The level of happiness in Ukraine is falling every year, and the recent ranking only confirms this trend. The 105th place among more than 140 countries is not just a statistic, but a mirror of the real state of our society. Ukrainians increasingly feel instability, fatigue, disappointment and uncertainty. War, economic upheaval, political crisis, and declining trust in state institutions became the background of everyday life. If earlier Ukrainians found support in the hope for changes, now the feeling of exhaustion and lack of prospects dominates.
The problem lies not only in material conditions, but also in the general emotional state of society. Constant stress, lack of a sense of security, uncertainty of the future – all this affects the level of happiness no less than financial well-being. While the inhabitants of the Scandinavian countries, which lead the rating, have social guarantees, stability and trust in the authorities, Ukrainians have to survive in a mode of constant adaptation to crisis conditions.
Global context: Ukraine’s position in the happiness rating
According to the latest “World Happiness Report”, published in 2024, Ukraine ranked 105th among more than 140 countries in terms of happiness. This mark has dropped 13 places compared to 2023, which can be explained by the impact of war and related challenges. For comparison, Finland has topped this ranking for the seventh year in a row, demonstrating a high level of well-being and social support. Its neighbors – Denmark, Iceland and Sweden also entered the top ten leaders.
Ukraine’s 105th place in the world happiness ranking sounds expected and bitter at the same time. As if they are not the last, but they are far from those who can boast of a cloudless life. The reasons for such a result do not need to be invented – they stick out like rusty fittings from broken buildings. According to international researchers, happiness is not just smiles on the streets or memes in social networks. It is measured by GDP per capita, level of social support, life expectancy, freedom of choice, generosity of society and absence of corruption. And here Ukraine has big problems. The economy is afloat thanks to international support and entrepreneurial resilience, but incomes are not keeping up with prices. Social support relies more on volunteers than on government programs. Life expectancy has decreased due to combat and stress.
As indicated the results survey of the socio-economic status of households (OSESD), which was conducted by the Institute of Demography and Quality of Life Problems of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Center for Social Reforms in December 2023 – February 2024 by order of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, in 2023 the poverty level in Ukraine increased 1.7 times compared to 2021 (from 20.6% to 35.5%). Experts indicate that the main reason for this growth was a sharp economic downturn in 2022, and 2023 only cemented this trend.
However, in Zakarpattia and Chernivtsi regions, the poverty level remained at the level of 2021, which is due to the relocation of enterprises to safer areas of the country and the arrival of displaced persons to these areas after the start of a full-scale invasion. On the other hand, in the Chernihiv, Sumy, and Volyn regions, poverty rates have increased significantly due to proximity to the borders, population migration, and, in the case of the first two regions, active hostilities. It should be noted that the data do not cover temporarily occupied territories. If we compare it with the first years of the Russian-Ukrainian war (2014-2015), when the poverty level of the population tripled, then in 2022, despite all the difficulties, the economy more or less held up.
The level of poverty is also indicated by the indicator of GDP per capita, which in 2023, which at the current exchange rate of the US dollar was $5,181 per capita, was the lowest among European countries, where the world average is $11-12 thousand. However, even here the situation is not unambiguous, as this indicator has increased compared to the level by 2022 ($3,200–3,600), which is explained by the reduction in the number of the country’s population.
As we can see, the level of poverty in Ukraine has increased rapidly in recent years. The average citizen is increasingly faced with a choice: to buy products or pay for utilities. The income of most families has been reduced to the level of survival. At the same time, the rich are getting even richer, using the economic crisis for their own benefit.
A pilot study conducted in June 2024 using the UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) methodology, revealed, that 42% of Ukrainians rate their life at a low level of satisfaction, and 43% reported a high level of anxiety. At the same time, 50% of respondents feel happiness at a low or average level, while 43% indicated a high level of happiness.
It is interesting that despite objective difficulties, such as a decrease in income or job loss, a large part of Ukrainians retain a sense of meaning and value in their activities. This shows a deep inner strength and ability to adapt to extraordinary circumstances.
According to the results of the survey, the main factors affecting the level of happiness of Ukrainians during the war were identified:
- social support – mutual aid and solidarity among citizens contribute to morale;
- a sense of purpose – many Ukrainians find meaning in their actions, which helps to overcome difficulties.
- psychological stability – the ability to adapt to stressful situations and maintain emotional balance.
