Zambia ranks 7th among Africa’s happiest countries and 71st in the world

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President Michael Sata being entertained by traditional dancers on arrival at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport for the closing of the 20th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly August 28,2013 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA
President Michael Sata being entertained by traditional dancers on arrival at Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport for the closing of the 20th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly August 28,2013 -Picture by THOMAS NSAMA

ZAMBIA has been ranked the seventh happiest country in Africa, the 2013 World Happiness Report has said.

The ranking places Angola as Africa’s happiest country, according to a new global survey of 156 countries released on Monday this week.

The happiest countries globally were Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Netherlands and Sweden.

Angola “surprisingly” toppled last year’s leader, the perennial African paradise of Mauritius, according to the report.

“This will likely generate debate given the perception of Angola as having high corruption and inequality levels, and frequent criticism of its human rights record by campaign groups,” the report said.

Algeria, Libya and Nigeria rounded out the top five happiest countries on the continent, while Ghana, Zambia, Mozambique, South Africa and Lesotho were the next five African nations that were the most content.

No African country ranked in the top 50 of the survey, now in its second year, while the five lowest ranked countries were from the continent.

The ranking also threw up some other surprises, including placing countries such as Somaliland, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo well ahead of others perceived as more prosperous and stable such as Botswana, Senegal and Tanzania.

The report is sponsored by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network which was established by United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon and comes ahead of the annual General Assembly.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were expected to replace the Millennium Development Goals which end in 2015.

The report defines happiness both as an emotion (where you happy this morning?) and an evaluation of one’s life as a whole.

The authors say the survey is meant to contribute to the debate as to the direction of public policy and to push authorities to align such policy to what really matters to their citizens.

You can follow the link below to download the full report

http://unsdsn.org/files/2013/09/WorldHappinessReport2013_online.pdf

72 COMMENTS

    • Hehe, happy indeed! what is there to be happy about ? poverty,oppression, ignorance, corruption,docility, dead aid or laziness? Well, if that’s the definition of happiness, then Zambians could never be happier. I can now “happily” say that Zambia’s development will come to a halt because its citizenry are too happy.Am sad though that am not able to share your kind of “happiness” . That truly breaks my “sad” heart into a zillion pieces.

      May your “happiness” last forever!

      Thanks.

    • This is depressing indeed, it will just make those listed as unhappy worse. I think the survey is happiness among PRESIDENTS, not citizens.
      I hope Sata will not be exposed to this…

    • This is very true, Zambia is a stress free contry even if you only have to eat one meal per day, the children are always happy in the west, all you think about is making money for bills and vacations, children are as busy as adults, 8 hours at school everyday plus more on wednesdays for extra activities, how much this cost is compared to UNZA feels, food must be eaten within the expiry date otherwise you will be incurring more hospital bills even if insurance cuts in, everyseason new wardrobe no negotiations, going out is nothing like Ndobo or Mfumu will fute for Mature and Nostradamus’s bill, Zambians enjoy whilst you are at it, deep freezer weather conditions cause depression in both children and adults this is a fact.

    • CONTD:
      Cyber addiction is the terminal disease of 99.5% of people living in the western countries, FB, hyves, My space, Instalgram, some even sign up on dating sites just to have someone to chat with, LT, Tumfweko, Turmbler, etc.
      This is a life of a child in the developed world……, School, 8 hours per day plus home work research for assignments, school trips, to other towns or countries, extra activities… Sports, Muzik etc, mind you this is a must, both parents and children are stressed because of this life style, yes it is glitering but body and soul/mind can only accomodate that much, people have wrinkles and grey hair in their thirties for a good reason, the old and young are bullies not for fun like in Zambia but they are emotionally challenged thus develope such conditions.

    • @Ndobo: Wonder if you have read the report? There is not a single African country in the top fifty. The happiest country in Africa, Angola is ranking 61st, and Zambia 91st. The USA and the U.K. are ranking 17th and 22nd respectively. The 7th ranking for Zambia is among fellow African countries. Otherwise, Zambia is not ranking happier than the U.S. nor the U.K., contrary to your assertion above.

