Countries by Life Evaluation Score
Complete ranking of 146 countries • 0-10 ladder score • Updated 2026
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About Life Evaluation Score Rankings
Finland leads all 146 countries in Life Evaluation Score with a value of 7.76, while Afghanistan ranks last at 1.45. This represents a 5-fold difference between the highest and lowest values.
What Life Evaluation Score Measures
World Happiness Report Figure 2.1 three-year average life-evaluation score on the 0-10 Cantril ladder.
Why This Ranking Matters
Examining Life Evaluation Score across all countries reveals patterns that might not be obvious at the national level. Regional clusters, outlier nations, and historical trajectories all become clearer when the full global picture is assembled in a single ranking.
Global Range
Values range from 1.45 (Afghanistan) to 7.76 (Finland) — a 5-fold difference across 146 countries.
Regional Patterns
European countries dominate this ranking, holding 14 of the top 20 positions. This strong regional concentration suggests shared economic, geographic, or policy factors that drive higher values across the continent.
Values are broadly distributed across countries, with the middle 50% ranging from 4.66 to 6.57. The overall spread from 1.45 to 7.76 reflects significant global variation.
Notable Outliers
The top of the ranking is competitive: Finland and Iceland are separated by only 3%, indicating that the leading positions could shift with updated data.
Continental Leaders
Highest Ranked
The five strongest Life Evaluation Score reads.
Lowest Ranked
The other end of the global spread.
Data Note
Rankings are based on the latest available data from World Happiness Report Figure 2.1, covering 146 of 249 countries and territories. Countries without data for this metric are excluded from the ranking. All values represent the most recently reported figures.
Top 10 Countries
Country Ladder
1stFinlandEurope7.762ndIcelandEurope7.543rdDenmarkEurope7.544thCosta RicaNorth America7.445thSwedenEurope7.256thNorwayEurope7.247thNetherlandsEurope7.228thIsraelAsia7.199thLuxembourgEurope7.0610thSwitzerlandEurope7.0211thNew ZealandOceania7.0012thMexicoNorth America6.9713thIrelandEurope6.9314thBelgiumEurope6.9315thAustraliaOceania6.9216thGermanyEurope6.8817thSloveniaEurope6.8718thAustriaEurope6.8419thUnited Arab EmiratesAsia6.8220thCzechiaEurope6.8221stSaudi ArabiaAsia6.8222ndUnited StatesNorth America6.8223rdPolandEurope6.7724thCanadaNorth America6.7425thTaiwanAsia6.7126thBelizeNorth America6.7127thLithuaniaEurope6.7028thUnited KingdomEurope6.6929thSerbiaEurope6.6930thUruguaySouth America6.6331stBrazilSouth America6.6332ndKazakhstanAsia6.6333rdRomaniaEurope6.6334thFranceEurope6.5935thSingaporeAsia6.5836thEl SalvadorNorth America6.5837thItalyEurope6.5738thPanamaNorth America6.5539thKuwaitAsia6.5440thSpainEurope6.5441stGuatemalaNorth