Denmark

This year, Denmark held onto the second-place position. The nation ranks highly in all of the reported metrics, including life expectancy, social support, and generosity, but it also has a strong commitment to the production of renewable energy (39.1 percent of its energy was wind-generated in 2014). Danish happiness is categorized into a number of different categories, including trust in the government, economic security, freedom, civil participation, and work-life balance, according to a recent study from the Copenhagen-based Happiness Research Institute (whose existence is probably enough for a top spot).

Endorphin-boosting travel tip:

Aside from socioeconomic factors, the country's happiness stems in part from a respect for the planet on which it is built. Visit Denmark in the summer and stay at a traditional Danish seaside inn to get a sense of that "at one with nature" mentality. You can't help but feel happier after a few days of cycling along the coast, eating fresh mussels and house-made sourdough, and viewing the Baltic Sea from a shaded hammock.

Average Life Evaluation: 7.636