Statistical analysis of the world happiness index by regions

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effects of economic, social and cultural differences on happiness in a statistical framework by examining the happiness levels of countries in different geographical regions. Analyses based on the World Happiness Index data reveal that the happiness levels of African countries are significantly lower than other regions, while European countries have higher happiness levels. As a result of comparisons made with Tukey’s HSD test, statistically significant differences were found between Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania regions. In particular, it was observed that factors such as social support, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and healthy life expectancy have significant effects on happiness. This study emphasizes the importance of considering regional differences in increasing social welfare and reveals the necessity of development policies aimed at solving the economic problems of underdeveloped and developing countries.