Australia's long been referred to as 'the lucky country' and now we can start saying we're one of the happiest countries in the world, too. The United Nation's 2023 World Happiness Index has just been released, and Australia has come in at a very cheery 12th position.
Eight in 10 (80%) Australians are describing themselves as happy, however this is a fall from 85% in December 2021, according to Ipsos's latest Global Happiness survey. On average globally, nearly three in four (73%) adults across 32 countries describe themselves as happy.
Income, location and social network are just some of the factors that contribute to our quality of life in Australia, and indeed help Australians live a happy life.
Australia scored highly in the United Nations' 2022 World Happiness Report, ranking as the 12th happiest country out of 156 countries – ahead of Canada (15th), the United States (16th) and the United Kingdom (17th).
The United Nations process the annual World Happiness Report to understand what happiness is and how it affects our lives, cultures and economy. Australia is ranked under 12, Canada 15 and the United States is 16th and a popular destination for most South Africans, the United Kingdom is 17th.
But it's India that takes the crown as the most recent nation to fall in love with the varied landscapes of Australia, with an impressive 15.4 per cent increase in travellers.
“Queensland's known as the Sunshine State. All those rays and the laid-back lifestyle might be among the reasons why it's Australia's happiest state,” Bayliss said.
Like England, Australia boasts a high quality of life. Aussies also enjoy free healthcare and education, as well as a stable society. They too have good social security, with around 6 weeks of vacation, annual leave for illness, and maternity leave.
Source: Australian Energy Update 2022. Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Australia ranks 7th on the OECD Better Life Index, based on living conditions and quality of life.
Why is Australia the best country? Australia is considered the best country to live in because of its high quality of life, best education system, strong economy, multicultural and safe environment, and natural scenic beauty.
“Queensland's known as the sunshine state. All those rays and the laidback lifestyle might be among the reasons why it's Australia's happiest state,” Mr Bayliss said.
If there's one thing Aussies are known for, it's their easy-going, friendly attitude. Of course food, events, art and history are all vital parts of the Australian culture, but what really distinguishes an Aussie is his or her laid-back outlook on life.
While you ranked Australia as the 14th friendliest country in the world, New Zealand stormed ahead in seventh place.
Australia ranks amongst the highest in the world for quality of life, health, education, economic freedom, civil liberties and political rights.
The USA is higher in terms of cost of studying and living in comparison to Australia. USA and Australia are among the top five countries abroad preferred among international students for higher education.
Australia has been regarded in many instances as one of the best places to live in the world. According to the World Population Review 2022, it was ranked the 8th best country in the world for quality of life. So let us explore deeper what will attract you to this country. What is this?
The critically acclaimed Mercer Quality of Life Survey placed Melbourne and Sydney in the top 17 cities based on quality of life in 2022. One thing is clear, Australia excels when it comes to a high quality of life, looking at aspects such as life expectancy, health, standard of living and educational standard.
In 2020 there were 1,093 road deaths in Australia (source: Department for Transport). This equates to 4.3 road deaths per 100,000 of population and compares to the UK average of 2.3 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2020. Driving laws and regulations differ in each state/territory.
Australia's average wealth is just 1.8 times our median wealth; by contrast the UK's is 2.2 times greater, while the US is second worst out of the top 50, at 6.7 times.
The report, which draws on global survey data from people in more than 150 countries, placed Finland in the top position for the sixth year in a row, with a happiness score significantly ahead of all other countries.
The main recipients of the pandemic-era migration were south-east Queensland and small coastal communities with more spacious homes, according to analysis by The Australian Financial Review of newly released regional population data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
On a mean wealth basis, Australia was the fourth-richest country in 2021 behind Switzerland, the US and Hong Kong.
Since that time, United States has been the most important security ally. The close security relationship with the United States was formalized in 1951 by the Australia, New Zealand, United States Security (ANZUS) Treaty which remains the cornerstone of Australian security arrangements.
Australia ranks as one of the best countries to live in the world by international comparisons of wealth, education, health and quality of life. The sixth-largest country by land mass, its population is comparatively small with most people living around the eastern and south-eastern coastlines.