How to Measure Happiness Around the World | National Geographic

Can you measure happiness? It's not an easy task, but every year the Gallup World Poll tries to estimate how happy people are in a hundred and forty countries around the world. Where do they even start? Frequency of smiley face emojis? Number of hugs given per day?

We actually start by asking a few simple questions. First, researchers ask people to rate their lives on a scale of zero to ten, zero being the pits and ten being the happiest possible. If you rate your lives on a seven or higher, you're considered to be thriving. Way to go!

What stands out when you dig deeper into these poll results? One thing is clear: different cultures have different ideas of what it means to thrive. For example, Latin Americans tend to place an especially high value on positive emotions, including laughter, and consistently score highest in the daily positive experiences.

So it's no surprise that in Costa Rica, healthy and green living means happiness. Investments in health care, education, sustainability, and biodiversity have helped Costa Ricans flourish. The beautiful natural landscape also leads to a limited-stress lifestyle.

Across the pond, Danes ranked among the happiest countries in the poll. They believe they have a right to health care, education, and a financial safety net. At least half of Danes are thriving when it comes to financial well-being and community engagement.

Meanwhile, Singapore is rooted in traditional Asian values of harmony, respect, and hard work. That's why, over the last decade, it has led Southeast Asia in happiness and overall satisfaction with life.

So how can we increase happiness? Well, the data just isn't there yet. More research is needed to truly understand what makes people feel good across cultures. We know that physical health and vitality are the most important metrics for well-being.

But in the short term, a good place to start is to find happiness in everyday life. Go to a park with a friend, play with a puppy, find a hobby. Mostly, just stay healthy and discover what's important to you.

So how do you measure happiness, and what makes you happy? [Music]