A stunning island nation in the Indian Ocean has been named the happiest country in Africa, according to the latest World Happiness Report. Mauritius, located just over 1,000 miles off the southeastern coast of East Africa, has claimed the top spot on the continent, ranking 78th globally. While this marks a decline from its previous positions of 43rd in 2017 and 2019, Mauritius continues to lead African nations in overall happiness.
The report, which assesses factors such as social support, GDP per capita, freedom, generosity, and perceptions of corruption, highlights Mauritius’ strengths in these areas. The nation ranks 62nd for social support, 49th for GDP per capita (£21,565), 71st for freedom, 70th for generosity, and 46th for perceptions of corruption. Despite its drop in global rankings, Mauritius remains a beacon of contentment in Africa.
The World Happiness Report also sheds light on the broader African landscape, with Sierra Leone ranking second-to-last globally at 146th, just ahead of Afghanistan. Out of Africa’s 54 countries, only 41 were included in the report, with 13 nations—such as Sudan, Angola, Rwanda, Burundi, Central African Republic, and Eritrea—not receiving rankings due to insufficient data.Top 10 Happiest African Countries (Global Ranking):Mauritius – 78Libya – 79Algeria – 84South Africa – 95Mozambique – 96Gabon – 97Côte d’Ivoire – 98Congo – 100Guinea – 102Namibia – 103Globally, the top five happiest countries are dominate.