In 2024, for the seventh year in a row, Finland was ranked the No.1 happiest country in the world, according to the World Happiness Report. There must be “something in the water” in Nordic countries, as the second, third, fourth and seventh positions went to Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Norway. (For the record, Israel was number five and The Netherlands number six. Canada came in at 15.)
Before we begin, a bit about the World Happiness Report: The organization is a partnership of Gallup Research, Oxford University’s Wellbeing Research Centre, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the WHR’s editorial board. The report is based on the results of self-assessment questionnaires, where respondents rank their answers from the best possible life being ranked at 10, and the worst possible life at 0. In addition, there are six variables used to rank 130 countries: gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and freedom from corruption.
Since most of us at Harrowsmith are focussed on health and wellness, let’s concentrate on the first three items.
GDP per capita
The Finnish economy is strong. In a country of about 5,550,000 people, the GDP was $302 billion in 2023. International trade represents about one-third of the country’s GDP. There is a healthy mix of manufacturing (electronics is a leader), agriculture and service industries, and Finland is the world leader in wood production. A solid financial foundation supporting the population means healthier, happier, longer lives.
Social support
By the late 1980s, Finland had one of the strongest social support systems in the world–a guaranteed quality of life for all Finns, including housing, education, medical care, daycare and elder care. Finland’s national pension and social security systems ensure no pensioners live in poverty.
Accessible facilities and discounts make it easy for older people to use public transport; exercise in swimming pools, gyms and parks; and visit museums, libraries and theatres. Twenty-seven per cent of Finland’s population is older than 60, and that number is rising faster than any other country in the world, except Japan. Eventually, it will be beyond the capacity of the country’s economy to provide fully serviced seniors homes. So, what is Finland doing about this? The country is investing in effective online and home-based healthcare so more elderly people can remain in their homes. This will include homecare visits and funds to modify homes for elderly citizens’ needs. Family benefits are also generous.
The government provides a monthly benefit to each child until they turn 17, and universal daycare is offered for kids eight months old to five years old—this has been in place since 1990. Daycare costs are adjusted based on family income, ranging from daycare that’s covered for parents to about 200 € a month, and municipalities pay a subsidy to families who wish to have
a stay-at-home parent for the first three years of a child’s life.
Finns benefit from a well-supported education system. The United Nations Development Program education index ranked Finland fourth in the world as of 2019. In a country of under six million people, there are 17 universities and 27 applied science colleges. Primary and secondary teachers must have a master’s degree and competition to get into teacher’s training courses is fierce.
Overall, Finnish teachers are highly respected. Finland has an egalitarian school system, where there are very few private schools and no gifted classes. More advanced students are expected to help those with learning challenges. Other ways school children get off to a good start in Finland:
- Classes are kept small; there are rarely more than 20 students in a class.
- In addition to core subjects,art, music, cooking, carpentry, metalwork and textile studies are taught.
- There are subsidized after-school music classes offered.
- Homework is minimal to allow more time for extracurricular activities.
- There’s an emphasis on outdoor activities, even in very cold weather.
- Students receive free lunches and healthcare is provided.
Healthy life expectancy
Finnish pensioners are among the world’s most educated and healthiest. Today, the average Finn at age 60 can expect to live to age 84. Compared with the average elderly North American, a senior Finn is in better shape, due to an active lifestyle and access to the outdoors. Subsidized service centres provide a network of meeting places and facilities in Finland’s villages, towns and suburbs for elderly people.
Like most first-world countries in Europe, Finland has socialised healthcare, or government-run versus privately or semi-privately run. These days, with a growing aging population, socialised healthcare is under a lot of stress, but it is still a big factor in determining the well-being of a country. The U.S., one of the world’s wealthiest nations, does not offer universal healthcare. This is reflected in America’s happiness ranking: It’s in the 23rd position. In Americans under 30 who were surveyed, the ranking drops to 62. Finns don’t have to worry about an illness leading to financial ruin.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time in the land of Moomins and Marimekko, visiting libraries, hiking around, “sauna-ing,” discovering interesting cuisine (cloudberry jam, blood sausage and the famous bread cheese), and I returned home inspired to increase my own well-being by spending more time outdoors in nature.
Proximity to Nature and the Sauna
I was able to witness these two happiness factors for myself. Firstly, gazing out the large window on my bus trip travelling between Orivesi (a town of 9,000) and Tampere, and secondly, when I visited Finland’s oldest public sauna.
Proximity to Nature
Article 20 of Finland’s constitution states: “Nature and its biodiversity, the environment and the national heritage are the responsibility of everyone. The public authorities shall endeavour to guarantee for everyone the right to a healthy environment and for everyone the possibility to influence the decisions that concern their own living environment.”
Finland’s clean water, unpolluted air and unspoiled nature greatly contribute to relaxation, fitness and overall contentment. While Finland is a high-tech country, there is access to nature everywhere. Finns are never more than a 10-minute walk from a park or forest and if you don’t have a car, most of the national parks are accessible by public transit.
Finland’s Ministry of the Environment recommends schools be no more than 300 metres from green areas and there is a long tradition of Education Outside Classrooms (EOC); many schools have a forest within walking distance.
My (unplanned) bus ride to Tampere provided relief for tired eyes after an overnight flight. Looking out the window, instead of the usual pavement, subdivisions and high-rise buildings, I saw lakes, conifers and birch trees. Except for the highway, there was no “paving of paradise.”
The Sauna (pronounced SOW-nah in Finland vs. SAW-nuh)
In any discussion about the health and happiness of Finns, the sauna—that most integral part of Finnish culture going back thousands of years—must be included. In Finland, there is one sauna for every two people. They are mostly egalitarian, unlike Canadian saunas, which are most often found in spas, private clubs and private homes. In Canada, the first saunas were built by Finnish immigrants.
What is the first thing Finns do when constructing a home? They map out where the sauna is going to go. It’s often the
first structure built. The sauna tradition is so strong that Finnish soldiers on peacekeeping missions are famous for building saunas in whatever country they are serving.
I visited the famous Rauhaneimi Folk Spa on the outskirts of Tampere in southern Finland. This centre has the oldest public sauna in the country, set on beautiful Lake Näsijärvi, a 256-square-kilometre body of water. It reminded me of Ontario’s Georgian Bay. Rauhaniemi has two traditional Finnish saunas open every day of the year, and in the winter, you can go “ice swimming.” When I visited in mid-April, there was open water by the shore, while further out the lake was still ice-covered. At dusk, the view across the lake was stunning, as I emerged from the (very hot) sauna. Finns were plunging into the freezing lake as if it were old hat. Did I? Well…I only went in up to my ankles. The water was so shockingly, painfully cold, I kept thinking how dreadful it would be to have a heart attack so far from home. One more thing: The seven-hour time difference had caused me to wake up at 3 a.m. two nights running, but after my sauna, I slept through the whole night.
While you need to exercise caution if you have high blood pressure, a heart condition or are pregnant, here are some of the general benefits of the sauna:
- improved sleep (I can vouch for this!),
- relief of aches and pains,
- relaxation,
- freedom from digital devices,
- and a nice, super clean feeling after a long day.