    • Atleast it shows that Zambians are content with “suffering peacefully” or as they have rightly put it, “suffering happily”

    • Try to make yourself happy if you are not.

      Did you know you can have all the wealth and not happy? C’mon earth is not paradise but we have to be content with what we have as we awaiting for the restoration of the the system of things by the Creator in the kingdom which is near.

      Listen to this:”God will swallow death and it will be no more,there will be no outcry,no plaques and people will enjoy the product on their labour and no one will inherit their possessions.Is that not a good reason to be happy in you have got that assurance from the creator?

    • @ concern, Its a mystery my friend having what you have it’s not enough for the happiness of a human being be content and appreciate your possession then you ‘ll understand these people.

  6. What is Happiness? The concept of happiness is highly contested, therefore, the Reporter must tell us what, whoever was doing a survey, considered as a measure of happiness!

  9. ITS NOT POSSIBLE THAT THERE CAN BE A HAPPIEST COUNTRY ON EARTH.THIS SURVEY IS VERY MISLEADING.THEY ARE JUST CHEWING MONEY FOR NOTHING IN THE NAME OF DOING FAKE SURVEYS. MALABISH YEKA YEKA…

    • How indeed can the happiest country be determined? Impossible. These are vague unindexible issues which someone is trying to pounce on for a commercial venture. They will make money telling the world here is an index for happiness that you can use for determining where to go for your holiday or something like that. Its pure trash

  10. Nonsense!!! More like the most docile people in Africa! Just because we’ve had no war doesn’t mean people are happy! I hope this does not get to someone’s head. Rubbish ranking!!

  11. useless statics – Zambians are subdued and incapacitated by numerous issues affecting them. What’s there to be happy about? Happy because they are drunk from sunrise to sunset and oblivious to real issues? Then we were very happy when we used to swing from tree to tree like our cousins until we started eating them. Take your happiness and leave us with reality. In short, you are saying we are content with nothing to show for it… yes we know, our people are timid and extremely docile but far from being happy. So take your happiness and stash it where the sun don’t shine! Sha!

  12. If you just go by the suicide rates all over the world you’ll appreciate that Africa is the happiest place on earth despite all the negative press coverage.Our happiness is built on family and its priceless.

  13. How can people in developed countries be happy when they go abouit walking with their ears blocked by head phones and hardly talk to each other????

    Kuno cimalila, such as Government iyanganepo pa mpepo yacilamo, we should be among top ten happiest countries!!! I will critique the report!!!!

  15. Perhaps the criteria used was to look at the face of a president of each country as a representation of the people. The study then analysed how frequently the face of that president was smiling within a specific period of time. And they looked at our cobra himself, how often he smiled and whether that smile created confort or disconfort in the presence of people.
    Some studies. kekekekekekeke!!!!!!

  16. I too beg to differ with the report. If by “happy” they mean having everything one needs in conveniently located places and easily accessible, then indeed, they are right. But we r happy despite everything. We r a pipo that can quarrel bitterly politically but hug immediately after u remove cameras. Also, the survey ignored shyness factor: Africans won’t admit that they r feeling good. Its not in us.

  17. I too beg to differ with the report. If by “happy” they mean having everything one needs in conveniently located places and easily accessible, then indeed, they are right. But we r happy despite everything. We r a pipo that can quarrel bitterly politically but hug immediately after u remove cameras. Also, the survey ignored shyness factor: Africans won’t admit that they r feeling good. Its not in us. If they r rich, they will not admit it since there’s someone else who could be richer. “Mwalila?” Is a greeting that’s always answered by “panono” even by a guy clearly having a blast at a party

  18. @Enka, do you really have the statistics about the number of people committing suicide in Zambia. Zambia is so backwards that when currency change is done in the country, people in the rural areas have no clue about it. I know of an area in North Western province where people were dealing in old currency 5 years after the country had brought in new currency. Yes, they were foolishly happy. Very soon they will be filling in some laughing gas in your fizzy drinks like Zambeef has been embalming you alive to show that you are the laughingstock nation full of happy for nothing people. You interview 10 stoned yobs and base your findings on that. Statistics like Zambia is one of the 10 most peaceful countries in the world is helpful for foreign investment and tourism not this rubbish!

