PEOPLE in the war ravaged Iraq, Libya and the even the poverty stricken Malawians are far much happier than Zambians, according to a new report.
Zambia ranks 99th happiest in a poll of 151 countries in the 2012 Happy Planet Index released last month. Neighbouring Malawi, despite all the economic and social problems there, is ranked 72nd. Libya- coming out of a bloody revolutionary campaign—polled number 81 while Iran and Iraq are ranked 77th and 36th.
Zimbabwe – coming out of a decade-long economic nosedive – ranks 115th slightly better than its two economically prosperous neighbours South Africa which came 142nd, and Botswana last.
The New Economics Foundation’s Happy Planet Index ranked all of the countries in the world from data culled from a Gallup World Poll asking people how happy they were on a scale of one to 10.
They then factored in life expectancy and the country’s ecological footprint – the amount of land needed to sustain its way of life.
The Central American country of Costa Rica was named as the happiest place in the world, followed by Vietnam and Colombia. The entire top 10 is locked down by South American and Caribbean countries.
Britain ranked 41st, Germany 46th, France 50th, the United States 105th and Russia 122nd.
Nic Marks, of the New Economics Foundation, the creator of the index, said: “The index measures what really matters – long and happy lives now and the potential for good lives in the future.
“For too long we have relied on incomplete measures of progress that focus only on economic activity, such as gross domestic product. Rich and poor nations face different challenges but their ultimate goal is the same.”
The 2012 HPI is the third time the report has been published. (Click here to see the report in full)
Report Shows Iraqis, Malawians Are Happier Than Zambians added by on
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we have become more sad with the cobra in plot 1….pliz redo the survey
and so what???? we are also happter than usa and south africa?
zambians are happy as weeknd approaches,am sure the data was collectd on a blue monday
Hehehehehehe! Ya hehe l he ma hehehe z! You are crazy!
Must be a very subjective survey! How do expect pipo living where bombs are going-off everyday to be happier than you in a peace haven? And which class of pipo was targeted in the survey?
this report is read upside down. go to Botwana you will be shocked.
ITS A LIE, NO ONE CAN MEASURE HAPPINESS.
The survey was conducted n Barotseland and ingombe ilede area where pipo ve no reasons to be happy.
Nyansa waku what can shock one in Botswana.Apart from seeing poverty ravaged families in addition to hiv/aids.
this is total lunancy.i can pretend to be sad and yet am happy.have they invented a machine to detect pretense?
how do they measure happiness
So the life expectancy in Zambia is at 49 against Malawi’s at 54. what is happening here in Zambia does that indicate Zambia is any better than Malawi. Go to Malawi and you will see life not…you note the difference just after chipata…total change…life full of life..I feel bad of our situation in Zambia
my boss is a satanist.thats the reason why vintu siviyenda bwino. 2 many murders,accidents…unhappines ofcourse. namu 2016,azawina thru mor bloodshade. watch the statistics pipo!
Ati poverty stricken Malawi, hahaha ma rubbish wa Tumfweko. Aneba Malawi z called warm heart of Africa for a reason. In fact, zed shd be second from last, just afta zim (afabetikale puruveni), Zambia too much pornography and masturbating hv not only polluted the once little heaven on earth but also reduced the life expectancy. I wish ninali ku Malawi. Zed yafika pa ZP, zabwino palibe.
aah life is intresting achipuba sana wishes to be in my shoes whilst ine nikufuna nsapato zake kikiki mkazi wamwini niwamushe wako ayipa.tichinjane bwanji,
This report does not make sense.
Happiness can never be measured. Sheer waste of resources.
Imwe ba Tumfweko, you should have just said “neighboring Malawi”. To say “poverty stricken Malawi” is an insult especially when it comes from Zambia who also fall in the same bracket.
what happiness very stupid..we have no wars here we are happy……………
it’s all about “umwana ashenda atasha nyina ukunaya ubwali”. Zambians are more exposed and therefore not content with their situation!!
If you look closely at restive societies like Iraq, RSA, etc., one of the things you note is they do not wait for anyone (not an election, not big brother, not anyone) but themselves to push themselves FORWARD. In Zambia we think elections (of UNIP recycled human resources) and politics will solve our problems. Therein lies the secret bakwetu!!