World Happiness Report 2013

The second World Happiness Report, released on Sept 9th 2013, further strengthens the case that well-being should be a critical component of how the world measures its economic and social development.

WHR 2013

The word “happiness” is not used lightly. Happiness is an aspiration of every human being, and can also be a measure of social progress. America’s founding fathers declared the inalienable right to pursue happiness. Yet are Americans, or citizens of other countries, happy? If they are not, what if anything can be done about it?

There is now a rising worldwide demand that policy be more closely aligned with what really matters to people as they themselves characterize their lives. More and more world leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, South Korean President Park Geun-hye and British Prime Minister David Cameron, are talking about the importance of well-being as a guide for their nations and the world. We offer the 2013 World Happiness Report in support of these efforts to bring the study of happiness into public awareness and public policy. This report offers rich evidence that the systematic measurement and analysis of happiness can teach us much about ways to improve the world’s wellbeing and sustainable development.

Appendices & Data

  • Our work is public. Data for Figure 2.1 for each corresponding year are freely downloadable. The survey measure of SWB (Subjective Well-being) is from the Gallup World Poll (GWP). Please reference the report accordingly (see Citation).
  • Chapter 2 Appendix
  • Frequently Asked Questions

Editors

John Helliwell, Richard Layard and Jeffrey Sachs

Citation

Helliwell, John F., Richard Layard, and Jeffrey Sachs, eds. 2013. World Happiness Report 2013. New York: UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

Acknowledgments

The support of the Emirates Competitiveness Council is gratefully acknowledged. World Happiness Report editing and coordination by Claire Bulger and design by Sunghee Kim.

ISBN

978-0-9968513-1-2