Finland named world's happiest country for the fifth year running

Finland is known for its well-functioning public services, ubiquitous saunas, widespread trust in authority and low levels of crime and inequality. Photo: AFP

Finland has been named the world's happiest country for the fifth year running, in an annual United Nations-sponsored index that again ranked Afghanistan as the unhappiest, followed closely by Lebanon.

Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania recorded the biggest boosts in wellbeing. The largest falls in the World Happiness table, released March 18, came in Lebanon, Venezuela and Afghanistan. Lebanon, which is facing economic meltdown, fell to second from last on the index of 146 nations, just below Zimbabwe.