Happiness hunters have done it again. They’ve used an army of pollsters and a mountain of data to uncover the world’s happiest countries. But this year, there are some unexpected winners—for unexpected reasons.

The World Values Survey, which has compiled data from 350,000 people in 97 countries since 1981, found Denmark to be home to the planet’s most contented citizens (again) with Zimbabwe as the most miserable (again). Classic Scandinavian front-runners like Sweden and Finland were nudged out of the top 10 by Puerto Rico and Colombia. El Salvador placed a surprising 11th, beating out Malta and Luxembourg. Further down the list came the U.S., ranked in 16th place.

Directed by University of Michigan political scientist Ronald Inglehart and administered from Stockholm, the survey found that freedom of choice, gender equality, and increased tolerance are responsible for a considerable rise in overall world happiness. The results shatter the more simplistic and traditionally accepted notion that wealth is the determining factor, says Inglehart.

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I think one of the most interesting things about this survey is the discovery that 3 main sources of happiness are:

1. Freedom of choice
2. Gender equality
3. Increased tolerance

I think I just like the idea that happiness can be defined so clearly and easily.  Also, while I don’t usually make decisions based on pure emotions, I must confess that one reason I approve of using these three criteria to measure happiness is due to the way they just feel so right to me.  I love freedom because having many choices and opportunities make me happy.  Being treated as an equal, even though I’m a woman, also makes me happy.  And fighting and anger and hatred make me sad,  but tolerance makes me happy.  See?  These three measure just work.

What do you think about them?  Would you add another notch to the measuring stick of happiness?

-MJ