According to the World Happiness Report published by the U.N. Sustainable Development Solutions Network in 2017, which one of the following is the overall happiest country in the world?

Norway is the answer. The World Happiness Report 2017, released by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network in March 2017, ranked Norway first, with Denmark second, Iceland third and Switzerland fourth. The ranking uses Gallup World Poll data, with the Cantril ladder life-evaluation question as the main measure. Factors such as GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity and perceived corruption help explain the scores.

• Denmark (B): second in 2017, close to the top but not first.
• Iceland (A): third in 2017.
• Switzerland (C): fourth in 2017.

Core concept: subjective well-being measured alongside objective indicators. The report shows that income matters, but social trust, welfare support and governance matter too. For Mains GS-II and GS-I, this links to the debate on GDP versus well-being and to happiness as a policy goal, as in Bhutan's Gross National Happiness.

Note that the ranking has changed since: Finland has topped the report every year from 2018 onward, so do not carry the 2017 answer into later exams.

Trap: candidates pick Denmark or Iceland because they are familiar Nordic names that often appear near the top. Remember the exact year, because the answer changes.