What do Denmark, Costa Rica and Singapore have in common? Citizens of these countries live, as they say, like in Christ's bosom, believe in the highest meaning of life and enjoy every day - a minimum of stress and a maximum of joy.
Who is the happiest person in the world?
Maybe Alejandro Zuniga? A middle-aged man in good health, a loving father, he enjoys socializing and knows he has a few true friends to rely on. He rarely sleeps less than seven hours a night, walks to work, and eats six servings of fruits and vegetables nearly every day. He works no more than 40 hours a week, loves his job and gets along with his colleagues. He devotes a few more hours a week to volunteering, and on weekends he goes to church and football. In a word, day after day he chooses happiness, which is greatly facilitated by the presence of like-minded people, and also by the green expanses and temperate climate of the Central Valley of Costa Rica.
Another possible candidate is Sidse Clemmensen. Together with a devoted life partner and three small children, she lives in a friendly commune - a housing association where families do housework and look after children together. Sidse is a sociologist, and with such a profession, she has little time for rest. The whole family rides bikes - to work, to school, to the store - a great way to stay in shape. From her modest salary, Clemmensen pays high taxes, but she is provided with medical care, education for her children and, in the future, a pension. In her native Aalborg in Denmark, people are confident that the government will not leave them in trouble.
And finally, the third contender for the title of the happiest person: Douglas Fu. A successful businessman, he drives a $750,000 BMW and lives in a $10 million house. Douglas has a wife and four children who delight their parents with excellent grades. As a schoolboy, he earned his own education and started his own firm, which eventually grew into a $59 million international company.
Mr. Fu earned the respect of subordinates, colleagues and all the surrounding residents. Success was worth a lot of effort, and, Douglas is sure, he would hardly have been able to arrange such a life for himself anywhere outside of Singapore.
Zuniga, Clemmensen and Fu represent three different types of happiness. I will call them pleasure, purposefulness, satisfaction with what has been achieved. In addition, each of our heroes lives in a country where this or that “local” happiness flourishes on fertile soil.
After talking with all three applicants, getting in touch with their native culture, we will try to uncover the secret: why are people in these corners of the planet the happiest? Look at Zuniga - like many Costa Ricans, he lives day after day to the fullest, and the very atmosphere around reduces stress and multiplies joy. Scientists call this type of happiness experienced happiness, or positive affect. It is measured very simply: respondents are asked how many times in the last 24 hours they smiled, laughed or felt joy. Zunigi's homeland is the happiest country not only in Latin America. Judging by the polls, Zunigi's compatriots experience more positive emotions in Everyday life than anyone else on the planet.
Clemmensen had a kind of happiness, characteristic of purposeful Danes. As with other forms of happiness, the default assumption is that basic needs are met, so that people can do what they love at work and at leisure. This is eudaimonic happiness - this term comes from the ancient Greek word meaning "happiness, bliss." The concept itself gained popularity thanks to Aristotle, who believed that only a life filled with meaning, a matter worth laboring, gives true happiness. When conducting research, Gallup invites respondents to remember what they learned or did interestingly yesterday. In Denmark - which for 40 years has consistently occupied the top lines in the rankings of the most happy countries Europe, it's just easy for people to live. As for Mr. Fu, with all his energy and many talents, he confirms the reputation of Singaporeans, known for their fanatical craving for success. Their happiness is "satisfaction with life." To determine its level, sociologists often ask respondents to rate their lives on a scale from zero to ten. This type of happiness is also called evaluative. All over the world, it is considered a measure of well-being. In terms of life satisfaction, Singapore is a clear leader among Asian countries.
Columbia University researchers, commissioned by the United Nations to publish the annual World Happiness Report, found that three-quarters of a person's happiness is determined by six factors: stable economic growth, healthy life expectancy, quality of social relationships, generosity, trust and freedom. choose your own path. All these factors directly depend on the government of the country and its cultural values. In general, we can say that the happiest corners of the planet nurture the happiness of their inhabitants. Zuniga, Clemmensen and Fu are determined to achieve their goals - but not at the expense of joy and laughter - and are proud of what they are doing now and what they have already achieved. In many situations, they are helped by their native land - the country and the city, the street and the house. The ground under your feet and the people around you give support, constantly encouraging them to do things that attract happiness.