  19. If you ask me, most people are “too happy”. How else do you explain the way everyone overlooks all the s’it they put up with and never do anything about it? No one is accountable or even wants to be and the sub-standard is “just OK”.

  21. The other day an Ambassador was congralatulating the President for ‘development’! These people and their accolades are very uninspiring and fraudulent. Now they say we are happy! My foot!

    What’s their measurement mechanism? Is happiness the number of by elections and removal of subsidies? The number of times cadres have hacked each other to death? The absence of essential drugs like ARVs and BCGs in hospitals?

    Or perhaps the number of gaffes our President has made at International fora and at home?

  22. Hehe, happy indeed! what is there to be happy about ? poverty,oppression, ignorance, corruption,docility, dead aid or laziness? Well, if that’s the definition of happiness, then Zambians could never be happier. I can now “happily” say that Zambia’s development will come to a halt because its citizenry are too happy.Am sad though that am not able to share your kind of “happiness” . That truly breaks my “sad” heart into a zillion pieces.

    May your “happiness” last forever!

    Thanks.

  23. Defination of Happyness:
    – Mental or emotional state of well being
    – Feeling pleasure
    – Contentment
    – feeling satisfied that something is right.
    – Pleased, glad, cheerful, Jovial, blissful, delighted etc

    These are some of the few words which define happiness.

    Questions to the surveyor:

    (1) Under each of the words defining happiness, how many Zambians were interviewed during the survey (Sample size)?

    (2) How geographically dispersed was the survey ?

    The larger the sample size the closer the results of the survey to the conclusion. There are also certain areas in Zambia where people are completely unhappy. So the wider the geographical areas surveyed the closer results to the conclusion.

    Until I get answers to these questions I cannot comment further. BYEE

  24. Definitely lies are at the centre of this study. How can Zambians be happy when the vast majority of them do not even have decent clean water to drink, toilets and sanitation is poor, governance is dodgy, and politicians ruling over them with ignorant minds?

    • Out of 156 countries that are ranked by the study, Zambia ranks 91st. Would you call that “happy” or “sad”? You may be too quick to condemn a study you have not even read.

  25. @Ndobo, “ref: you sound very unhappy and bitter comment” was it meant for me? if that’s the case then let me propound on your observation. I will try very hard to be stupendous and eloquent in trashing this rhetoric by extemporaneously thrashing out the rules of engagement here. I am a ghost on this blog just as you and everybody else are. I don’t want to be known by any of you bloggers as my anonymity is paramount to remain unbiased in my input to matters of national importance. Yes, I am very unhappy about pulling wool over our people’s eyes that all is ok and they happy. I am in Europe, I have never known power cuts on my grid, I could leave the tap running the whole night and still find running water the next day. Our people people need to ask for more and are not happy. Trash…

  26. African are resilent pipo. The more poor an african is the happier..No worries..No bills to pay. The way it works also is that pipo in villages are happier than those in cities. This survey looks fraud but it is spot on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  27. ….. my learned friend Mushota has summed it all up for us. May their happiness last forever! disease: happy, TB happy, VD happy, HIV happy, potholed roads happy, no freedom of speech happy, infant mortality high happy, lack of education/illiteracy very happy, unemployment ooh can’t be happier, lack of public transport ecstatically happy, no food in the house mama Mia very very happy, mute leadership can’t be happier, No future no plan very happy indeed, no formidable national rail system – what the heck is that? no national airline, give us a break, we can watch Sata flying in his chopper and that’s enough to crack our ribs with laughter and happiness, never qualify for the World Cup – bring it on we happy – Now you know why I am angry and unhappy with this trash. Give us news be…

    • @ Confused you must be very confused even if you seemed to be saying the truth. No one challenges uncle Ndobo and gets away with it. That has made me to come in. Zambia is a very happy country regardless of the criteria used.

