Every 20 March since 2012, the world is celebrating the International Day of Happiness. The date was established by the United Nations General Assembly to recognise happiness and wellbeing as universal goals and aspirations in people’s lives across the globe.
On this day, the United Nations stresses that happiness should guide public policy, not remain a fleeting emotion. Sustainable development requires inclusive, equitable, and balanced global approaches that prioritize all people’s wellbeing.
In recent years, Paraguay has improved its position in global happiness rankings. In the 2025 State of the World report published by Gallup, the country ranked second globally for emotional wellbeing. Similarly, in the World Happiness Report, also powered by Gallup, Paraguay has climbed more than 20 places over the past five years.
Paraguay’s ranking in the World Happiness Report
The World Happiness Report is one of the world’s leading publications on global wellbeing and ways to improve it. The report merges wellbeing data from over 140 countries with rigorous, multidisciplinary analysis by leading researchers.
Currently, Paraguay ranks 54th out of 147 countries included in the report. The country’s average life evaluation, also known as its happiness score, is 6.172 out of 10. Paraguay has risen steadily, moving from 71st in 2019 to 54th in 2024.
Social support plays a central role in Paraguay’s life satisfaction, at 91 percent. This measure is based on the question: “If you were in trouble, do you have relatives or friends you can count on to help you whenever you need them, or not?”
The positive response to this question reflects how support and hospitality are defining characteristic of the Paraguayan society that significantly contribute to people’s sense of happiness and wellbeing.
Positive emotions and benevolence in Paraguay
The World Happiness Report also considers emotions and benevolence as key components in evaluating wellbeing across countries. The reasoning is simple: both contribute and reflect people’s overall life circumstances. In Paraguay, positive emotions and generosity, donating, volunteering, helping strangers, shape its improving wellbeing.
Paraguay records the highest level of positive emotions in South America, reaching 83.5 per cent in 2024. This figure stands out not only within the region but also when compared to countries ranked higher overall. In fact, Paraguay’s level of positive emotions exceeds that of many nations within the top 40 of the global happiness rankings.
The benevolence indicators similarly show strong results. In the category of helping a stranger, Paraguay reached 62.1 per cent, placing 53rd globally. In terms of volunteering, the country achieved 32.2 per cent, corresponding to a 29th-place ranking. Meanwhile, donations accounted for 25.9 per cent, positioning Paraguay at 84th place.
Although Paraguay may not rank among the very top countries overall, on the International Day Of Happiness, these findings reveal that the country still maintains high levels of emotional wellbeing and acts of kindness.
The ongoing challenge of inequality
While Paraguay continues to climb in the World Happiness Report rankings, it is important to recognise that not all members of society may be experiencing these positive changes equally.
According to the report, Paraguay records a standard deviation score of 2.66 in life evaluations. This figure reflects how much individuals’ happiness levels vary within the country. A higher standard deviation indicates a wider spread of scores, and therefore greater inequality in happiness.
Paraguay ranks 110th on this measure, suggesting comparatively lower inequality than many countries. However, it remains crucial, to remember this International Day Of Happiness to address the existing disparities so that future positive outcomes benefit the entire population, not just a privileged few.
