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The Happiest Place on Earth!

No, it’s not Disney World. It’s not a tropical island either. It’s Finland—a cold, dark country in northern Europe. So why are people there loving life more than anyone else in the world?  

Jim McMahon/Mapman®

    In Finland, the weather won’t put a smile on your face. Temperatures in winter are cold enough to freeze your fingertips. And in the far north, the sun doesn’t rise for months at a time! It’s dark all day for much of the winter.

    But the Finns don’t seem to care. Every year, experts do a study called the World Happiness Report. They ask people around the globe to rate their lives on a scale of 1 to 10. On average, the Finns give themselves nearly an 8. That makes them the happiest people in the world.

    The weather in Finland won’t make you smile. The winters are very cold. And in the far north, the sun doesn’t rise for months at a time! It’s dark all day for much of the winter.

    But that’s OK. The Finns don’t seem to mind. Every year, experts do a study called the World Happiness Report. They ask people around the world to rate their lives on a scale of 1 to 10. On average, the Finns give themselves nearly an 8. That makes them the happiest people in the world.

    In Finland, the weather won’t put a smile on your face. Temperatures in winter are cold enough to freeze your fingertips. And in the far north, the sun doesn’t rise for months at a time! It’s dark all day for much of the winter.

    But the Finns don’t seem especially bothered by that. Every year, in a study called the World Happiness Report, experts ask people around the globe to rate their lives on a scale of 1 to 10. On average, the Finns give themselves nearly an 8—which makes them the happiest people in the world.

More Than Money

    Why do the Finns enjoy life so much? First of all, most people in Finland make pretty good money. That means they can afford the basics, like food and housing. And they also have money left for the things they love to do, like skiing, fishing, and boating. 

    But experts say money alone doesn’t buy happiness. In Finland, equality is more important than getting rich. Rich people pay a lot of money to the government in taxes. And the government uses those taxes to give all the people in Finland a lot in return.

    Finnish workers get money from the government if they lose their jobs. Everyone in Finland can go to the doctor and get medicine for free. And if you want to go to college in Finland, that’s free too. That makes it easier for people who start out poor to have the kind of life they want.

    Why is life in Finland so great? First of all, most people there make pretty good money. They can afford the basics, like food and housing. And they still have money left for fun things, like skiing, fishing, and boating.

    But in Finland, getting rich isn’t the main thing. Equality matters more. Rich people pay a lot of money to the government in taxes. With that money, the government helps all the people.

    People in Finland get money from the government if they lose their jobs. Everyone there can go to the doctor for free. Medicine is free too. And that’s not all. You can go to college for free. That helps people who start out poor change their lives.

    Why are the Finns so satisfied with their lives? First of all, most people in Finland earn pretty good money. That means they can afford necessities like food and housing, and they also have money for the activities they love, like skiing, fishing, and boating.

    But experts say money alone doesn’t buy happiness. In Finland, equality is more important than getting rich. Wealthy people pay a lot of money to the government in taxes, and the government spends that money on programs that benefit all the people in Finland.

    Finnish workers get money from the government if they lose their jobs. Everyone in Finland can go to the doctor and get medicine for free. Going to college in Finland is free too, which makes it easier for people who start out poor to 

parkerphotography/Alamy Stock Photo (Sleigh); CasarsaGuru/E+/Getty Images (Friends); gadag/Shutterstock.com (College); Joerg Steber/Shutterstock.com (Lake)

Leaving Time for Fun

© Demianchuk Alexander/TASS via ZUMA Press/Newscom (Fan)

    Finns also keep work and play in balance. Companies in Finland have to give workers five weeks of vacation. In the summer, nearly everyone takes off for a full month. Teachers also take it easy on their students. Finnish kids spend only three hours a week on homework. American kids, on average, do six hours a week.

    Are Americans working too hard? They might be. American workers get much less time off than Europeans. And year after year, the United States barely makes the top 20 in the World Happiness Report.

    Maybe we could learn a few things from the people of Finland. 

    In Finland, there’s time for fun. Workers there get five weeks of vacation. In the summer, most people take a month off. Teachers take it easy on their students too. Finnish kids spend only three hours a week on homework. On average, kids in the U.S. do six hours a week.

    Do Americans work too hard? They might. We get less time off than workers in Europe. And then there’s the World Happiness Report. Every year, the U.S. barely makes the top 20.

    Maybe we could learn a few things from the people of Finland. 

    Finns also keep work and play in balance. Companies in Finland have to give employees five weeks of vacation. In the summer, nearly everyone takes off for an entire month. Teachers also take it easy on their students. Finnish kids spend only three hours a week on homework—approximately half the average workload that American kids have.

    Are Americans working too hard? It’s certainly possible. American workers get much less time off than Europeans—and year after year, the United States barely makes the top 20 in the World Happiness Report.

    Maybe we could learn a few lessons from the people of Finland. 

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Social Studies, Culture
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