UAE first in Arab world and 21st globally in World Happiness Index

The UAE secured the top position in the Arab region and placed 21st worldwide in the World Happiness Index, as detailed in the 2026 World Happiness Report.

This report was released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, with support from Gallup data.

Evaluating 147 countries, the rankings were determined using various criteria such as GDP per capita, life expectancy, personal freedom, generosity, social support, and the level of corruption in both government and business sectors.

The UAE achieved a score of 6.8 on the overall Happiness Index, outperforming nations like the United States, Poland, Canada, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom.

This placement affirms the UAE's status as one of the world's most stable and prosperous countries, standing ahead of several leading global economies.

In specific sub-indices, the UAE secured the fourth spot worldwide for citizens' freedom to make life choices, ranked eighth in GDP per capita with a figure of $70,000, and took 19th place in generosity, reflecting the extent of charitable contributions made by its population. Additionally, the nation ranked 30th for life expectancy.

Finland has secured its position as the happiest country in the world for an impressive ninth year in a row, marking an unmatched milestone in the 14-year history of the World Happiness Report. Iceland claimed the second spot, with Denmark in third, Costa Rica in fourth, and Sweden ranking sixth.

The report also highlighted a generally upbeat global trend, noting that happiness levels improved in 79 countries, while 41 saw a decline.

While there has been overall progress, the disparity between nations remains stark. The gap between the top-ranked country, Finland, and the lowest, Afghanistan, spans more than 6 points on a 10-point scale, underscoring significant global inequalities in quality of life.

The report also revealed that many developed Western nations have grown less happy compared to the 2005–2010 period, with 15 countries showing substantial declines—a notable contrast to the general stability or improvements observed elsewhere.

One particularly striking insight is the decline in happiness among young people in places like the United States, Canada, and Australia. This contrasts sharply with most other regions, where happiness levels for younger generations have either improved or stayed consistent.