Credit: Alex Lentail

Switzerland is the world’s happiest nation thanks to healthy GDP figures, strong social bonds and an increasing life expectancy, a new study of global wellbeing has revealed.

The list is dominated by European nations, particularly those in Scandinavia, and measures a country’s population by factors contributing to its citizens’ contentment, rather than wealth.

Britons are happier now than they were two years ago, the study found, but still ranks in at a relatively lowly 21st place. And despite often mocking its northern neighbour as an inferior nation, the United States is a full 10 places below Canada, ranking at 10th and fifth respectively.

Unsurprisingly the world’s least happy countries are places ravaged by war and extreme poverty – with Syria, Burundi and Togo taking their place at the bottom of the 158-nation strong list.