Why Finland is the Happiest Country in the World
What we can learn from the Finns
The Nordic country of Finland, despite partly lying within the Arctic circle, having extremely cold, long, dark winters; is, the happiest country in the world.
That’s right, in 2022, the World Happiness Report, published by the United Nations, ranked Finland number one, for the fifth consecutive year. The Happiness Report rankings are largely based on surveys that ask citizens to rank the overall quality of their life, and to rank specific areas of their life; such as how supported they feel by friends and family, how free they feel to make their own life choices, and how prevalent they perceive business and government corruption to be within their country. More objective factors, such as healthy-life expectancy and the country’s level of wealth, are also factored into the rankings. There is a myriad of complex reasons that explain the country’s exceptional wellbeing, and in this article I am going unpack a few of the most important ones.
The Influence of Nature
Many Finns credit their happiness to a lifestyle of outdoor activity, and a strong connection to nature. 74% of Finland is covered by pristine forest, which makes it the European country with the most forest coverage. Forested land in Finland actually covers an area almost the size of the entire United Kingdom.
The country is also blessed with 188,000 lakes, which is why it is nicknamed “the land of a thousand lakes.” Finland also has 40 national parks, and has a national law known as Everymans’s Rights. This policy gives anyone living in or visiting Finland, the right to travel freely in all areas of nature, and engage in outdoor activities, regardless of who owns or occupies any particular place. And being out in nature has become a central part of the Finnish lifestyle. According to a study by the the Finnish Forest Research Institute, 96% of adult Finns spend time outside on a regular basis, participating in a variety of activities.
And the long months of cold weather does not seem to deter them from being outside. Many Finns can be seen jogging and cycling through cold wind and even snow. Other popular winter activities include ice skating, skiing and ice fishing. During the warmer months, Finns love to go swimming, hiking, camping, kayaking, beach walking, and berry picking. There is no doubt that this outdoor lifestyle contributes to their mental wellbeing. Numerous psychological studies show that being in nature increases happiness, contributes to a sense of meaning and purpose, fosters positive social interactions, and decreases mental stress. An additional aspect of their outdoor lifestyle, is that the country has such a low crime rate, that many parents are comfortable having their children walk home from school starting at age seven or eight; which not only gives the children more outdoor time, but also helps foster a sense of independence from an early age.
The Mindset of Sisu
Another factor that Finns say contribute to their collective well being, is a mental construct called Sisu. Sisu is a mindset, which Finn’s have embraced as part of their national character, and has become a defining part of their culture. There is no direct translation of the word into English, but Finns themselves translate it as meaning “the Finish spirit.” Sisu is described by wikipedia, as a having “a stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience, and hardiness.”
It basically means having a mindset of never giving up, even when the situation seems dire. And many Finns express that they have internalized this concept, and that it has helped them to persevere through difficult events in their life. The idea took hold soon after Finland gained independence from Russia in 1917, and many viewed it as being a ‘social glue,’ that helped define the new country.
This spirit of determination, has given Finns a quiet confidence, that they can handle anything that the world throws at them. This attitude allows Finns to feel secure in their life, and prevents problems from dragging them down emotionally. The take away from this concept is that Finnish happiness is not due to a lack of problems, but more so, an assertive reaction to problems.
Cleansing the Mind and Body
Another contributing factor to Finnish happiness, is their enthusiastic use of saunas. There is an estimated 3.3 million saunas in Finland, which is the most per capita, of any country. There’s actually more than one sauna for every two people in Finland. Many Finns have sauna’s in their homes, particularly in the lakeside country cottages, which are very prevalent within the country. But you can also find saunas in offices, sports centers, factories, hotels and even on ships.
Finns have been enjoying saunas for thousands of years, and it has become an integral part of their culture. In fact 99% of Finns get into a sauna at least once a week, and much more often when visiting their summer cottages in the countryside. While staying at their cottages, their daily routine tends to revolve around getting in the sauna, and then cooling off in a nearby lake.
Spending so much time in their saunas, according to the Finns themselves, is beneficial to the mind and increases happiness. They are also viewed as a meditative space and a refuge from the outside world. Finnish people say the finest part of the sauna experience is the exhilarating sensation of having cleansed the mind and body, which the Finns affectionately refer to as “post-sauna happiness.”
Faith in Society
Another contributing factor of their happiness, is that the Finnish people have a strong sense that their society is fair, free and equitable.
Finland consistently ranks at or near the top of international surveys, that compare the level of trust, societies have in their government, justice system, police force, and tax policies. The Finnish people truly believe that their public institutions are working for the people, and have not been corrupted by corporations. Their faith in their government, partly stems from the fact that the country has one of the highest levels of social mobility in the world. According to a report conducted by the World Economic Forum, it is significantly easier for individuals in Finland, to reach better financial circumstances than their parents had, compared to most other countries.
The people of Finland have recognized this reality, and therefore believe whole heartedly, that everyone in their country is truly on an equal playing ground, when it comes to pursuing the life they desire. This belief has made it easier for the Finns to feel content with their life, and optimistic about their future.
All of these factors have combined to create a lifestyle within Finland, that is noted for being very relaxed and care-free. The Finnish have become known as being a very warm and sincere people, who are genuinely at peace with themselves, and with the world.
