Global Happiness Index Dataset
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About
This dataset presents a pivotal survey of the state of global happiness, offering an understanding of well-being across numerous countries. It provides national happiness scores derived from the Gallup World Survey, where respondents rate their lives on a Cantril ladder scale. The scores are further explained by key contributing factors such as economic production, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and perceptions of corruption. The report aims to inform policy-making decisions by measuring well-being and assessing countries' progress.
Columns
- Country: The name of the country. There are 158 unique country values.
- Region: The geographic region to which the country belongs, with 10 unique regional values, including Sub-Saharan Africa and Central and Eastern Europe.
- Happiness Rank: The rank of each country based on its happiness score, ranging from 1 to 158.
- Happiness Score: The national average score from the Gallup World Poll's life evaluation question, known as the Cantril ladder. Scores range from 2.84 to 7.59.
- Standard Error: The standard error associated with the Happiness Score, typically between 0.02 and 0.14.
- Economy (GDP per Capita): A measure of economic production, contributing to the happiness score, with values ranging from 0 to 1.69.
- Family: Represents social support, a factor contributing to the overall life evaluations. Values range from 0 to 1.4.
- Health (Life Expectancy): Reflects healthy life expectancy, another factor explaining happiness levels. Values typically range from 0 to 1.03.
- Freedom: The perceived freedom to make life choices, a significant contributor to well-being. Values range from 0 to 0.67.
- Trust (Government Corruption): Indicates the absence of corruption, particularly in government, impacting the happiness score. Values range from 0 to 0.55.
- Generosity: A measure of generosity, contributing to higher life evaluations. Values typically range from 0 to 0.8.
- Dystopia Residual: The residual error, accounting for the unexplained portion of the happiness score, relative to Dystopia, a hypothetical country with the lowest national midpoints for all six factors. Values range from 0.33 to 3.6.
Distribution
The dataset is typically provided in a CSV file format. The provided sample file, '2015.csv', is 16.56 KB in size and contains 12 columns. It includes data for 158 countries, with 158 valid records for each column, indicating no missing or mismatched values in this specific file instance.
Usage
This dataset is ideal for:
- Informing policy-making decisions by governments and organisations to evaluate the progress of nations based on well-being indicators.
- Academic research in fields such as economics, psychology, and public policy, to understand the dynamics of happiness and its influencing factors.
- Cross-country analysis to compare happiness levels and their drivers globally.
- Developing models to predict or explain national variations in happiness.
Coverage
The dataset offers global coverage, including data for 153 to 158 countries depending on the specific report year. The information presented spans reports up to 2022, with specific survey data for the years 2013-2016 from the Gallup World Survey. It provides nationally representative samples, allowing for a broad geographic scope.
License
CC0: Public Domain
Who Can Use It
This dataset is suitable for a diverse range of users, including:
- Governments and policymakers: To inform and shape public policy aimed at improving national well-being.
- Researchers and academics: For studies in social sciences, economics, public health, and psychology.
- Organisations and civil society groups: To develop initiatives and advocacy based on global happiness trends.
- Data analysts and statisticians: For statistical analysis, visualisation, and model building related to well-being.
Dataset Name Suggestions
- Global Happiness Index
- World Well-being Factors
- Country Happiness Data
- National Bliss Indicators
- Gallup World Happiness Survey
Attributes
Original Data Source: Global Happiness Index Dataset