Singapore overtaken by Taiwan in World Happiness Report 2025
Singapore has fallen in the latest global happiness rankings, dropping four places and being overtaken by Taiwan.
Despite this decline, the Lion City retains its crown as the happiest country in Southeast Asia, followed by Vietnam and Thailand.
Source: Pexels, for illustrative purposes only.
Singapore is 34th-happiest country in the world
In the 2025 World Happiness Report, released on Thursday (20 March), Singapore was ranked No. 34 out of 147 countries/territories across the world.
This is down from No. 30 in last year’s report, and No. 25 in 2023.
The current ranking of No. 34 is the lowest for Singapore since the report started. The Republic also placed at No. 34 in 2017 and 2018.
Furthermore, while Taiwan was ranked just below Singapore last year, it leapfrogged Singapore into 27th place this year, topping the rankings for Asia.
Source: Timo Volz on Unsplash
Previously, Singapore was the happiest place in Asia for two consecutive years.
Singapore still happiest country in Southeast Asia
However, Singapore is still the happiest country in Southeast Asia.
Regional neighbours Vietnam is ranked 46th, Thailand is 49th, the Philippines is 57th and Indonesia at 83rd.
Meanwhile, Malaysia, Singapore’s closest neighbour, sits at 64th place.
Finland & Nordic countries top the rankings again
As for the world’s happiest nation, Finland continued its reign at first place.
It was followed by its Nordic neighbours Denmark, Iceland and Sweden in the top four positions — as was the case last year.
Source: Tapio Haaja on Unsplash
The United States fell one place to No. 24, its lowest ranking so far, while Costa Rica (No. 6) and Mexico (No. 10) broke into the top 10 for the first time.
East Asian countries slid in the rankings, with Japan at No. 55 compared with No. 51 in 2024.
South Korea dropped six places from No. 52 to No. 58 and China was No. 68 — eight places down from No. 60 last year.
India, however, rose to No. 118 after being at No. 126 in 2024.
Rankings based on life evaluations
This study asked more 100,000 worldwide respondents to rate their lives on a scale from 0 to 10, where 10 is the best possible life and 0 is the worst possible life.
Each country’s ranking was based on the average life evaluations over a period of three years (2022 to 2024).
The rankings are influenced by six key variables: gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life decisions, generosity (average frequency of donations), and perception of corruption.
Also read: S’pore is Asia’s happiest country due to GDP per capita & low corruption: World Happiness Report
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Featured image adapted from Pexels, for illustrative purposes only.