COSTA RICA
JOY EVERY DAY: HEALTH, FAITH, FAMILYMATTHEW PALEY In the middle of a busy day, Maria del Carmen Chorsrecha Patterson (right) decided to take a break: from the restaurant she runs in Limone, she went to a nearby bar to dance to upbeat music. Costa Ricans always find time for small pleasures, family and friends.
Let's return to Alejandro Zuniga, a fruit and vegetable vendor at the central market in the city of Cartago, east of San José, the capital of Costa Rica. This 57-year-old big man has been working here for many years. Whenever one of the sixty other merchants falls ill or gets into trouble, it is Zuniga who collects the money. On weekends, he takes out for a football game to cheer on his favorite team in the city, C.S. Cartaginés (the team, alas, there are not enough stars from the sky, but this is not the main thing). Zuniga is a charismatic person and a born leader.
One evening his phone rang. “You won the lottery,” came the voice of a friend over the phone.
Zuniga, the caller said, got a lucky ticket: he was due 50 million colones (at that time about 93 thousand dollars). But Alejandro did not believe his friend, a well-known lover of practical jokes: he had a difficult day behind him, and besides, the avocados did not sell. “I thought it was a stupid joke,” he recalls. “I have eight dollars left in my pocket.”
In his heart he hung up.
The next day, when Zuniga came to work, he was met with a flurry of applause. The news of the win spread throughout the county.
Feeling dizzy, Zuniga moved along the stalls, shaking hands with each vendor. Everyone knew: life did not indulge him. He grew up in the slums, dropped out of school at the age of 12 to earn his own bread, he had problems with alcohol, and at 20 the love of his life broke his heart: his beloved left him.
And now Zuniga suddenly became a millionaire, and his comrades mentally said goodbye to him, deciding that he would certainly exchange them for a new, prosperous life. But week after week passed, and our hero slowly distributed the wealth that had fallen on him. A million columns to a friend from whom I bought that lucky ticket. A million to the owner of the diner, who fed him in times of famine. Another million to a beggar I know in the market, and the rest to my mother and four mothers of their seven children. Less than a year later, he was already broke again. And he doesn't care about grief. "I am absolutely happy!" says Alejandro.
MATTHEW PALEY Only three students go to school in La Central, a farming village an hour from Cartago. In the photo: the trinity has lunch in a cafe in the company of a teacher. The crucifix was moved here from the church during the eruption of the Turrialba volcano: it was considered that it would be safer here. Primary and secondary education is compulsory and free, and the country's literacy rate reaches 97.8%.
To understand its resilient character, you need to know Costa Rica well, where, thanks to geography and social policy, a “cocktail of happiness” has turned out. Its components: a strong family, universal health care, faith in God, a peaceful sky above your head, equality and generosity. These ingredients make up the recipe: how to enjoy life day after day. This is the key to the first form of happiness - enjoyment. Here in Costa Rica, this well-being love potion brings more happiness per dollar of GDP than anywhere else in the world.
Let's try to understand Alejandro. He has neither a car, nor gold-diamonds, nor expensive equipment - but he does not need all this for happiness and self-respect. He lives in a country where the last 100 years have been marked by the support of every citizen. In most states Central America after independence, large landowners reigned, whose interests were guarded by presidents who relied on the support of the army - but Costa Rica took a different path.
MATTHEW PALEY Paramedic Ileana Alvarez-Chávez, as part of the Costa Rica government health program, came to 68-year-old single widow Mayela Orozco to take an elderly woman's blood pressure and take tests. In a year, Alvarez-Chavez will visit every house in Paraiso. The emphasis on preventive medicine has helped reduce child mortality and increase life expectancy.