America6.5342ndMaltaEurope6.4443rdArgentinaSouth America6.4344thVietnamAsia6.4345thEstoniaEurope6.4146thBosnia and HerzegovinaEurope6.3847thLatviaEurope6.3748thJamaicaNorth America6.3049thChileSouth America6.3050thNicaraguaNorth America6.3051stThailandAsia6.3052ndUzbekistanAsia6.2853rdSlovakiaEurope6.2554thBahrainAsia6.2555thPhilippinesAsia6.2156thParaguaySouth America6.2057thOmanAsia6.2058thEcuadorSouth America6.1459thMontenegroEurope6.1460thJapanAsia6.1361stCyprusEurope6.1362ndHondurasNorth America6.1063rdDominican RepublicNorth America6.0964thChinaAsia6.0765thKyrgyzstanAsia6.0566thColombiaNorth America6.0467thSouth KoreaAsia6.0468thPortugalEurope6.0369thCroatiaEurope6.0170thMalaysiaAsia6.0071stPeruSouth America5.9772ndMauritiusAfrica5.9473rdHungaryEurope5.9474thMongoliaAsia5.9475thTrinidad and TobagoNorth America5.9176thMoldovaEurope5.8577thBoliviaSouth America5.8378thRussiaEurope5.8379thVenezuelaNorth America5.7680thLibyaAfrica5.7381stNorth MacedoniaEurope5.7282ndAlgeriaAfrica5.7183rdBulgariaEurope5.7084thGreeceEurope5.7085thAlbaniaEurope5.6686thIndonesiaAsia5.6287thTajikistanAsia5.5988thArmeniaEurope5.5889thHong KongAsia5.5790thGeorgiaEurope5.5291stLaosAsia5.5192ndMozambiqueAfrica5.3493rdTurkeyEurope5.3094thIraqAsia5.2195thGabonAfrica5.1796thIranAsia5.1597thCôte d'IvoireAfrica5.1598thNepalAsia5.1599thCameroonAfrica5.08100thSouth AfricaAfrica5.01101stAzerbaijanEurope4.99102ndNigerAfrica4.94103rdPakistanAsia4.87104thTunisiaAfrica4.80105thNigeriaAfrica4.79106thSenegalAfrica4.79107thNamibiaAfrica4.78108thPalestineAsia4.69109thKenyaAfrica4.67110thUkraineEurope4.66111stMoroccoAfrica4.65112ndGuineaAfrica4.61113rdMaliAfrica4.59114thGhanaAfrica4.55115thIndiaAsia4.54116thSomaliaAfrica4.51117thUgandaAfrica4.49118thJordanAsia4.48119thMauritaniaAfrica4.47120thCambodiaAsia4.46121stCongoAfrica4.46122ndBurkina FasoAfrica4.46123rdBeninAfrica4.39124thChadAfrica4.38125thLesothoAfrica4.38126thBangladeshAsia4.32127thGambiaAfrica4.31128thMyanmarAsia4.29129thLiberiaAfrica4.28130thTogoAfrica4.28131stMadagascarAfrica4.17132ndZambiaAfrica4.11133rdSri LankaAsia4.01134thEthiopiaAfrica3.98135thComorosAfrica3.92136thEswatiniAfrica3.91137thTanzaniaAfrica3.90138thEgyptAfrica3.86139thCongo, Democratic RepublicAfrica3.76140thLebanonAsia3.72141stYemenAsia3.53142ndBotswanaAfrica3.46143rdZimbabweAfrica3.35144thMalawiAfrica3.28145thSierra LeoneAfrica3.25146thAfghanistanAsia1.45
| Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Finland | 7.76 | Europe | 100% |
| 2nd | Iceland | 7.54 | Europe | 99% |
| 3rd | Denmark | 7.54 | Europe | 99% |
| 4th | Costa Rica | 7.44 | North America | 98% |
| 5th | Sweden | 7.25 | Europe | 97% |
| 6th | Norway | 7.24 | Europe | 97% |
| 7th | Netherlands | 7.22 | Europe | 96% |
| 8th | Israel | 7.19 | Asia | 95% |
| 9th | Luxembourg | 7.06 | Europe | 95% |
| 10th | Switzerland | 7.02 | Europe | 94% |
| 11th | New Zealand | 7.00 | Oceania | 93% |
