If You're Traveling this Year, You May Want to Visit One of These 10 Happiest Countries

March 20 is the first day of spring, which usually brightens the mood of any cold-weather critic.

March 20 also is known as “International Day of Happiness” and is celebrated by the World Happiness Report and its spotlight on the world’s happiest places.

DON'T MISS: If You're Planning to Fly This Spring, You'll Want to Be Prepared for This Travel Issue

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Where Are the 10 Happiest Countries? 

The 2023 World Happiness Report, a publication of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Gallup World Poll data, said the planet could really use some good vibes right now.

“The ultimate goal of politics and ethics should be human well-being,” said Columbia University economics professor and World Happiness report contributor Jeffrey Sachs. “The happiness movement shows that well-being is not a ‘soft’ and ‘vague’ idea but rather focuses on life areas of critical importance: material conditions, mental and physical wealth, personal virtues, and good citizenship.”

What countries rank the highest on the 2023 global happiness list? Here’s how the top-ten rank (out of 137 countries studied), according to the report.

1. Finland. This represents the sixth straight year that Finland ranked “number one” on the World Happiness Report.

2. Denmark. There must be something in the water in Scandinavian countries, as Denmark is also high on the “Happiest country” list this year.

3. Iceland. Nordic countries make it three for three with Iceland’s inclusion on the list.
   

4. Israel. This Middle East mainstay moves up five spots on the happiness list since 2022.
   

5. The Netherlands. It’s back to Scandinavia with the Dutch, who make it four-for-five on the World Happiness list.
   

6. Sweden. No surprise here, as Sweden routinely earns high marks for livability.
   

7. Norway. No list of “happy” Nordic countries would be complete with Norway, which clocks in at #7 on the World Happiness survey.
   

8. Switzerland. This Alps paradise breaks the Nordic streak, with one of the highest “content country” scores in this year’s World Happiness report.
   

9. Luxembourg. With Luxembourg earning top-ten status on the list, good things really do come in small packages.
   

10. New Zealand. This Pacific wonderland rounds out the World Happiness top ten list (with neighbor Australia just down the list at #12.)
    

For the record, the U.S. ranked 15^th on the list, while Canada clocked in at 13.