The impregnable mountain ranges pitted with gorges did not contribute to the growth of plantations. But the international demand for coffee played into the hands of small owners and free-spirited farmers of the Central Valley. Costa Ricans elected teachers unencumbered by colonial vestiges as presidents - their policies launched a spiral of prosperity. In 1869, a law was passed in Costa Rica that made primary education compulsory for all children—remarkably, for girls as well. By 1930, the literacy rate was one of the highest in Latin America. At the same time, the authorities ensured clean water in the villages, declaring war on deadly childhood diseases, as well as cholera and diarrhea. By 1961, laws for nationwide health care had been passed, and free first-aid posts appeared in most villages. Costa Rica remains on course today. One winter morning, I volunteered to join paramedic Ileana Alvarez-Chavez as she went on a round of patients through the verdant city of Paraiso in the Central Valley. Ileana is a member of the Basic Comprehensive Health Services Team (EBAIS): This national system was created in the mid-1990s to keep Costa Ricans healthy. Small teams - a doctor, a nurse, a receptionist and several paramedics - are entrusted with the health care of about three and a half thousand people. Alvarez-Chavez's daily detour rate is at least a dozen houses. She spends half an hour in each, because you need to make an entry in the medical record, measure pressure, get vaccinated, give recommendations and make sure that the water has not stagnated anywhere (in standing water mosquitoes are breeding grounds for the Zika virus. Having visited the 89-year-old Aurora Brenes, Ileana compiled an inventory of all her medications, measured her blood pressure and wrote the old woman to the doctor of her team. “Often I have time to catch the disease before it has developed into diabetes or a heart attack,” says Alvarez-Chavez. “Many of my patients are lonely people, and they are already grateful that someone is paying attention to them.”
Since 1970, life expectancy in Costa Rica has jumped from 66 to 80, and infant mortality has dropped sevenfold. Compared to the United States, the death rate from heart disease among men is about a third lower, although health care costs per capita are ten times less. As former President José María Figueres Olsen argued, Costa Rica's health care system works so well because health care is its top priority. “In the United States, there are incentives focused on increasing spending,” Figueres emphasized at the time. “And here, for many years, the emphasis has been on preventive medicine, because, frankly, the goal of a competent health policy is the same – to prevent people from getting sick.”
In short, the social system of Costa Rica satisfies the basic needs of citizens. Mariano Rojas, a native of these places, an economist and expert in the wisdom of happiness, at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences in Mexico City, says this: people can earn their daily bread.”
DENMARK
WHEN BASIC NEEDS ARE MET, IT IS EASIER TO DO WHAT YOU LOVE 
CORY RICHARDS On a farm north of Copenhagen, schoolchildren pick vegetables they have grown themselves. All that is left is to cook and eat together - all this is provided for by the program that teaches children to love and protect nature. The Danes love such joint events.
Denmark also cares about the welfare of its citizens, and Sidse Clemmensen is just one of them. Sitting in her kitchen, this 35-year-old working mom, a short-haired young woman in a sleeveless blouse and Moroccan slippers, sips her tea with a sparkling diamond in her nose.
“The state provides me with everything I need,” says Clemmensen. - The children are happy. I have a wonderful husband. And my favorite job. I know that nothing really terrible will happen to me.”
The Clemmensen family settled in Aalborg in a housing association - bofællesskab in Danish. Each of the 22 families owns a house, and on the common area there is a huge garden, laundry, workshop, warehouse, parking and a dining room where you can share a meal with everyone.
The housing association is a refined mix of private and public in a true Scandinavian spirit, a good metaphor for the entire Danish society, where trust and partnership play an important role. According to the sociologist from the University of Copenhagen Peter Gundelach, the evolution of Danish society is rooted in the Second War of Schleswig in 1864, when a quarter of the country's territory went to Prussia. “That defeat extinguished in us the desire to be a world superpower,” he says. - It calmed us down. The government began to strengthen our national identity - to build pillars from the inside.
