JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel ranked seventh worldwide in the happiness level of its residents, according to a survey conducted by the Gallup Institute.

Some 63 percent of Israelis are satisfied with their lives, Gallup’s global wellbeing surveys in 2010 found. Israel was ranked higher than the United States, which came in 12th place — 59 percent of Americans said they were thriving, the indicator of happiness. Thirty-four percent of Israelis said they were struggling and 2 percent said they were suffering, according to the survey.

New Zealand also ranked seventh among the 124 countries surveyed. Denmark ranked first with 73 percent of respondents saying they were thriving.

Among the countries where fewer than 25 percent of citizens said they were thriving were Russia, China and Lebanon.

Some 14 percent of the residents of what the survey calls the "Palestinian territories" said they were thriving, according to the survey.

Results were based on face-to-face and telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 adults per country, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2010.

