Indians and Filipinos have reason to smile at this survey result: India as well as the Philippines are in the top 10 happy countries in the world.
In the 41st global annual survey conducted by Gallup International, the Philippines ranked third in the top ten happiest countries in 2017, with a net happiness score of +84 and India ranked ninth with a net happiness score of +64.
Fiji remained the happiest place in the world according to the Gallup poll (+92) out of the 55 countries surveyed followed by Colombia (+87).
The survey was done among 55 countries in October to December 2017.
Hope Index
India is at the fifth position as the most optimistic nation as it recorded a net score of +51 while the Philippines ranked ninth with a net score of +40.
Economic Optimism Index
With a net score of +46, India landed at 4th spot in Economic index in 2017 and the Philippines at a net score of +32 is once again at fifth spot.
On a global scale, on the other hand, the happiness, economic optimism, and hope indices went down. The world has a net happiness score of 49, a 10-point decline from its score in 2017.
Gallup, however, noted that the world became lonelier as only 59% of survey respondents said they were happy in 2017. The polling body said this was almost 10 points lower than the result in 2016.
“2017 was a tough year with terrorist attacks over almost each week and it may have influenced personal lives all around the world. Nevertheless, a majority in all polled countries are happy,” Gallup International said.
Gallup polled 53,769 persons around the world for the survey. A sample of 1,000 respondents from the Philippines were surveyed through paper-and-pencil interviews between November 16 and 29, 2017. Gallup said the margin of error is +3-5 percent at 95 confidence level.
Both India and Philippines have elected new government
