In 2024, Finland continues to reign because the happiest nation on Earth, a title it has proudly held for seven consecutive years. This Nordic gem persistently outshines world powerhouses just like the US, UK, and Canada.
To know why, let’s discover ten data-driven causes, complemented by the firsthand experiences of Jade Ventoniemi, an American entrepreneur whose first go to to Finland modified her thoughts about residing within the US. She has since relocated to Finland and thriving in enterprise.
Finland’s social help methods are a mannequin of effectivity. In line with the World Happiness Report, Finland scores 9.5 out of 10 in perceived social help in comparison with decrease scores within the US (7.1), UK (8.3), and Canada (8.9).
Jade’s observations of kids and the aged confidently navigating public areas with out worry communicate volumes in regards to the group’s cohesion and mutual help.
Jade writes in her article on CNBC: “Throughout my (first) journey, I didn’t witness any homelessness. Youngsters as younger as six-years-old safely took public transportation on their very own, and I noticed many senior residents navigate their walkers to the grocery retailer with ease. Finland’s society appeared prefer it was constructed on a basis of each independence and care, and that stayed with me.”
2. Excessive Belief in Authorities
The Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency Worldwide ranks Finland as one of many least corrupt nations globally, with a rating of 87/100 in 2024, considerably increased than the US (67), UK (78), and Canada (79), fostering better belief in public establishments.
“I’ve been struck by how a lot everybody appears to care about one another right here. It looks as if issues are designed to make life simpler and to assist folks thrive. New mother and father have beneficiant depart packages at work. Taking day without work is required by legislation, and there’s a important tradition of pay transparency. Yearly, the Finnish authorities shares everybody’s taxable earnings, and anybody can have a look,” she says.
3. Private Freedom
Finns get pleasure from substantial private freedom, with an index rating of 9.7 out of 10, indicating that they really feel empowered to make life selections. This compares favorably with the US (7.9), UK (8.4), and Canada (9.2), in keeping with the World Happiness Report.
Jade’s transition from a content material advertising specialist to launching her personal profitable agency exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit that the Finnish atmosphere nurtures.
“At the start of 2024, after a number of years of working as a content material advertising specialist, I launched my very own advertising agency. My purchasers are Nordic corporations within the tourism and retail industries. In my company job, my earnings was about $4,348 per thirty days. Now that I’m working for myself, I made about $21,739 within the first quarter of the yr,” she mentioned.