Taiwan was ranked the fourth-happiest country in Asia, the second-happiest in East Asia and 27th in the world, in the World Happiness Report released on Monday by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
The report compiled data from surveys conducted in more than 150 countries and territories to measure happiness based on average evaluations over a three-year period. It used six factors — social support, income, health, freedom, generosity and absence of corruption — to evaluate happiness levels in countries around the world.
In the broad Asia grouping, Taiwan trailed Israel (No. 4 globally), Singapore (No. 25) and the United Arab Emirates (No. 26), but ranked second for East Asia behind Singapore and ahead of Japan (No. 47).
Photo: CNA
In the previous report, Taiwan was ranked fourth in the broader Asia grouping, after Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, while ranking No. 1 among countries in East Asia.
Worldwide, Taiwan ranked No. 27, down one spot from a year earlier.
Finland, with a population of 5.5 million and which boasts a comprehensive welfare system, a high degree of equality and a high level of trust in the government by its citizens, was ranked as the No. 1 happiness country in the world for the sixth consecutive year, ahead of Denmark, Iceland, Israel, the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Luxembourg and New Zealand.
The Nordic country and its neighbors Denmark, Iceland, Sweden and Norway scored well because they “all have high ranks for both happiness and equality,” the report said.
“The Nordic countries merit special attention in light of their generally high levels of both personal and institutional trust,” it said.
The US was ranked the 15th-happiest country, while China and Hong Kong were ranked 64th and 82nd respectively.
Despite being invaded by Russia, Ukraine’s happiness ranking rose to 92nd, from 98th a year earlier. Russia was ranked 70th.
“Despite the magnitude of suffering and damage in Ukraine, life evaluations in September 2022 remained higher than in the aftermath of the 2014 annexation [of Crimea], supported by a stronger sense of common purpose, benevolence and trust in the Ukrainian leadership,” the report said.
Afghanistan remained at the bottom of the report, and has been ranked the unhappiest nation since 2020, when US troops began withdrawing from the country.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) yesterday voiced dissatisfaction with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans- Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), whose latest meeting, concluded earlier the same day, appeared not to address the country’s application. In a statement, MOFA said the CPTPP commission had "once again failed to fairly process Taiwan’s application," attributing the inaction to the bloc’s "succumbing to political pressure," without elaborating. Taiwan submitted its CPTPP application under the name "Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu" on Sept. 22, 2021 -- less than a week after China
ALIGNED THINKING: Taiwan and Japan have a mutual interest in trade, culture and engineering, and can work together for stability, Cho Jung-tai said Taiwan and Japan are two like-minded countries willing to work together to form a “safety barrier” in the Indo-Pacific region, Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) yesterday said at the opening ceremony of the 35th Taiwan-Japan Modern Engineering and Technology Symposium in Taipei. Taiwan and Japan are close geographically and closer emotionally, he added. Citing the overflowing of a barrier lake in the Mataian River (馬太鞍溪) in September, Cho said the submersible water level sensors given by Japan during the disaster helped Taiwan monitor the lake’s water levels more accurately. Japan also provided a lot of vaccines early in the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) on Monday announced light shows and themed traffic lights to welcome fans of South Korean pop group Twice to the port city. The group is to play Kaohsiung on Saturday as part of its “This Is For” world tour. It would be the group’s first performance in Taiwan since its debut 10 years ago. The all-female group consists of five South Koreans, three Japanese and Tainan’s Chou Tzu-yu (周子瑜), the first Taiwan-born and raised member of a South Korean girl group. To promote the group’s arrival, the city has been holding a series of events, including a pop-up
A home-style restaurant opened by a Taiwanese woman in Quezon City in Metro Manila has been featured in the first-ever Michelin Guide honoring exceptional restaurants in the Philippines. The restaurant, Fong Wei Wu (豐味屋), was one of 74 eateries to receive a “Michelin Selected” honor in the guide, while one restaurant received two Michelin stars, eight received one star and 25 were awarded a “Bib Gourmand.” The guide, which was limited to restaurants in Metro Manila and Cebu, was published on Oct. 30. In an interview, Feng Wei Wu’s owner and chef, Linda, said that as a restaurateur in her 60s, receiving an
RSS