  29. Whoever conducted this survey must have spoken to some cabinet minister who has a roof over his head, a driver, clean water and no power cuts. Next time they conduct a survey they should go to the compounds and just one look at people walking long distances just to to fetch water, people sleeping on the floors at hospitals, children abandoned and unable to go to school because their parents cannot afford fees, and the list can go on and on. If that happened Zambia would come out at number 666.

  30. Happiness is a relative term… the author’s opinion is welcome but it should not be misinterpreted with the situation on the ground and what most Zambians would consider hapiness. The happy are not us!

  31. Whilst UK and Zambia are incomparable, I saw this news yesterday, which placed UK 22 of the World’s Happiest Countries and Zambia at 91 or 92 and 7th in Africa. I felt good that Zambia is ranked high in Africa, but on other hand was surprised that we ranked higher than certain Countries in Africa who have better Economies, longer life span, better education systems etc. I believe Zambia tops the list in terms of Countries for ease of doing business, it is easy for foreign investors to rip unimaginable profits in record time in Zambia, compared to other Countries well off, who have strict policies in setting up businesses to protect local interests and people e.g. Botswana. Foreign investors and visitors in Zambia are undoubtedly happy, but are the local masses really this happy?

  33. This a very patronizing report. “You don’t deserve to have what we have, you will never reach our level”. “Just be content with who you are and what you have”. “DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY!”

    Very insulting report.

  34. ok, I get it! “Happiness is a cigar called hamlet”
    lets laugh together and be merry ever after, pass the riffer brethrens – two pulls each and keep passing it as we laugh our way to happiness. Roll another one hahahahahahahaha,, ieeerie ieeerie. Good tings gwa’an right ‘ere. One Zambia, one happy smoking family!!!

  35. Yes last month after winning the COSAFA cup. This time we should the saddest after failing out on CHAN and WORLD CUP

  36. With due respect the happiest Zambian in Zambia I have observed online photos posted from Zambia is the First lady, Dr. Christine Kaseba Sata. She is always bright, smiling and laughing. She has the feel good factor!

  37. Is it possible for a slave to be happier than his master ? In other words I am trying to say that happiness is a very debatable concept and the parameters used to measure it are complex and controversial . Indeed , I think IT IS possible for a poorer person to actually be happier than a richer man . This will depend on what your expectations are as compared to what you have achieved . The lower your expectations , the easier it is to attain happiness .
    Those are just my thoughts !

  38. Am not surprised even Where i am they know that we Zambian are known for our smiles…Congratulations lets build it and make it our identity since we don’t have a concrete one…

    • Check the excitement on this blog. Being ranked 91 out of 156 countries is a great achievement for Zambia and indeed for any other African country for that matter. Any wonder Africa is still that poor and backward! We get too happy and content with just one meal a day.

  41. The report should define what is meant by happiness. Which people were interviewed and how were they selected. Were they a good representation of the whole country? Surely how can Zimbabwe be happier than Botswana, Tanzania?

    • What a lie indeed. Most Zimbabweans have run away from home because Harare Bulawayo Wankie make them sad. Batswana dont need to run away from home.

    • Zimbabweans inherited all those good farms from the bazunguzi while the Batswanas have nothing except the Kalahari desert. Why shouldn’t the Zimbabweans be the happier of the two? As for those Zimbabweans who left the country in search of greener pastures, are they not making a fortune wherever they are? How would you compare these to the Batswanas who are only looking after cattle at their cattle posts? Zimbabweans in S. Africa for instance, are among the most prosperous of any foreign group in the country.

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