(Interfax – MOSCOW, June 27, 2013) Russia took the 33rd place out of 54 in the rating of the happiest countries. The top ten includes Latin American countries, Finland, Switzerland, Azerbaijan and others.

The global survey was held by the Gallup International/WIN, the association of independent pollsters, in over 50 counties, including Russia and the post-Soviet space, where the association is exclusively represented by Romir research holding. The results of the poll were obtained by Interfax on June 25.

During the annual poll Global Barometer on Hope and Despair, which is traditionally held by Gallup International/WIN at the end of the year, respondents were asked about personal feelings of happiness. The received answers are used to calculate the global happiness index: the share of those considering themselves unhappy is deducted from the share of those considering themselves happy.

The poll was carried out among almost 60,000 people in 54 world countries upon the national probability sample.

The survey showed that over a half of the global population (53%) considered themselves happy. Every eighth person (13%) said was unhappy. A third of respondents (32%) said they did not feel particular happiness in private life but could not call themselves unhappy as well.

“The global happiness index did not change in a year and remains on the same level as in 2012 – at 40 percent points. This means that the share of happy people in the world is 40% more than unhappy ones,” Romir said a press release.

The survey showed that responses of Russians differed a little from worldwide ones. For instance, Russia has fewer happy people than the world average – 42%, at the same time, fewer people fell unhappy – 10%. Considerably more Russians are indecisive on being happy – 44% Russians said they were “neither happy nor unhappy” with the global average of 32%. This year Russia scored higher and was 33rd out 54 countries, while in 2012 it was 40th out of 58.

Russia’s neighbors in the current happiness rating are Germany with 37 percent points, France with 36 percent points, Macedonia with 32, Bulgaria and Cameroon with 30 percent points both.

The top ten of the happiest countries is: Columbia with 75 percent points, Malaysia with 74, Brazil with 74, Saudi Arabia with 72, Philippines with 69, Finland with 68, Azerbaijan with 66, Peru with 63, Switzerland with 63 and Iceland with 61.

The countries with more unhappy citizens than happy ones are Lebanon with -49 percent points, Palestine with -11 and Romania with -10. Romania showed the same results in 2012, while Lebanon and Palestine did much worse, sociologists refers this decline to virtually military actions in the region.

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