UN research shows UAE nationals are happy

Emiratis are the happiest population of all Arab nationalities and among the happiest people in the world, a study has revealed.

The World Happiness Report, published by the United Nations and the Earth Institute of Columbia University, named the UAE as the 17th happiest country out of the 50 studied and number one regionally.

Unveiled at the ‘Quality of Life in UAE’ conference yesterday, the report took into account a range of factors including health, family and work. The UAE ranked above nations such as Britain (18th) and Iceland (20th). Denmark was number one followed by Finland and Norway.

The co-author of the report, Professor John Helliwell, said: “What’s special about the UAE is their cooperative approach to governance among the Emirates and the way in which they’re adopting an approach to inter­national development that’s not self-regarding.”

He added: “The cooperative handling of relations in a federal state is always important but it’s especially praiseworthy that it works even in a case where the natural resource revenues are so unevenly divided, that they can still have cooperative solutions.”

However, Helliwell said some countries quizzed all residents, whereas others, including the UAE, only included national citizens.

“When you get countries where there’s a big foreign-born population... you should be including them too, if you’re trying to compare across countries,” he said. A member of Ajman Executive Council told 7DAYS on Tuesday that a more inclusive study would be conducted in the future.

megha@7days.ae