| 12th | Mexico | 6.97 | North America | 92% |
| 13th | Ireland | 6.93 | Europe | 92% |
| 14th | Belgium | 6.93 | Europe | 91% |
| 15th | Australia | 6.92 | Oceania | 90% |
| 16th | Germany | 6.88 | Europe | 90% |
| 17th | Slovenia | 6.87 | Europe | 89% |
| 18th | Austria | 6.84 | Europe | 88% |
| 19th | United Arab Emirates | 6.82 | Asia | 88% |
| 20th | Czechia | 6.82 | Europe | 87% |
| 21st | Saudi Arabia | 6.82 | Asia | 86% |
| 22nd | United States | 6.82 | North America | 86% |
| 23rd | Poland | 6.77 | Europe | 85% |
| 24th | Canada | 6.74 | North America | 84% |
| 25th | Taiwan | 6.71 | Asia | 84% |
| 26th | Belize | 6.71 | North America | 83% |
| 27th | Lithuania | 6.70 | Europe | 82% |
| 28th | United Kingdom | 6.69 | Europe | 82% |
| 29th | Serbia | 6.69 | Europe | 81% |
| 30th | Uruguay | 6.63 | South America | 80% |
| 31st | Brazil | 6.63 | South America | 79% |
| 32nd | Kazakhstan | 6.63 | Asia | 79% |
| 33rd | Romania | 6.63 | Europe | 78% |
| 34th | France | 6.59 | Europe | 77% |
| 35th | Singapore | 6.58 | Asia | 77% |
| 36th | El Salvador | 6.58 | North America | 76% |
| 37th | Italy | 6.57 | Europe | 75% |
| 38th | Panama | 6.55 | North America | 75% |
| 39th | Kuwait | 6.54 | Asia | 74% |
| 40th | Spain | 6.54 | Europe | 73% |
| 41st | Guatemala | 6.53 | North America | 73% |
| 42nd | Malta | 6.44 | Europe | 72% |
| 43rd | Argentina | 6.43 | South America | 71% |
| 44th | Vietnam | 6.43 | Asia | 71% |
| 45th | Estonia | 6.41 | Europe | 70% |
| 46th | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6.38 | Europe | 69% |
| 47th | Latvia | 6.37 | Europe | 68% |
| 48th | Jamaica | 6.30 | North America | 68% |
| 49th | Chile | 6.30 | South America | 67% |
| 50th | Nicaragua | 6.30 | North America | 66% |
| 51st | Thailand | 6.30 | Asia | 66% |
| 52nd | Uzbekistan | 6.28 | Asia | 65% |
| 53rd | Slovakia | 6.25 | Europe | 64% |
| 54th | Bahrain | 6.25 | Asia | 64% |
| 55th | Philippines | 6.21 | Asia | 63% |
| 56th | Paraguay | 6.20 | South America | 62% |
| 57th | Oman | 6.20 | Asia | 62% |
| 58th | Ecuador | 6.14 | South America | 61% |
| 59th | Montenegro | 6.14 | Europe | 60% |
| 60th | Japan | 6.13 | Asia | 60% |
| 61st | Cyprus | 6.13 | Europe | 59% |
| 62nd | Honduras | 6.10 | North America | 58% |
| 63rd | Dominican Republic | 6.09 | North America | 58% |
| 64th | China | 6.07 | Asia | 57% |
| 65th | Kyrgyzstan | 6.05 | Asia | 56% |
| 66th | Colombia | 6.04 | North America | 55% |
| 67th | South Korea | 6.04 | Asia | 55% |
| 68th | Portugal | 6.03 | Europe | 54% |
| 69th | Croatia | 6.01 | Europe | 53% |
| 70th | Malaysia | 6.00 | Asia | 53% |
| 71st | Peru | 5.97 | South America | 52% |
| 72nd | Mauritius | 5.94 | Africa | 51% |
| 73rd | Hungary | 5.94 | Europe | 51% |
| 74th | Mongolia | 5.94 | Asia | 50% |
| 75th | Trinidad and Tobago | 5.91 | North America | 49% |
| 76th | Moldova | 5.85 | Europe | 49% |
