North Korea Global Happiness Index: China Is The World's 'Happiest' Place

Most global polls rate Scandinavian and west European nations as being among the world's happiest and most liveable. Not so says a North Korean survey, which ranked China as "the happiest place on earth."

As Shanghaiist is reporting, a new global happiness index released by North Korea's Chosun Central Television awarded China 100 out of 100 possible points. If the "Gross National Happiness" survey is to be believed, isolated dictatorships are the key to overall well-being, with North Korea reportedly coming in second with 98 points, followed by Cuba, Iran and Venezuela.

Though full rankings and the survey's criteria have not yet been revealed (at least In English), the lowest marks are said to have gone to South Korea, which scored just 18 points to come in at 152, while the United States -- reportedly listed as "the American Empire" -- fared even worse at 203 with a measly three points, MSNBC is reporting. Israel was nowhere to be found.

Still, the survey has created a global media sensation, with resounding grumblings in the blogsophere. "Famine and repression apparently didn't hurt North Korea's standing in the eyes of the 'researchers,'" joked NPR's Mark Memmott, while another commentator reportedly pleaded, "Please send me to the U.S. so I can suffer too."

Comments

[NotMyTube]

10:53 PM on 06/15/2011

US ranked 203rd, so I've heard.

[karim banned]

02:38 PM on 06/10/2011

"China Is The World's 'Happiest' Place"

Not yet, but we are getting there slowly but surely.

If the current poverty rate increase in West continues for a few more years, Chinese will have much better living standard than average Joe in West.

[MBW001]

07:10 PM on 06/09/2011

WOW!!! North Korea beat Chernobyl, Ukraine. They must be biased!

[Fred in China]

10:11 AM on 06/08/2011

I'm Peace Corps volunteer and I've been serving at a small college in Western China for almost 2 years now. From what I understand, the average Chinese is definitely NOT happy with the status quo. Any other people living in China with similar/different observations?

[project34565]

08:56 PM on 06/07/2011

The generals and dictators are very happy. The people, not so much.

[dshutt86]

04:19 PM on 06/07/2011

Denmark and Norway top most lists.

[Jeff Forsythe]

08:13 AM on 06/07/2011

The way I see it is that there are two Chinas, one of them is the real China , with a 5000 year history, of kind and gentle Buddhist and Tao philosophies, including so many innovations in all forms of science and art, and then there is the second China, which is the brutal Chinese Communist Party.
The Chinese Communist Party is the enemy of good people everywhere. All the Governments of the World are aware of this fact and of the many heinous crimes that the brutal Party has committed on their own people, lately on spiritual groups such as Christians and Falun Gong. The only reason that the so-called free world is dealing with this monster, the Party, is because of corporate greed. Thank you for your consideration.

[tksensei]

09:13 AM on 06/07/2011

All communist regimes are brutal. Brutality is essential to imposing communism on a people. The further China moves away from communism, the less brutal they need to be to their people. However, don't kid yourself about that 'other' China. What do you think was going on for those 5000 years? The same thing humans everywhere have always done, that's what. It in no way diminishes the accomplishments of Chinese culture relative to any other peoples, but let's be realistic.

[Cannonball Taffy O Jones]

01:21 PM on 06/07/2011

The Taiping Rebellion killed about 20,000,000 Chinese in the Nineteenth Century. There were not killed with either kindness or gentleness.

[french queen13]

06:54 AM on 06/07/2011

A NORTH KOREAN survey?

Bwahahahahahaha!

[ChrisDwane]

03:21 AM on 06/07/2011

China, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, all fall under the category of WORLD VILLAINS.

I hope some people aren't "Sooooo Liberal" that they overlook that.

[nelson rivera]

04:31 AM on 06/07/2011

Looks like a List of Nations that the People wished they could vote for a different type of Government for sure.

[hbhawaii]

01:31 AM on 06/07/2011

I've been to China. It's not happy. Trust me.

[tksensei]

07:19 AM on 06/07/2011

This North Korean infantile attempt at propaganda is beyond ridiculous, but there is plenty of happiness in China.

[fredgladys]

12:51 AM on 06/07/2011

I'm getting just a tad annoyed, someone keeps changing the meaning of words in the dictionary and it's very irritating, so now happy has changed, what am I going to do with all those birthday cards I bought on special.

[Edward Standley]

11:36 PM on 06/06/2011

Why would I put any credence in a "Happiness Index" promulgated by a country whose people subsist on grass and ditch water?

[Blodo]

11:47 PM on 06/06/2011

But only the very best grass and ditch water.

[french queen13]

06:54 AM on 06/07/2011

ROFL!

[Pod-gers]

10:59 PM on 06/06/2011

:)

[Pauline Jaing]

10:28 PM on 06/06/2011

Maybe the Chinese are happy just because after 120 years they were finally able to get arrogant colonialists out of their country?

Come to think of it, if we were occupied for 120 years, and forced to accept payment in OPIUM for all our exports, I'd be pretty happy to get rid of the occupiers mysefl!!

[redmaple]

10:39 PM on 06/06/2011

Somebody got a chip on her shoulder.

[Blodo]

11:52 PM on 06/06/2011

That was indeed a shameful and dark period of European imperialism.

That being said, I wouldn't grant the N. Korea study any more credibility than a 1950's cigarette commercial.

[czs5056]

10:05 PM on 06/06/2011

I'm surprised that North Korea isn't the happiest

[capnamerca]

09:07 AM on 07/18/2011

Sucking up to the Chinese govt., who they depend on for their very existence.