The world's ten happiest countries: perfect for a holiday?

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Where are the happiest countries in the world?

The New Economics Foundation's Happy Planet Index shows that most of them are far from thriving superpowers with high standards of living.

The think-tank uses criteria that are very different from the traditional ways of measuring happiness. Instead of linking it with economic factors, such as GNP, it scores each nation for life expectancy, wellbeing and ecological footprint - a potent alternative to the UN's World Happiness Report, which links happiness to economic power.

What's interesting about the report is its suggestion that the traditional way of measuring happiness - by linking it with money - is outdated.

Explaining its methodology, the group says: "The Happy Planet Index demonstrates that the dominant Western model is not sustainable, and we need to find other development paths towards sustainable wellbeing."

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