According to a study conducted, by the American Institute of Public Opinion (Gallup), Belarus is 54th in the ranking of happy countries. 29% of Belarusians consider themselves happy, 59% of the population admitted to have problems, and 12% suffer in real. The study was realized in 2005 — 2009 in 155 countries around the world.
To determine «the level of happiness», the sociologists asked respondents to assess the level of their live and their satisfaction with it on a scale from one to ten points. Then, the researchers asked how a person had felt the day before — if he/she had rested well, whether his/her rights were impinged on, etc. It allowed the scientists to assess the level of «daily happiness». In Belarus, which, by the way, shared 54th position with Kosovo, the figure was 6.5 points.
The ranking’s leaders have traditionally become the Scandinavian countries — Finland, Norway, Sweden. The first place is occupied by Denmark. 82% of this country population defined their status as «prosperous», 17% have problems, and only 1% admitted that they suffer. Daily «happiness index» in Denmark amounted to 7.9 points, Forbes magazine informs.
Russia is on 73rd position, together with South Africa, Lebanon, Ukraine, Romania and Slovakia. Every fifth Russian considers himself/herself happy (21%), however, about the same number of people admitted that they suffer (22%). More than a half of Russia’s population (57%) have problems.
The unhappiest country is the Republic of Togo — the percentage of happy people here is record low — 1%, and the daily «happiness index» amounts to 5 points. The five of the unhappiest countries also includes Burundi (second from the end), Comoros (3), Cambodia (4) and Sierra Leone (5).
