Saudi Arabia has been ranked 26th on an international happiness index. The United Nation's first-ever World Happiness Report 2012 listed Denmark in the top spot followed by Finland, Norway and the Netherlands. Among other countries in the Gulf region, the UAE was ranked 17th, Kuwait 29th and Qatar 31st. The report quoted the Saudi Ministry of Economy and Planning as showing a year ago that the average per capita income in the Kingdom was SR49,000. The 158-page report was commissioned for the United Nations Conference on Happiness in order to “review the state of happiness in the world today and show how the new science of happiness explains personal and national variations in happiness.” The rankings in the report were based on a number called the “life evaluation score,” a measurement which takes into account a variety of factors including people's health, family and job security as well as social factors like political freedom and government corruption. It also looks at measurements from previous international reports on happiness. In the introduction to the report, the co-editors explain that the report aims in part to evaluate happiness based on a more comprehensive measurement system that can be used to inform policy makers. “While basic living standards are essential for happiness, after the baseline has been met happiness varies more with the quality of human relationship than with income,” the report read. “Policy goals should include high employment and high-quality work; a strong community with high levels of trust and respect, which government can influence through inclusive participatory policies; improved physical and mental health; support of family life; and a decent education for all.”
