The new World Happiness Report has been released, with some troubling statistics for the United States and other countries alongside some good news for Scandinavian countries.

Norway ranks as the happiest country in the world according to the World Happiness Report 2017, jumping up from no. 4 last year. They are followed by three European countries: Denmark, Iceland and Switzerland. The report reveals that all four countries rank very highly on the various levels of happiness, including "caring, freedom, generosity, honesty, health, income and good governance."

The report observes that Norway's happiness in particular could be attributed to its weaker oil prices, with the country choosing to invest income in the future rather than the present, and thus avoiding the unpredictability of similar countries who do business differently.

"Norway has insulated itself from the boom and bust cycle of many other resource-rich economies," the report summary states. "To do this successfully requires high levels of mutual trust, shared purpose, generosity and good governance, all factors that help to keep Norway and other top countries where they are in the happiness rankings."

As for the United States of America, the country has fallen from no. 3 among OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries to no. 19 in the course of nine years. Declining social support and increased corruption are cited as major reasons for this decline. They are 14th on the overall list.

The World Happiness Report describes work and the issues surrounding employment as a big factor in happiness worldwide. Unemployment is a big issue in falling happiness, but even those who are employed can vary in happiness depending on the actual quality of their work environment.

"In richer countries the within-country differences are not mainly explained by income inequality, but by differences in mental health, physical health and personal relationships: the biggest single source of misery is mental illness," the report adds. "Income differences matter more in poorer countries, but even there mental illness."

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