Happy Planet Index (HPI)

Denmark is no longer the happiest country in the world. Costa Rica has taken its spot.

You may be thinking, how can people measure the amount of happiness in a country!? Three factors are taken into account.

1. Over-all happiness and well-being
2. Life Expectancy
3. Environmental Sustainability

With these three factors, the new HPI, or happy planet index creates a ranking of countries every year. One reason so many countries from Central America and the Carribbean are in the top 10 happiest countries is because they beat everyone, especially the great nations, in terms of their environment. The US came in 105th place and one reason for that is that we are ruining the environment and not living sustainably.
The top ten happiest countries are...

1. Costa Rica (64.0)

2. Vietnam (60.4)

3. Colombia (59.8)

4. Belize (59.3)

5. El Salvador (58.9)

6. Jamaica (58.5)

7. Panama (57.8)

8. Nicaragua (57.1)

9. Venezuela (56.9)

9. Guatemala (56.9)

One thing about this proves that you don't need the most money or to live in the country producing the most, as some in China and the US believe.

People in Costa Rica dance to Gangnam Style and are happy because they have strong relationships with others and family.

This article is credible because I found it on the CNN Travel website.

http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/life/denmark-ousted-100-latest-worlds-happiest-country-561826