| 77th | Bolivia | 5.83 | South America | 48% |
| 78th | Russia | 5.83 | Europe | 47% |
| 79th | Venezuela | 5.76 | North America | 47% |
| 80th | Libya | 5.73 | Africa | 46% |
| 81st | North Macedonia | 5.72 | Europe | 45% |
| 82nd | Algeria | 5.71 | Africa | 45% |
| 83rd | Bulgaria | 5.70 | Europe | 44% |
| 84th | Greece | 5.70 | Europe | 43% |
| 85th | Albania | 5.66 | Europe | 42% |
| 86th | Indonesia | 5.62 | Asia | 42% |
| 87th | Tajikistan | 5.59 | Asia | 41% |
| 88th | Armenia | 5.58 | Europe | 40% |
| 89th | Hong Kong | 5.57 | Asia | 40% |
| 90th | Georgia | 5.52 | Europe | 39% |
| 91st | Laos | 5.51 | Asia | 38% |
| 92nd | Mozambique | 5.34 | Africa | 38% |
| 93rd | Turkey | 5.30 | Europe | 37% |
| 94th | Iraq | 5.21 | Asia | 36% |
| 95th | Gabon | 5.17 | Africa | 36% |
| 96th | Iran | 5.15 | Asia | 35% |
| 97th | Côte d'Ivoire | 5.15 | Africa | 34% |
| 98th | Nepal | 5.15 | Asia | 34% |
| 99th | Cameroon | 5.08 | Africa | 33% |
| 100th | South Africa | 5.01 | Africa | 32% |
| 101st | Azerbaijan | 4.99 | Europe | 32% |
| 102nd | Niger | 4.94 | Africa | 31% |
| 103rd | Pakistan | 4.87 | Asia | 30% |
| 104th | Tunisia | 4.80 | Africa | 29% |
| 105th | Nigeria | 4.79 | Africa | 29% |
| 106th | Senegal | 4.79 | Africa | 28% |
| 107th | Namibia | 4.78 | Africa | 27% |
| 108th | Palestine | 4.69 | Asia | 27% |
| 109th | Kenya | 4.67 | Africa | 26% |
| 110th | Ukraine | 4.66 | Europe | 25% |
| 111st | Morocco | 4.65 | Africa | 25% |
| 112nd | Guinea | 4.61 | Africa | 24% |
| 113rd | Mali | 4.59 | Africa | 23% |
| 114th | Ghana | 4.55 | Africa | 23% |
| 115th | India | 4.54 | Asia | 22% |
| 116th | Somalia | 4.51 | Africa | 21% |
| 117th | Uganda | 4.49 | Africa | 21% |
| 118th | Jordan | 4.48 | Asia | 20% |
| 119th | Mauritania | 4.47 | Africa | 19% |
| 120th | Cambodia | 4.46 | Asia | 18% |
| 121st | Congo | 4.46 | Africa | 18% |
| 122nd | Burkina Faso | 4.46 | Africa | 17% |
| 123rd | Benin | 4.39 | Africa | 16% |
| 124th | Chad | 4.38 | Africa | 16% |
| 125th | Lesotho | 4.38 | Africa | 15% |
| 126th | Bangladesh | 4.32 | Asia | 14% |
| 127th | Gambia | 4.31 | Africa | 14% |
| 128th | Myanmar | 4.29 | Asia | 13% |
| 129th | Liberia | 4.28 | Africa | 12% |
| 130th | Togo | 4.28 | Africa | 12% |
| 131st | Madagascar | 4.17 | Africa | 11% |
| 132nd | Zambia | 4.11 | Africa | 10% |
| 133rd | Sri Lanka | 4.01 | Asia | 10% |
| 134th | Ethiopia | 3.98 | Africa | 9% |
| 135th | Comoros | 3.92 | Africa | 8% |
| 136th | Eswatini | 3.91 | Africa | 8% |
| 137th | Tanzania | 3.90 | Africa | 7% |
| 138th | Egypt | 3.86 | Africa | 6% |
| 139th | Congo, Democratic Republic | 3.76 | Africa | 5% |
| 140th | Lebanon | 3.72 | Asia | 5% |
| 141st | Yemen | 3.53 | Asia | 4% |
| 142nd | Botswana | 3.46 | Africa | 3% |
| 143rd | Zimbabwe | 3.35 | Africa | 3% |
| 144th | Malawi | 3.28 | Africa | 2% |
| 145th | Sierra Leone | 3.25 | Africa | 1% |
| 146th | Afghanistan | 1.45 | Asia | 1% |