Despite the anxieties of modern times, surveys show that happiness has been on the rise around the world in recent years. The uptick is attributed to economic growth in previously poor countries and the democratization of others, along with rising social tolerance for women and minority groups.
Denmark is the happiest nation and Zimbabwe the least. The United States ranks 16th.
The survey, which involves 52 countries and 350,000 people, found that the Happiness Index created from the answers rose in 40 countries between 1981 and 2007, and it fell in the other 12.