IN the tightly-fought, sometimes bitter, neighbourly rivalry between Australia and New Zealand, the Kiwis have landed a telling blow and possibly enjoyed the win that matters most.

We might get the better of the Kiwis in most things (except rugby union), but The Land of The Long White Cloud is apparently a happier country than Down Under, a global report says.

According to the World Happiness Report 2017 released today, New Zealand is happier than its northerly neighbour.

The rankings are based on six factors — per capita gross domestic product, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, social support and absence of corruption in government or business.

In the report New Zealand is ranked as the eighth happiest country in the world behind the happiest country of all Norway.

Australia is ranked ninth, with us and the Kiwis holding their rankings from the 2016.

The report is produced by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), a global initiative launched by the United Nations in 2012.

“Happy countries are the ones that have a healthy balance of prosperity, as conventionally measured, and social capital, meaning a high degree of trust in a society, low inequality and confidence in government,” Jeffrey Sachs, the director of the SDSN and a special adviser to the United Nations Secretary—General, said.

The aim of the report, he added, is to provide another tool for governments, business and civil society to help their countries find a better way to wellbeing. Something Australia apparently needs to do.

The report also says Americans are getting sadder, and it takes more than just money to be happy.

Norway vaulted to the top slot ahead of last year’s happiest country Denmark, despite the plummeting price of oil — a key part of its economy.

The year before Switzerland was rated as the world’s happiest country.

Income in the United States has gone up over the past decade, but happiness is declining and the U.S. slipped one spot to 14th.

Sachs said the United States is falling in the ranking due to inequality, distrust and corruption. Economic measures that the administration of President Donald Trump is trying to pursue, he added, will make things worse.

“They are all aimed at increasing inequality — tax cuts at the top, throwing people off the healthcare rolls, cutting Meals on Wheels in order to raise military spending. I think everything that has been proposed goes in the wrong direction,” he explained.

Australia could improve its happiness factor by appointing a Minister Of Happiness.

“I want governments to measure this, discuss it, analyse it and understand when they have been off on the wrong direction,” he said.

And it seems money isn’t everything.

“It’s the human things that matter. If the riches make it harder to have frequent and trustworthy relationships between people, is it worth it?” asked John Helliwell, the lead author of the report and an economist at the University of British Columbia in Canada (ranked No. 7).

“The material can stand in the way of the human.”

Money does matter, of course: The countries at the bottom of the list are desperately poor, and the Central African Republic placed last. But after a certain point it doesn’t buy extra happiness, experts say.

WORLD’S HAPPIEST COUNTRIES

The rankings are based on income and life expectancy figures, along with how people rate social support, personal freedom, corruption and generosity. Together it is used to generate a happiness score from 1 to 10.

HAPPIEST COUNTRIES

1. Norway 7.54

2. Denmark 7.42

3. Iceland 7.5

4. Switzerland 7.49

5. Finland 7.47

6. Netherlands 7.38

7. Canada 7.32

8. New Zealand 7.32

9. Australia 7.28

10. Sweden 7.28

14. US 6.99

19. United Kingdom 6.714

SADDEST COUNTRIES

146. Yemen 3.59

147. South Sudan 3.59

148. Liberia 3.53

149. Guinea 3.51

150. Togo 3.49

151. Rwanda 3.47

152. Syria 3.46

153. Tanzania 3.35

154. Burundi 2.91

155. Central African Republic 2.69