Belize is the 27th Happiest Country in the World

Belize has slipped two places in the latest World Happiness Report, ranking 27th in 2026 compared to 25th last year.

The annual study, produced by Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, measures how people in 140 countries rate their own lives. Rankings are based on a three‑year average of self‑reported well‑being alongside factors such as GDP, social support, life expectancy, perceived freedom, generosity, and corruption.

While Belize remains in the top 30 globally, Nordic countries continue to dominate, with Finland named the happiest country in the world for the ninth year in a row, followed by Iceland and Denmark. Finland’s strong social support systems and low levels of perceived corruption are credited for its consistent top ranking.

The biggest surprise came from Latin America. Costa Rica climbed to fourth place, the first time in the report’s 14‑year history that a Latin American country has broken into the top five.

Meanwhile, major English‑speaking countries continued to lag outside the top 10, with the United States at 23rd, Canada at 25th, and the UK at 29th.