A new study has ranked Rwanda among the best places to live, emerging top in Africa and 15th globally. 

Paraguay ranked highest worldwide in the survey conducted by an American research firm, Gallup.

Rwanda tied with the US and Bhutan, all recording an index score of 79, eight higher than the global mean of 71.

In the region, Kenya emerged 33 with 77 index score (second in Africa), Tanzania 57th with 72, Uganda 90th with 64, while Burundi is in 100th position with 63 index score.

In Africa, third best is Mauritius in the 36the place globally with 76 index score, tying with Nigeria. South Africa follows at 43rd with 75 index score, Namibia and Senegal tied at 50th with 74, while Mali is at 55th with 73 index score.

Paraguay, Colombia and Ecuador scored the highest, while 10 Latin American countries top the list for the first time in 10 years.

The top 10 happiest countries in the world to live in are in Latin America, according to the survey.

Guatemala, Honduras, Panama and Venezuela are in fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively, according to the survey.

The 10 least happiest countries, according to the survey, are Afghanistan, Nepal, Lithuania, Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Turkey, Serbia, Bangladesh, Tunisia and Sudan, which scored the least (47).

The survey polled adults in 143 countries and asked them a series of questions about the previous day, including: ‘Did you feel well-rested?’ ‘Did you feel respected all day?’ ‘Did you smile or laugh a lot?’ ‘Did you learn something or do something interesting?’ and ‘Did you feel enjoyment?’

More than 70 per cent of people throughout the world said they experienced enjoyment, respect, rest, and smiles the day before.

Respondents were also asked about their experience of positive and negative emotions.Paraguay also claimed the top spot last year.

Gallup said for the first time in 10 years, the top 10 happiest countries to live in are all from Latin American, based on its Positive Experience Index.

The poll has a margin of error of one per cent, Gallup said.

Gallup officials said there is much to be learned from Latin America because while they aren’t the wealthiest people in the world, they are certainly among the happiest.

The scores are on a 0 to 100 scale. Paraguay scored 89 and Venezuela 82. Costa Rica, El Salvador and Nicaragua came in eighth, ninth and tenth place with 81.

THE WORLD'S HAPPIEST COUNTRIES RANKED

1. Paraguay 892. Colombia 842. Ecuador 842. Guatemala 845. Honduras 825. Panama 825. Venezuela 828. Costa Rica 818. El Salvador 818. Nicaragua 8111. Philippines 8011. Singapore 8011. Switzerland 8011. Uruguay 8015. Argentina 7915. Bhutan 7915. Canada 7915. Chile 7915. Dominican Republic 7915. Netherlands 7915. New Zealand 7915. Norway 7915. Rwanda 7915. Sweden 7915. USA 7926. Denmark 7826. Finland 7826. Indonesia 7826. Luxembourg 7836. Puerto Rico 7826. Taiwan 7826. Uzbekistan 7833. Bolivia 7733. Germany 7733. Kenya 7736. Belgium 7636. France 7636. Ireland 7636. Mauritius 7636. Mexico 7636. Nigeria 7636. Sri Lanka 7643. Australia 7543. Austria 75 43. China 7543. Peru 7543. South Africa 7543. Thailand 7543. United Kingdom 7550. Brazil 74 50. Mauritania 7450. Namibia 7450. Senegal 7450. Spain 7455. Belize 7355. Mali 7357. Portugal 7257. Saudi Arabia 7257. Tanzania 7260. Malaysia 7160. Vietnam 7162. Ghana 7062. India 7062. Italy 7062. Jamaica 7062. Poland 7067. Cambodia 6967. Malawi 6967. Malta 6967. Sierra Leone 6971. Guinea 6871. Myanmar 6871. Slovenia 6871. Zimbabwe 6875. Botswana 6775. Cyprus 6775. Greece 6775. Hong Kong 6775. Jordan 6775. Kyrgyzstan 6775. Madagascar 6775. Zambia 6783. Japan 6683. Niger 6685. Ivory Coast 6585. Kazakhstan 6585. Russia 6585. Slovakia 6585. Turkmenistan 6590. Algeria 6490. Angola 6490. Burkina Faso 6490. Cameroon 6490. Estonia 6490. Latvia 6490. Macedonia 6490. Northern Cyprus 6490. Tajikistan 6490. Uganda 64100. Albania 63 100. Burundi 63102. Czech Republic 62102. Lebanon 62104. Chad 61104. Haiti 61104. Hungary 61104. Iran 61104. Israel 61104. Mongolia 61110. Benin 60110. Bulgaria 60110. Congo (Brazzaville) 60110. Ethiopia 60110. Iraq 60110. Montenegro 60110. Romania 60110. Yemen 60118. Armenia 59118. Gabon 59118. Palestinian Territories 59118. South Korea 59122. Belarus 58122. Egypt 58122. Kosovo 58122. Togo 58126. Congo (Kinshasa) 57126. Croatia 57126. Liberia 57126. Pakistan 57130. Azerbaijan 56130. Moldova 56130. South Sudan 56130. Ukraine 56134. Afghanistan 55134. Bosnia & Herzegovina 55134. Georgia 55134. Lithuania 55134. Nepal 55139. Bangladesh 54139. Serbia 54139. Turkey 54142. Tunisia 52143. Sudan 47

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