This study also made it possible to draw a comparative parallel between the general level of personal well-being of Ukrainians and the data of the British and to assess the wider prospects of applying such an approach. In general, according to all key indicators of personal well-being, Ukrainians are significantly inferior to the British, but the level of awareness of the meaning of their activities in Ukraine is close to the British indicators.
In particular, almost half of Ukrainians express high dissatisfaction with life, while in Great Britain only 6% do. Approximately 60% of Ukrainians consider their activities meaningful, while among the British, this indicator reaches 80%. On the eve of the survey, 43% of Ukrainians felt happy, while in Britain – 74%. At the same time, almost every second Ukrainian faces a high level of anxiety, while in Great Britain it is experienced by approximately every fourth person.
Interesting results were found in research Gradus Research: Ukrainian office workers have the lowest level of happiness among seven European countries. The countries were ranked as follows:
- The Netherlands – 7.5 points out of 10;
- Great Britain – 7.4 points out of 10;
- Germany – 7.3 points out of 10;
- France – 7.3 points out of 10;
- Spain – 7.2 points out of 10;
- Poland – 6.9 points out of 10;
- Italy – 6.8 points out of 10;
- Ukraine – 5.6 points out of 10.
Ukrainians are primarily concerned about their health and that of their loved ones – this aspect is a priority for 71% of respondents. The importance of security and peaceful life is also high, which 67% of respondents consider important. For comparison, the closest to Ukraine in terms of this indicator is Poland, where 48% of respondents note its importance.
Financial stability is key for 50% of Ukrainian office workers and ranks third among the factors determining a happy life. Justice in society is important for 19% of Ukrainians, which puts the country right after Germany, where 25% do.
Another important criterion for happiness is having a family. This factor has the greatest importance among Ukrainian women who work in offices, compared to other countries.
The paradox of resilience: why Ukrainians have not learned to enjoy life
It would seem that with such a set of challenges that Ukraine is facing all these difficult years, the level of happiness should have dropped to zero, but this did not happen. As you can see, some indicators have even approached the level of Western countries. For example, Ukrainians’ sense of the meaning of life practically coincides with that of the British. The war changed the idea of the value of life. What was once perceived as commonplace – the opportunity to drink coffee in a favorite place, spend an evening with relatives, take a leisurely walk around the city – now has a completely different color. The social cohesion of Ukrainians has become unprecedented. In conditions of constant stress, people support each other at a level that was not even in peacetime. All Ukrainians now have a clear goal – victory. Psychologists say that a person feels happier when he has something to fight for. Ukrainians feel it like no other.
If previously the level of happiness was directly correlated with comfort, now it is connected with survival. This is confirmed by international experience: in countries that have experienced large-scale crises, people often report a short-term surge in happiness after the disasters. This can be explained biologically. In extreme conditions, the brain begins to allocate resources in a different way. He concentrates on what is important right now, cuts off unnecessary fears and builds a new reality in which happiness is not something far away, but something here and now.
Researchers have long noticed that after large-scale crises, societies pass through several phases. First – shock and chaos, then – cohesion and adaptation. It is at this moment that many people feel an emotional uplift, despite the objectively terrible circumstances. Today we are witnessing another manifestation of the effect of the “collective spirit” phenomenon. After natural disasters, wars, or terrorist attacks, survivors often report an unusual sense of unity and significance. A sense of common purpose, struggle for survival and mutual aid creates a new social order where even in the dark there is light.
After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, American sociologists recorded a strange phenomenon: despite the destruction and death of thousands of people, the level of interpersonal trust and mutual support increased dramatically. People helped strangers, shared food, protected each other. Many remembered this period not only as a time of horror, but also as a moment of the greatest humanity they had ever seen.
Similar processes occurred after the earthquake in Japan in 2011, the terrorist attacks of September 11 in the United States and even during the Second World War. In London, during the bombings of 1940-41, psychiatrists expected mass psychosis and panic, but instead found that the morale of the townspeople only increased. Moreover, the rate of suicides and mental disorders has even decreased.
The human brain is programmed for survival. In a moment of crisis, he sifts out everything superfluous and concentrates on what is really important. Routine problems recede into the shadows, instead a clear sense of purpose emerges. In addition, disasters change the social hierarchy. In ordinary life there are barriers – financial, cultural, political. But during a crisis, everyone becomes equal in the face of a threat. This destroys old patterns of behavior and creates a sense of justice, even if temporary.
However, happiness in Ukraine is not a statistic, but a real struggle for survival. And no indicator in the rating can reflect how much inner strength is in everyone who continues to live, work and build the future despite everything.
