The latest World Happiness Report has been released to mark the UN’s World Happiness Day. According to the report, no African country made it to the top 10 or 50 with the first African country coming in at number 57.
Every year, the list is released after in-depth research based on factors such as countries with proper analytical data that can provide valid reasons for the ranking as well as factors such as the time series of healthy life expectancy at birth based on data from the World Health Organization.
They also factor in a country’s average individual social support, GDP per capita, generosity, perceptions of corruption, measures of emotional negativity and positivity based on worry, sadness, and anger, happiness, laughter, and enjoyment as well as freedom to make life choices.
Data for these eight categories are collected separately by various research bodies who use mediums such as social media and individual assessments to critically put together the scores and ranking.
Out of the world’s 195 countries, the 2019 World’s Happiness Report ranked 156 countries.
The latest report featured three new countries while three other countries lost their place. West Africa ranked as the happiest African region in general with a total of 6 out of 10 countries. French-speaking countries also topped the African list with 5 countries and English-speaking countries were the least happy.
Here are the top 10 happiest African countries in 2019.
Congo Brazzaville
Congo Brazzaville also follows closely behind Benin as Africa’s number 10 and world’s number 102. Just like Benin, the country was not in Africa’s 2018 top ten list and was the world’s 114th as well.
Benin
Benin makes its first entry into the top ten list in Africa. Coming in at number 9 for Africa, the country is at 102 on the global list in 2019 after ranking 136 in 2018.
Ivory Coast
Sharing borders with Ghana, Ivory Coast follows its neighbouring West African country at number 8 on the African list and at number 99 on the global list. The French-speaking country has also made a leap after it ranked as world’s number 107 and Africa’s number 10 in 2018.
Ghana
Ghana makes the biggest leap this year making its way into Africa’s top ten list after ranking at number 98 on the global chart. In 2018, the country was Africa’s 11th happiest country after ranking at number 108 but features at number 7 this year.
Cameroon
As the world’s number 96, Cameroon is the 6th happiest country in Africa. The country moves 3 steps up on the global ranking and one step up on the top ten list in Africa.
Morocco
Morocco also sees a decline in happiness as it is now Africa’s 5th happiest country ranking at 89 on the global chart following closely behind Algeria. In 2018, the country was Africa’s number 4 leading Nigeria as the world’s number 85, a position that Nigeria has now taken.
Algeria
Moving one step down, Algeria is now the 4th happiest country in Africa after ranking as the world’s 88th. In 2018, the country was Africa’s number 3 and world’s number 84.
Nigeria
Nigeria comes in as the third happiest country in Africa and the world’s 85th happiest country out of the 156 countries on the list. Despite political and economic frustration, Nigeria climbed up 6 places on the global ranking from 2018 and 2 places up on the 2018 top ten happiest African countries list taking Algeria’s position.
Libya
Believe it or not, Libya is still the second happiest country in Africa as it ranks 72nd on the global list also falling two steps down from the 2018 ranking where it ranked at 70.
Mauritius
Ranking on the global list at number 57 of 156, Mauritius is the first African country on the list making it the happiest country on the African continent. This comes as no surprise as the country is noted for its peaceful governance and people. The beautiful island also makes a huge amount of money from tourism and is reviewed as peaceful by several tourists and visitors. The country retains its number one position despite falling two steps down from the 2019 ranking.