Lebanon is facing a crippling economic crisis that has caused a shocking jump in poverty and food insecurity in recent years. Plummeting economic activity, roiling political instability, and skyrocketing inflation following decades of governmental mismanagement by sectarian elites have turned a scenic country that was once called the “Switzerland of the Middle East” into a land of economic despair for much of the country’s population. (No wonder it;s one of the countries where at least half the population wants to move away.)
These challenging conditions have helped push Lebanon near the bottom of a list of the world’s 137 “happiest” countries, as measured by the 2023 edition of the annual global World Happiness Report published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
The survey compares countries based on factors including GDP per capita, quality of social support, healthy life expectancy, and perceptions of individual freedoms. Only Afghanistan, the impoverished Central Asian country ruled by religious fanatics that has broiled under two decades of war, ranks lower than Lebanon. (On the other end of the scale, these are the happiest countries in the world.)
What can be gleaned from the report is that the world’s “happiest countries” tend to be smaller by population and more affluent than their unhappier counterparts. Finland, a capitalist democracy with comforting social programs, has the same population as Lebanon, but the Finnish have a GDP that’s about 10 times larger, with far greater political and social stability.
The median population for the world’s 30 unhappiest countries is 20.9 million, roughly equivalent to the population of Mali, Africa’s eighth largest country, while the 30 happiest countries have a median population of 9.2 million, about the population of Israel.
The 30 least happy countries also rank lower in per capita GDP than any of the 30 happiest ones – but looking only at per capita GDP can be misleading. For example, Lebanon’s per capita GDP of about $13,000 is many times higher than that of most of the African countries on this list, but it ranks below any African nations on the list.
For the 30 least happy countries, median healthy life expectancy (the average number of years a person lives without disabilities, illnesses, or injuries) is 58.3 years, compared to 71.1 years in the 30 happiest countries. The African country of Chad has the lowest healthy life expectancy of all – just 53.1 years.
30. Pakistan
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.555 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $5,232 – #105 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 57.3 years – #116 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 231,402,117
29. Niger
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.501 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: N/A
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $1,187 – #135 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 56.5 years – #121 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 25,252,722
28. Tunisia
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.497 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $10,398 – #85 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 67.0 years – #57 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 12,262,946
27. Kenya
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.487 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $4,743 – #108 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 58.5 years – #110 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 51,392,565
26. Sri Lanka
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.442 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $13,387 – #73 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 67.1 years – #53 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 22,156,000
25. Uganda
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.432 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $2,246 – #122 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 58.9 years – #108 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 45,853,778
24. Chad
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.397 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: N/A
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $1,425 – #132 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 53.1 years – #135 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 17,179,740
23. Cambodia
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.393 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $4,355 – #109 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 61.9 years – #97 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 16,589,023
22. Benin
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.374 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $3,322 – #115 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 56.1 years – #122 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 12,996,895
21. Myanmar
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.372 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $4,033 – #110 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 61.4 years – #99 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 53,798,084
20. Bangladesh
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.282 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $5,911 – #99 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 64.5 years – #83 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 169,356,251
19. Gambia
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.279 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: N/A
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: N/A
> GDP per capita: $2,134 – #124 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 57.9 years – #114 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 2,639,916
18. Mali
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.198 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $2,121 – #126 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 55.4 years – #126 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 21,904,983
17. Egypt
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.170 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $10,734 – #82 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 63.5 years – #91 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 109,262,178
16. Togo
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.137 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: growing
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: N/A
> GDP per capita: $2,125 – #125 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 57.4 years – #115 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 8,644,829
15. Jordan
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.120 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: growing
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $9,223 – #87 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 67.6 years – #47 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 11,148,278
14. Ethiopia
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.091 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $2,319 – #121 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 60.7 years – #102 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 120,283,026
13. Liberia
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.042 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: N/A
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: N/A
> GDP per capita: $1,423 – #133 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 56.7 years – #120 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 5,193,416
12. India
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.036 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $6,592 – #97 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 60.8 years – #101 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 1,407,563,842
11. Madagascar
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 4.019 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $1,464 – #131 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 58.0 years – #113 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 28,915,653
10. Zambia
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 3.982 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: growing
> GDP per capita: $3,237 – #116 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 55.0 years – #128 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 19,473,125
9. Tanzania
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 3.694 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $2,582 – #120 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 59.4 years – #107 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 63,588,334
8. Comoros
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 3.545 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: N/A
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $3,229 – #118 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 59.4 years – #106 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 821,625
7. Malawi
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 3.495 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $1,491 – #130 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 58.5 years – #111 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 19,889,742
6. Botswana
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 3.435 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: N/A
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $14,841 – #65 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 54.7 years – #131 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 2,588,423
5. Congo (Kinshasa)
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 3.207 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: N/A
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $1,074 – #136 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 55.4 years – #127 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 95,894,118
4. Zimbabwe
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 3.204 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: growing
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $2,115 – #127 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 54.0 years – #134 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 15,993,524
3. Sierra Leone
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 3.138 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: N/A
> GDP per capita: $1,615 – #128 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 54.9 years – #129 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 8,420,641
2. Lebanon
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 2.392 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $12,977 – #75 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 66.1 years – #66 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 5,592,631
1. Afghanistan
> Happiness score, 2020-2022: 1.859 out of 10
> Change in happiness during pandemic: declining
> Change in happiness 2012-2022: declining
> GDP per capita: $1,516 – #129 highest of 137 countries
> Healthy life expectancy: 54.7 years – #132 highest of 137 countries
> Population: 40,099,462
Methodology
o find the 30 least happy countries in the world, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the World Happiness Report 2023 published by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, powered by the Gallup World Poll data. Countries are ranked by the average Life Ladder subjective well-being score for the pandemic years 2020-2022.
Life Ladder scores are based on the Gallup World Survey, which asked people across 137 countries the following question: “Please imagine a ladder, with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time?”
The report attempts to decompose a country’s average ladder score into components explained by six hypothesized underlying determinants: GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, perceived freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perception of corruption.
24/7 Tempo added 2021 population and gross domestic product per capita data from the World Bank. GDP per capita is based on purchasing power parity converted to 2017 international dollars. For countries missing from the World Bank data, 2019 population and GDP per capita were drawn from Penn World Table version 10.01.