THE HANOI TIMES – Vietnam witnessed a remarkable jump, climbing eight spots to secure 46th place out of 147 countries and territories in the 2025 World Happiness Report, ranking second highest in Southeast Asia.
The annual report, now in its 13th edition, was released to coincide with the United Nations International Day of Happiness on March 20.
The warmth of a traditional family in Hanoi. Photo: Viet Dung/Kinh te & Do thi Newspaper
This year, Vietnam was one of only 19 countries to ascend in the report’s rankings.
Over the last five years, the country has consistently improved, soaring nearly 40 places from its 2020 ranking of 83rd. Vietnam’s average ranking in the World Happiness Report was an impressive 75.
The World Happiness Report is an esteemed publication of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network. It is based on data from the Gallup World Poll, which assesses individuals’ self-rated life evaluations, averaged over a three-year period from 2022 to 2024. This year, the report is a collaborative effort by leading experts and researchers in the field of happiness science.
The survey delved into respondents’ overall life satisfaction, with the rankings determined by these ratings. Additionally, the report considered six key factors to elucidate the rankings: gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy (including physical and mental health), freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption.
While the happiness ranking is primarily based on subjective assessments of quality of life, the report highlights how the six variables provide valuable insights and context for understanding cross-country differences.
“The 2025 report encourages us to broaden our perspective beyond conventional factors like health and wealth,” said Jan-Emmanuel De Neve, Director of the Wellbeing Research Center at Oxford University and editor of the report. “Interestingly, sharing meals and fostering trust emerge as even stronger predictors of wellbeing than previously thought.”
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