CORY RICHARDS A Cuban immigrant, infected by the Danes with a passion for socializing, dances with his half-Danish daughter on a lawn near the beach in Copenhagen, a favorite meeting place for citizens. The Danes have always warmly welcomed visitors, however, the recent migration crisis has somewhat cooled their enthusiasm.
Since childhood, Danes have been aware of their right to health care, education and financial protection. If a child appears in a family (including same-sex marriage), parents have the right to go on maternity leave for a whole year and receive state benefits in the amount of almost their full salary. In Denmark, people work hard, but on average less than 40 hours a week, and go on vacation five weeks a year. The price of such generous social benefits is one of the highest income tax rates in the world. This universal equalizer allows the garbage collector to actually earn more than the doctor.
“The happiness of the Danes is closely related to their concept of tryghed - a sense of security, as if you were curled up in bed and the blanket was tucked in from all sides. It starts with a mother's love and ends with a relationship with the government, says Jonathan Schwartz, an American anthropologist who lives and works in Copenhagen. “The system doesn’t so much guarantee happiness as it keeps people from doing things that will make them unhappy.” Another important component of happiness in Danish is the ability to find time for self-realization. Over 90 percent of Danes are members of some kind of club or society, ranging from cold water swimming to raising rabbits, and more than 40 percent voluntarily join public organizations. “The Danes seem to understand the totality of human needs like no one else,” says Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a psychologist at Claremont Graduate University in California. “People need to be tested. That's the way we are. Overcoming difficulties, we become more confident. This is what happiness is built on.”
SINGAPORE
THE ROAD THAT LEADS TO SUCCESS 
MATTHEW PALEY To mark the end of training, soldiers stage a night march to the world's largest floating stage. Military service builds purposefulness and unity, holding the main ethnic groups of the country together with strong bonds. The army is a symbol of security, which is so highly valued by the people of Singapore.
Singapore has found its own path to happiness. A prime example is Douglas Fu. Mr Fu runs Singapore's largest chain of fast-food sushi restaurants, Sakae Sushi, and manages to find time to volunteer at 22 organizations. On a 14-hour day, he dresses in one of his custom-made blue suits and presides over a dozen meetings. His signature style is a combination of refined ceremony, attentive focus, determination and humor. His ability to defuse the situation with an unexpected outburst of laughter, coupled with tireless work capacity, earned him at least all the outward attributes of "success in Singapore." He will tell you that he is happy, but deep down he feels that he has not yet conquered one of the peaks. At 48, Fu walks through life in the ranks of generations - between those who fought desperately for life in the 1960s and stood at the cradle of independent Singapore and the current 20-year-olds. In a little over half a century, a country located on a piece of land 49 kilometers long has turned from a fishing village into a state where 5.8 million citizens live among thousands of skyscrapers and over a hundred and a half shopping centers - a metropolis lined with green streets. Success for Singaporeans lies at the end of a well-known path - follow the rules, study at a good school, find Good work, and it's in the bag! In an equal opportunity society, talent and hard work are always rewarded.
CORY RICHARDS Three family members are immersed in prayer over an urn with the ashes of a deceased relative. They participate in a dramatic online ceremony accompanied by a laser show in a luxurious columbarium. For many Singaporeans, wealth - and its showy display - important element happiness formulas.
Singaporeans may complain that prices are rising and they are spinning around at work, but almost everyone talks about feeling secure and trusting each other. The creator of this social experiment was the late Lee Kuan Yew, who in 1965 led the movement for the independence of Singapore. Feeling deep reverence for traditional Asian values, Lee set out to build a society based on harmony, respect and work. Everyone who took up work, even in the most modest field, could count on a decent salary. Under the labor welfare program, low wages were offset by subsidies for housing and medical care. Although the bulk of the population is made up of Chinese (74.3%), Malays (13.4%) and Indians (9.1%), the Lee government has retained English as an intermediary language so that none of the nations can pull the blanket over myself. It guaranteed freedom of religion, equal education for all, and provided subsidies for the purchase of real estate. As a result, today Singaporeans represent the third kind of happiness - the one that experts call life satisfaction. The indicator jumps up if you live in accordance with your own values and are proud of your achievements. You have achieved financial stability and high status and feel that you are in the right place. Alas, the path to such happiness can stretch for many years, and often you have to pay for it with those small, momentary joys for which our life is so generous.
