Taiwan Shines as Asia's Happiness Leader in World Happiness Report

A beacon of well-being: Taiwan tops the Asian rankings, demonstrating resilience and strong social connections.

Taiwan has secured its position as the happiest place in Asia, according to the latest World Happiness Report published by the University of Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre. The island nation ranked 27th globally, demonstrating a significant leap in its overall happiness score.

With a score of 6.669 out of 10, Taiwan outperformed other Asian powerhouses, including Japan (55th), South Korea (58th), China (68th), Mongolia (77th), and Hong Kong (88th). This year's results mark a notable improvement from last year's 31st position, surpassing Singapore, which placed 34th.

The World Happiness Report analyzes data from the average scores of individuals' self-reported well-being, collected from 2022 to 2023. Various factors contribute to the overall happiness score, including GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy, social support, perceived freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.

Finland continued its reign at the top of the global rankings for the eighth consecutive year, scoring 7.736. Denmark secured second place with 7.521, followed by Iceland (7.515), Sweden (7.345), and the Netherlands (7.306) to complete the top five.

The report highlights the importance of positive social connections and kindness in fostering happiness. Studies cited in the report suggest that people often underestimate the generosity and kindness within their communities, with higher rates of lost item returns than anticipated. Investing in social connections and benevolent actions correlates directly to increased happiness levels.

The World Happiness Report, first published in April 2012, is released annually around March 20th to coincide with the International Day of Happiness.