EACH YEAR, THE MAKERS of the World Happiness Report survey people from more than 150 countries and try to pinpoint a recipe for bliss. Wealth, to some extent, tends to raise content-edness, but several regions are more satisfied than their coffers alone can explain. Some secrets to a cheery existence include solid social support, a long life expectancy, plenty of freedom, and a lack of corruption. Those outliers exemplify how some countries rise above the mean. 1 Somalis enjoy tight-knit families, as their national culture tends to prioritize kin above all else. The resulting support network of female relatives lessens the burdens of childcare (from birth through rearing) on working mothers. Despite a civil war that's been going on since 1991, surveys suggest it's one of the most contented countries in Africa. 2 Most Central Asian nations remain dictatorships, so Uzbekistan stands out within the region-and the World Happiness Report indicates that a sense of freedom is a big mood booster. The country has taken some tentative steps against authoritarianism since long-term dictator Islam Karimov's death in 2016, kindling hope among the Uzbeks.
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