Bulgaria has once again ranked as the lowest among European Union member states in the latest World Happiness Report, maintaining its 85th position out of 147 surveyed countries.
Despite its relatively low placement, the country has demonstrated a steady improvement in overall life evaluation, now standing at 5.554 points—an increase of 1.573 points since the first edition of the report in 2012.
The ranking places Bulgaria alongside countries such as Venezuela, Indonesia, and Algeria, while neighboring North Macedonia, Armenia, Hong Kong, and Albania follow closely behind.
The report, released annually around March 20 to mark World Happiness Day, is prepared by Oxford University in collaboration with Gallup International. This year’s edition emphasizes mutual assistance as a key factor influencing happiness worldwide.
The World Happiness Report evaluates countries based on a combination of social and economic indicators, including GDP per capita, inequality, social support, life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
Data is collected through surveys conducted among approximately 1,000 respondents per country, providing insight into the well-being of global populations.
At the top of the rankings, Finland continues its reign as the happiest country with an overall life evaluation score of 7.736.
The Nordic nation is followed by Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, and the Netherlands, solidifying Northern Europe’s dominance in global happiness rankings.
Costa Rica, breaking this pattern, has secured the sixth position, while Norway, Israel, Luxembourg, and Mexico complete the top ten.
Conversely, Afghanistan remains at the bottom of the list with a life assessment score of 1.364, followed by Sierra Leone at 2.998.
These figures, based on three-year averages, highlight severe declines in well-being in these nations.
Other countries near the bottom include Libya, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, which continue to struggle with economic hardship, political instability, and limited access to essential services.
While Bulgaria remains the lowest-ranked EU nation, its gradual rise in happiness scores mirrors broader trends of improvement in the Balkan region.
Neighboring Serbia and Romania, for instance, have also made significant progress over the years, reflecting positive developments in economic growth and social support structures.
However, Bulgaria’s advancements have not yet been sufficient to lift it from its current position at the bottom of the EU rankings.
Experts suggest that Bulgaria’s slow but steady improvement in happiness levels can be attributed to economic development, increased social support, and growing public awareness of well-being-related factors.
Yet, challenges such as income inequality, corruption perceptions, and healthcare system inefficiencies continue to hinder faster progress.
As Bulgaria works toward further enhancing quality of life for its citizens, policymakers may look to the higher-ranked EU nations for strategies to improve social cohesion, economic stability, and public services.
The steady rise in Bulgaria’s happiness index suggests that ongoing reforms and investments in societal well-being could eventually lead to a higher ranking in future editions of the World Happiness Report.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members