India ranks 118th out of 156 countries on a global list of the world's happiest nations, coming in behind China, Pakistan and Bangladesh, according to the United Nations' World Happiness Report 2016. PTI reported that while Denmark displaced Switzerland at the top slot, Rwanda, Benin, Afghanistan, Togo, Syria and Burundi were the least happy countries this year.

The PTI report said India, which went down a slot from last year, was among a group of 10 countries with the largest happiness declines – others on this list included Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen and Botswana. India was at 111 on the happiness list in 2013.

The report was released ahead of UN World Happiness Day, which is observed on March 20. For the first time, it emphasises a special role for the measurement and consequences of inequality in the distribution of well-being. Experts believe measurements of well-being can be used effectively to assess the progress of nations. It reflects a “new worldwide demand for more attention to happiness as a criterion for government policy”.

“People are happier living in societies where there is less inequality of happiness (sic). They also find that happiness inequality has increased significantly (comparing 2012-2015 with 2005-2011) in most countries, in almost all global regions, and for the population of the world as a whole,” the report said. The report compared levels of happiness in 2005-2007, before the onset of the global recession, with 2013-2015, the most recent three-year period for which data from a Gallup World Poll is available. It found that Iceland and Ireland offer the best examples of maintaining happiness in the face of economic crisis thanks to high degrees of social support, reported AFP.