LAHORE: Pakistan has gained eight spots on the World Happiness Report, now ranking 67 as compared to last year’s 75.

And India is at 140th place, seven spots down from last year. Pakistan ranked the highest in South Asia.

Bhutan ranked 95, Nepal was at 100, Bangladesh at 125, Sri Lanka at 130 and Afghanistan was at 154 — just two spots above last place.

The ranking is part of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Solutions Network’s annual World Happiness Report. The survey maps the happiness quotient of the citizens of 156 countries by how happy they perceive themselves to be.

This year’s report focused on happiness and the community — how happiness has evolved over the past dozen years — with a focus on technologies, social norms, conflicts and government policies that have driven those changes.

For a second year in a row, Finland ranked as the happiest country in the world while Denmark, Norway and Iceland took the second, third and fourth positions, respectively. South Sudan was at the last position.

People in war-torn South Sudan are the most unhappy with their lives, followed by Central African Republic (155), Afghanistan (154), Tanzania (153) and Rwanda (152).

The happiness study ranks the countries of the world on the basis of questions from the Gallup World Poll. The results are then correlated with other factors, including GDP and social security.

The United States ranks at 19th place for happiness, despite being one of the richest countries in the world.

The report said the large gaps in happiness between countries will continue to create pressure to migrate.