Norway is the happiest country in the world this year, overtaking Denmark for first place in a happiness survey. It would seem that such an ephemeral substance as happiness can not only be evaluated, but also measured by a number of completely accurate parameters.
The oil-rich, fjord-rich country ranked first in the UN's 2017 World Happiness Report, up from fourth in last year's rankings.
The top ten included 7 states of Europe, including 5 Scandinavian countries.
“Norway climbed to the top of the rankings despite the decline in oil prices,” the report says. “It is sometimes said that Norway secures and maintains its high bar of happiness not because of its oil wealth, but in spite of it.”
And there is a reasonable explanation for this: “By choosing not the fastest pace in the process of oil production, Norway prefers to invest the funds received in the future, rather than spending them in the present. In this way, Norway shielded itself from the volatility of rising and falling prices, which affects many other countries rich in natural resources. Successful completion of tasks requires high level mutual trust, commonality of purpose, generosity and good management - that is, all the factors that help to keep the position of Norway and several other countries in the ranking of happiness.”
The least happy of the 155 countries studied by the authors of the report are sub-Saharan Africa, along with Syria and Yemen. Countries were ranked on such parameters as healthy life expectancy, freedom of choice, employment opportunities, social security, lack of corruption in government and business. This is the fifth annual report on happiness published by the United Nations.
What makes countries happy?
“Happy countries are those that have a healthy, positive balance of prosperity, as it is conventionally measured, and social capital. This means a high degree of trust in society, a low level of inequality and trust in the government,” said Jeffrey Sachs, director of the UDSN and Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General, in an interview.
A well-known economist said that the US is falling in the rankings (now ranked 14th) due to inequality, mistrust, corruption and economic measures that the administration of President Donald Trump intends to use. According to him, people expect the worst.
“These measures are aimed at increasing inequality - cutting taxes on the top, abolishing mandatory health insurance, increasing defense spending. I think everything is going in the wrong direction,” he explained.
Behind last years economic and political shocks have led to a significant decline in the level of well-being of some countries. So the crisis in the euro area reduced the feeling of happiness in Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain. And the sharpest drop in the rating happened with Egypt. The authors of the study say that the most significant factor that affects the fact that people do not feel happy is the inability to make free choices, and not low income, as it might seem. However, poverty has never made anyone happy either.
Here are the most incredible landscapes, clean rivers and free education. And the people are the most positive, smiling and friendly. Do you think this is a fairy tale? national geographic According to the UN, he was in the top ten happiest countries.
Sweden
Sweden is one of the countries Northern Europe where the level of satisfaction with life is very high. The secret of the inhabitants of this country is in the Swedish tradition of fika (Fika), which means taking a break from work to drink coffee and discuss news and business with friends. Such a break lasts 15 minutes, and they arrange it every 2 hours. By the way, Sweden is one of the largest consumers of coffee.
Australia
Australia has a very low level of pollution and a high level of cohesion and sociability of the local people. And it's all about the love of barbecue. Australian parks often host paid or free barbecue picnics to hang out with friends and have fun. But if you don't have Australian friends, then a BBQ tour (BBQ and XXXX Brewery) is a great chance to make them. And visit breweries together and taste Australian meat dishes.
New Zealand
How can you not be happy when you are surrounded by blue mountains, wild nature and such fabulous views? Low pollution and the most diverse animal world make the people of this country truly happy.
Netherlands
Residents of the Netherlands are distinguished by high physical activity and a love of cycling. They pride themselves on their 30,000 km long cycle paths for safe travel. Don't forget to rent a bike and hire a bike guide when you're in Amsterdam.
