4 countries that prove money doesn’t always buy happiness

Each year, the makers of the World Happiness Report survey(опрашивают) people from more than 150 countries and try to pinpoint a recipe for bliss(счастье, блаженство). Wealth(богатство), to some extent(в некоторой степени), tends to raise contentedness(удовлетворенность), but several regions are more satisfied than their coffers(казна) alone can explain. Some secrets to a cheery existence include solid social support, a long life expectancy, plenty of freedom, and a lack of corruption. Those outliers exemplify how some countries rise above the mean.

1. Somalis enjoy tight-knit(сплоченные) families, as their national culture tends to prioritize kin(род) above all else. The resulting support network of female relatives lessens the burdens(бремя) of childcare on working mothers. Despite a civil war that’s been going on since 1991, surveys suggest it’s one of the most contented(благополучных) countries in Africa.

2. Most Central Asian nations remain dictatorships, so Uzbekistan stands out within the region—and the World Happiness Report indicates that a sense of freedom is a big mood booster. The country has taken some tentative steps against authoritarianism since long-term dictator Islam Karimov’s death in 2016, kindling hope among the Uzbeks.

3. Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula is a “Blue Zone”—a place where locals frequently live past 100. The national average is 81 years, which is already far above Latin America’s average of 75. This longevity varies relatively little across income levels: The poorest Costa Ricans die at a rate 1.5 times higher than the wealthiest, while in the US it’s closer to 3.4.

4. Despite bone-chilling winters, Finland is the happiest country on Earth. It soars(парит) above Taiwan, which boasts a similar GDP(ВВП) per capita plus tropical breezes. Slimmer wage gaps(уменьшение разрыва в заработных платах) and government mandates like long-term paid parental leave(отпуск по ухожу за ребенком) and free health care might be key; these perks relieve stressors, giving citizens fewer reasons to frown(хмуриться).