A global survey of contentment has found that the British are the happiest people in the EU.
Britain is the ONLY country in the EU where the MAJORITY of people said they are "very happy" - 51%.
The next happiest people were the Danes, a full 6% behind the British.
And (to probably make the British a little bit happier) the survey found that the Australians are rather a gloomy bunch. Only the Hungarians were found to be more unhappy than the Aussies.
The survey, conducted by psychologists from America's Harvard University, have been conducting the survey every few years since 1981. High living standards and democracy are key contributors to happiness.
Happy days
Jolly Brits ... Britain is only European nation with a majority of people saying they are "very happy"
By TIM SPANTON
Published: 28 Aug 2008
The Sun
FORGET the credit crunch — Britain was yesterday revealed as the happiest nation in Europe.
Fifty-one per cent of us reckon we are “very happy,” a global survey of contentment found.
That’s the highest rate in the EU and is up from just 38 per cent 27 years ago.
The survey also showed we are much more cheerful than gloomy Australians — not surprising since we have just walloped them by scooping lots more gold medals at the Olympics.
Only Hungarians are worse off than Aussies on a scale of “subjective well-being,” the survey by psychologists from America’s Harvard University showed.
Since 1981, they have been quizzing 73,000 adults in 52 nations every few years, asking each individual how happy they felt.
Rising living standards, increased democracy and social liberalisation are the secrets of national happiness, the survey said.
Doldrums
But you can cheer up even if your economy is in the doldrums.
In Latvia, for example, just two per cent of the population were very happy in 1990, the year before independence.
There has been a four-fold increase since.
By contrast China, Taiwan and India have seen rises in unhappiness despite their booming economies.
This could be a sign of “affluenza” when many cannot obtain consumer goods that some can suddenly afford, said New Scientist magazine.
Mexico showed the biggest jump in happiness outside Europe, probably due to freer elections.
Britain is the ONLY country in the EU where the MAJORITY of people said they are "very happy" - 51%.
The next happiest people were the Danes, a full 6% behind the British.
And (to probably make the British a little bit happier) the survey found that the Australians are rather a gloomy bunch. Only the Hungarians were found to be more unhappy than the Aussies.
The survey, conducted by psychologists from America's Harvard University, have been conducting the survey every few years since 1981. High living standards and democracy are key contributors to happiness.
Happy days
Jolly Brits ... Britain is only European nation with a majority of people saying they are "very happy"
By TIM SPANTON
Published: 28 Aug 2008
The Sun
FORGET the credit crunch — Britain was yesterday revealed as the happiest nation in Europe.
Fifty-one per cent of us reckon we are “very happy,” a global survey of contentment found.
That’s the highest rate in the EU and is up from just 38 per cent 27 years ago.
The survey also showed we are much more cheerful than gloomy Australians — not surprising since we have just walloped them by scooping lots more gold medals at the Olympics.
Only Hungarians are worse off than Aussies on a scale of “subjective well-being,” the survey by psychologists from America’s Harvard University showed.
Since 1981, they have been quizzing 73,000 adults in 52 nations every few years, asking each individual how happy they felt.
Rising living standards, increased democracy and social liberalisation are the secrets of national happiness, the survey said.
Doldrums
But you can cheer up even if your economy is in the doldrums.
In Latvia, for example, just two per cent of the population were very happy in 1990, the year before independence.
There has been a four-fold increase since.
By contrast China, Taiwan and India have seen rises in unhappiness despite their booming economies.
This could be a sign of “affluenza” when many cannot obtain consumer goods that some can suddenly afford, said New Scientist magazine.
Mexico showed the biggest jump in happiness outside Europe, probably due to freer elections.
t.spanton@the-sun.co.uk
thesun.co.uk
thesun.co.uk