Canada
One of the most big countries the world is a real paradise for travelers. The inhabitants of this country can boast of many beautiful national parks with rocky mountains and wide open spaces. Just look at these views - that's why they are so happy.
Finland
All worries and problems are instantly evaporated in a traditional Finnish sauna. Despite the small population of the country - only 5.2 million people, there are 3.3 million saunas in Finland, which are literally everywhere - from the shores of lakes to office buildings.
Norway
Norwegians are proud of the nature of their country and treat it very carefully. It is believed that climbing one of the highest mountains called Skala takes away all worries from a person. Almost anywhere in the country, wherever you want, you can put up a tent and enjoy the beauty of nature.
Iceland
Volcanoes, wild beaches, hot springs and gorgeous views - that's what makes the inhabitants of this country happy. And how can one not forget about everything in the world, lying in warm blue waters and contemplating such views.
Switzerland
A country with so many types of chocolate, by definition, cannot be unhappy. Residents here are only for a healthy lifestyle - they ski, kayak and paragliding. Therefore, Switzerland has the lowest percentage of obesity.
Denmark
Denmark is considered the happiest country in the world. And not just like that, because education and healthcare are completely free. Residents are proud of their sense of unity: even if they do not know you, this does not mean at all that they will not invite you for a cup of tea.
Rich people live in Switzerland, disciplined people live in Germany, healthy people live in Iceland. Where do the happiest people in the world live? We tried to find out this question and here's what we found.
Denmark
According to opinion polls in Denmark, 82% of the population feel completely satisfied and happy, only 17% experience problems, and only 1% of respondents suffer and are dissatisfied with life.
And there is an explanation for this: Danes receive free medical care, gender equality flourishes, and the state helps parents by extending paid parental leave. Plus, a favorable economic situation, a low level of corruption and a lack of natural disasters. And the Danish secret of happiness lies in small demands: the population of this country for the most part is satisfied with what they have.
Norway
In another northern European country, almost 95% of the population claims to be happy. Why not? Norway has one of the highest GDP per capita per year. In addition, 74% of Norwegians trust other people and do not experience anxiety.
The level of inflation and unemployment in the country is very low, but the level of salaries is one of the highest in the world - for example, the average monthly salary is 3950 euros. Norway is safe: here you can safely walk the streets at night and back streets during the day. The local population breathes clean air and drinks tap water, goes in for sports and drives on quality roads. Why not heaven?
Costa Rica
Endless beaches, rosy sunsets, rainforests and gentle weather - this is Costa Rica. Pura vida (life is beautiful) is what the locals like to say. Still, here any person feels one with nature, and the local landscapes are so beautiful that it is simply impossible to be angry, sad or worried. This is probably why the average life expectancy in Costa Rica is 79.3 years.
And yet there is no army and polluted megacities, but there are many nature reserves and national parks, cozy villages and eco-farms. Thank you and only.
Vietnam
Among Asian countries, the highest world index of happiness (Happy Planet Index) is registered in Vietnam. Over the past decades, this country has made a huge leap in development and has become one of the most popular among tourists from all over the world.
The locals are quite satisfied with their lives, so general level satisfaction is very high. And it's easy to see: the Vietnamese are friendly and open, they just don't know how to get angry!
Netherlands
The glory of the country of legal drugs, prostitutes and tulips has been fixed for Holland. And the Dutch themselves are not against such an image: more flow of adventurers, which means more money flow into the country. It is very clean here, and the local population will give odds to the Germans in pedantry and accuracy. Civil consciousness is high, everyone is responsible not only for himself, but also for his house, street and country.
High salaries and excellent working conditions, however, do not make the Dutch workaholics. They know how to find a balance between work and leisure, so the coefficient of life satisfaction here is 9 points out of 10 according to Bloomberg.com.
Canada
Canada is one of the happiest big countries. People here are realists, so they rarely complain about life. Still: incomes are stable and high, a reliable social component, long life expectancy and good ecology.
The degree of satisfaction increases with distance from large cities: for example, in Toronto, only a third of the population rated their level of happiness at 9-10 points, but in Sudbury (a small town in the province of Ontario), this is already 45% of the population.
