Unhappy Namibia

The much anticipated Word Happiness Report is out, and Namibia is rated among the countries with the saddest populations in the world.The report places Namibia at position 111 out of the 155 countries ranked in the United Nation's global happiness index.This is however a slight improvement from the previous year when Namibia was ranked at 113 globally. Namibia has also been ranked as the 12th happiest country in Africa in the world's global happiness rankings.Some of the countries that outrank Namibia in Africa are Algeria, Mauritius, Morocco, Somalia, Nigeria and South Africa. The World Happiness Report published since 2012 found that happiness is less evident in Africa than in other regions of the world.It says that Africa stands out as the unhappiest continent and the report further analysed the causes of this phenomenon.Some of the reasons being put forward as why most African countries, including Namibia, are performing poorly in the global happiness report is the current tough economic times that have seen the price of basic commodities skyrocket in these countries.The report also says that a problem for Africans who yearn for change and better life opportunities is that there is a dramatic disconnect between Africa's longest serving leaders and the continent's youth, with an age difference between leaders and the youth that is striking. While the average age of Africa's presidents is estimated at 70, some 70% of African citizens are younger than 30 years. “Most of Africa's leaders will have been born before the age of television and mobile phones and before the end of the colonial era,” according to the report. Given this generation gap, there is likely to be a mismatch between youth expectations of democracy, and the reality that confronts them.The report says that droughts may well spark further uprisings. Africa has a long history of extreme weather patterns, which is likely to be aggravated by climate change in the 21st century.In 2016, countries in east and southern Africa, including Namibia, experienced severe drought conditions that negatively affected food production and increased food prices.“It was anticipated that the drought would be followed by severe flooding in the region,” according to the report.Since middle February Namibia has already experienced heavy flooding in the northern parts of the country. According to the report, given the development challenges that Africa currently faces, it may take a while before people in Africa join the happiest people in the world.Norway was ranked as happiest country in the world while the worst ranked countries in the world were all in Africa, with Rwanda, Tanzania and the Central African Republic making up the bottom of the pile.The research is published by the UN's Sustainable Development Solutions Network and aims to show that “well-being and happiness are critical indicators of a nation's economic and social development and should be a key aim of policy”. It looks at factors including economic strength (measured in GDP per capita), social support, life expectancy, freedom of choice, generosity and perceived corruption by business and government. ELLANIE SMIT

Unhappy Namibia

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-26

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Unhappy Namibia

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Namibian Sun 2025-12-26

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