Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, and Malawi among the unhappiest countries

By Dominic Wabwireh with other agencies

Finland has been named the world’s happiest country for the ninth consecutive year, according to the World Happiness Report 2026 published Thursday, which also highlights the stark decline in well-being among young people linked to heavy social media use.

Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway join Finland in the top 10.

Costa Rica climbed to fourth place, attributed to strong family bonds and social connections.

Afghanistan remains the unhappiest nation, followed by Sierra Leone and Malawi.

Social media’s toll on youth

The report, produced by Oxford’s Wellbeing Research Centre in partnership with Gallup and the UN, found that life evaluations among under-25s in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand have dropped significantly over the past decade.

Researchers say extensive social media use—averaging 2.5 hours daily—is a key factor.

Teenage girls most vulnerable

Fifteen-year-old girls using social media five hours or more report lower life satisfaction.

“It is clear that we should look as much as possible to put the ‘social’ back into social media,” said Oxford economics professor Jan-Emmanuel De Neve.

Problematic platforms feature algorithmic feeds and visual content that encourage social comparisons.

The report comes as countries increasingly consider banning social media for minors.