Colombia
We know about this country only that there is excellent coffee. But there are other reasons for joy here: a warm climate, diverse nature, colorful national holidays. And although the local population does not live well, nevertheless, about 85% of the respondents experience a feeling of happiness here. Colombians are fatalists and love their country.
More recently, Colombia was considered not the quietest place on earth, but recently it has become quieter and calmer here. Tourism is developing, the social component is improving, and the government is strenuously fighting crime. Maybe soon Colombia will top the list of the happiest countries in the world?
New Zealand
Beautiful landscapes of New Zealand attract not only directors from Hollywood. People come here for a happy share - it’s not for nothing that in 2016 this country surpassed its neighbor Australia in terms of happiness.
New Zealanders feel protected; social support from the state is extremely developed here. In addition, the local population has been accustomed to an active lifestyle and sports since childhood, and therefore the average life expectancy is 83 years. And yet - the people of New Zealand are complacent and friendly towards each other.
Finland
And again the European North. This country is famous for one of the most the best systems education in the world. Teachers here are required to have a master's degree, and in schools they pay attention not so much to theory as to practice. Not surprisingly, the specialists here have a high level of knowledge and equally high wages.
Another feature of Finland is the insignificant difference in the standard of living of the inhabitants, everyone is equal here. The low level of corruption in Finns, high-quality medical services, love of art - all the conditions for a happy life.
Sweden
And Sweden closes the top ten happiest countries. 88% of the local residents can say with confidence about their happiness.
This is a business paradise. There are many opportunities and conditions for entrepreneurs, so the number of start-ups and start-ups is very high. A prosperous and stable Swedish economy minimizes the risks of long-term investments. Sweden also has a high level of education and social security, excellent ecology and a low level of corruption.
This is what the top ten happiest countries in the world look like. And if you're still looking for a place to live, you can visit the places on the list and see what's what. But in fact, happiness does not depend on geography. Be free, active, enjoy life, and happiness will be with you anywhere in the world!
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Music teacher
The happiest person in the world is considered to be a music teacher from Croatia - Frain Selak. Horvat in June 2003 (at the age of 74), having bought a lottery ticket for the first time in 40 years, won more than $ 1 million. But he became known to the whole world even before winning - for his ability to survive. Selak survived seven fatal disasters without significant health consequences.
In 1962, Selak's train from Sarajevo to Dubrovnik derailed and fell into an icy river. Then 17 passengers died, the Croat managed to swim ashore with a broken arm, resulting in very severe hypothermia, bruises and shock.
Airplane flight
In 1963, Frain Selak fell out of a DC-8 airplane flying from the city of Zagreb to the city of Rijeka - during the flight, the door of the aircraft suddenly opened. A couple of minutes later, the plane crashed, killing 19 people, and Selak came to his senses - he was found with cuts and bruises in a haystack.
In 1966, Selak was riding a bus to the city of Split when it went off the road and fell into a river. Four people died, and the Croat swam ashore with cuts and bruises, having experienced a severe shock.
In 1970, he was driving his car, which suddenly caught fire, and Selak managed to get out a few seconds before the fuel tank exploded.
On the edge of a cliff
In 1973, Frain Selak lost almost all of his hair - a faulty fuel pump sprayed gasoline on a hot car engine, and flames burst straight out of the vent.
In 1995, in Zagreb, Selak was hit by a city bus, but again escaped with only minor bruises.
In 1996, Frain Selak was driving a car on a mountain road when he saw a truck coming towards him around the corner. Selak's car crashed into a road barrier, broke through it and hung on the edge of a cliff.
At the last moment, the Croatian jumped out of the car, landing on a tree, and soon saw a Skoda explode 90 meters below him.
Oh lucky man
The happiest man in the world, nicknamed Lucky in his homeland, said after winning the lottery: “It’s like I was born again. The Lord has been protecting me all my life, and now he has given me such a fabulous gift.”