2nd happiest country in Latin America
Today more than ever, Long live Mexico! The joy of living for Mexicans.
Mexico ranked second in Latin America as the happiest country in Latin America, according to the Happy Planet Index.
Out of 156 countries, Mexico ranks 23rd globally and second in Latin America, surpassed only by Costa Rica, which ranks 13th internationally on the World Happiness Report’s list, based on its survey results about people’s way of life on the planet.
“Happiness,” defined as a state of mind, is measured by six variables: income level, freedom, trust, healthy life expectancy, social support, and generosity. The survey results then show the level of spiritual and physical satisfaction of people only as a generality, as happiness itself can come from other factors.
Why Mexico is the 2nd happiest country in Latin America
These factors in Mexico can be considered its great diversity of climates -from the freezing cold of Nogales to the tropical heat of Yucatan- and therefore, its landscapes and one of the most famous and valuable cuisines in the world. All of these add up to create a joy that only Mexicans understand and experience day by day.
But naivety does not exist in this survey, nor in other studies on the subject, because it is known that it’s not all laughs and pleasant afternoons. The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) published a study highlighting that the average happiness level of Mexicans is 8.53 on a scale of one to ten.
The National Survey on Subjective Satisfaction with Life and Society also revealed that 82.3% of the population is largely satisfied, while 17.5% lives in dissatisfaction.
No one overlooks the increasing incidents of violence -deaths, kidnappings, robberies- that cause insecurity, nor the large economic gap between the rich and the poor with evident levels of extreme poverty. These characteristics are present throughout Latin America; the difference lies in the fact that Mexicans face the most bitter moments with optimism, joy, but above all, hope.
Another important factor for national happiness has been interpersonal relationships, especially with family -whether it’s the traditional family or not. Weekends with grandma, office parties, events like patron saint festivities, weddings, baptisms, or even the excuse of eating together for a soccer game or to have cake on a birthday contribute enormously to the satisfaction of living.
Regardless of where it comes from, that feeling of joy is of vital importance in people’s lives worldwide. That’s why, according to a scientific equation, the happiest day of the year is celebrated every June 20th.
Having hope and generating happiness are, in summary, the two indicators that make Mexico is the 2nd happiest country in Latin America.
