Happiness

The happiness input to the Arda Index is the World Happiness Report published by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The data comes primarily from responses to the annual Gallup World Poll, specifically answers to the main life evaluation question.

The question asks respondents to think of a ladder, with the best possible life for them being a 10 and the worst possible life being a 0. They are then asked to rate their own current lives on that 0 to 10 scale.

Those who rate their current life a 7 or higher and their anticipated life in five years an 8 or higher are considered to be "thriving". Those who rate their current life and anticipated life in five years a 4 or lower are classified as "suffering." Those who are neither suffering nor thriving are considered "struggling."

The data shows the estimated extent to which each of six factors: levels of GDP, life expectancy (Health & Nutrition), generosity, social support (Social Cohesion), Freedom, and corruption is estimated to contribute to making life evaluations higher in each country than in Dystopia. Dystopia is a hypothetical country with values equal to the world’s lowest national averages for each of the six factors.