2016 Happiness Report?

It is an economic powerhouse but the country suffers from many growing pains of industrialization.


The 2016 reports claims that human beings are wired to embrace notions of happiness tied to WHAT?

The researchers believe that deep down we are happiest when we all work for each other.


What is one thing all of the top 10 countries have in common?

Seven are in Western Europe, which is by all accounts home to some of the happiest people on Earth.


How many points separate the happiest countries from the unhappiest countries?

In the abstract, that number doesn't sound like much; in the real world it's the difference between contentment and misery.


Which country was listed as the least happy in 2016?

Burundi people must see their lives as very bleak, given that Syria (also at the bottom of the list) is in the middle of a terrible civil war.


The writers of the Happiness Report say that the end goal of public policy should be what?

If a country's people are happy, what else is there to want from this life?


What is the average life expectancy for people worldwide?

Countries with lower life expectancy often score much lower on the Happiness Report.


What factor did researchers really focus on for the 2016 version of the report?

These social scientists believe that happiness is a very good indicator of quality of life, perhaps more accurate than poverty, health or other factors.


What is the typical sample size from a single country during the polling process?

The researchers say that this sample size offers a fairly accurate representation of each country.


In the report, to what do "residuals" refer?

When the entire table of countries is reviewed, the residuals have an average score of around 0, meaning they shouldn't drastically warp a country's score.


Which country is noted as the most competitive in the world, according to the World Economic Forum?

The country's economic power offers its people plenty of opportunities to become wealthier and happier.


What is the life expectancy of people in Togo?

That low life expectancy is one reason the country fares so poorly on the survey.


With regards to the Happiness Report, what is Dystopia?

The fictional country is used as a benchmark for measuring all other countries.


In 2016, what was Dystopia's average life rating?

Fortunately, no real-world country has a score as low as Dystopia's.


What is the Gross Domestic Product per capita in Burundi?

It stands to reason that very poor people are often unhappy because they struggle to survive.


What is the GDP per capita in Denmark, the happiest country on Earth?

The GDP actually ranks 17th in the world, but it's only one factor in the overall rankings.


Where did Iceland rank on the 2016 report?

The country's high level of social support is one reason for its success.


What was New Zealand's 2016 Happiness score?

It was good enough to land the country at No. 8 on the list.


Which continent dominated the bottom of the Happiness Report's rankings?

Civil war and poverty have affected some African countries for many years.


Which country is called the most peaceful in the world by the Global Peace Index?

Peace is undoubtedly a key component to the high levels of happiness found there.


What is the average life expectancy in Denmark?

People live much longer in Denmark, and they are happier throughout their lives.


Explore More Quizzes

Image: refer to hsw

About This Quiz

Life in some countries is happier than life in others, a fact that is documented by science. How much do you know about happiest countries around the world?

About HowStuffWorks Play
