PETALING JAYA: Malaysia was ranked fifth among the nine Asean member states in the 2025 edition of the World Happiness Report, powered primarily by World Poll data by prominent analytics and advisory firm Gallup.
Malaysia came in 64th out of the 147 nations and territories surveyed in the poll, down from 59th in the previous report.
It scored 5.955 on the Life Evaluation Index, compared to 5.975 the year before.
The report also noted that Malaysia was among the top four countries in the world where residents report sharing the most meals together.
“Malaysians share approximately 11 meals per week with others,” it said.
Singapore came in first among the Asean countries at 34th position, followed by Vietnam at 46th.
In third place was Thailand, which placed 49th in the global rankings.
Indonesia came in sixth, occupying the 83rd spot, followed by Laos (93rd), Cambodia (124th), and Myanmar (126th).
Brunei was excluded from the survey.
Finland led the survey for the eighth year in a row, with a score of 7.736 on the Life Evaluation Index.
Denmark and Iceland came in second and third, respectively.
Among the least happy countries were Lebanon, Sierra Leone, and Afghanistan, ranking 141st, 142nd, and 143rd, respectively.
Conflict-ravaged Palestine was ranked 108th, above Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Egypt, with Palestinians reporting an average score of 4.7 out of 10.
In a statement, Gallup CEO Jon Clifton said happiness was not just about wealth or growth, but about trust, connection, and knowing that “people have your back”.
“This year’s report proves we underestimate how kind the world really is. If we want stronger communities and economies, we must invest in what truly matters – each other,” he said.
The World Happiness Report, released in conjunction with the UN’s International Day of Happiness, is a partnership among Gallup, the Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and the World Happiness Report’s Editorial Board.
About 1,000 individuals are surveyed per year in each country. - FMT
