A Gallup poll concluded that Paraguay is, overall, the happiest country in the world, and that adults are, on average, experiencing happiness and “positive emotions.”

“At least seven in 10 adults worldwide report experiencing lots of enjoyment, laughing or smiling a lot, feeling well-rested, and being treated with respect, while a slight majority (51%) report that they learned or did something interesting the day before,” reads the report.

Gallup Polls 'Positive Emotions'

In 2013, Gallup conducted studies in 138 countries around the world and asked about 1,000 adults (15 or older) in each country five yes or no questions about specific emotions they may have felt the previous day. The percentage scores listed by Gallup measure the percentage of people questioned responded “Yes” to feeling positive emotions. Among the positive emotions considered were: enjoyment, laughter and smiling, feeling well-rested, feeling respected and participation in interesting activities.

The results indicated that Paraguay had the “Highest Positive Experience Index” with an index score of 87. This is the second year in a row that Gallup has declared Paraguay the happiest country on earth.

Just as Paraguay has remained the most positive country, so has Syria remained the least positive feeling country, with a score of 36. The score is particularly striking when compared against the country that falls second to last on the list: Chad with a score of 52. Meanwhile, the US ranks 24th on the chart, falling behind countries in South America, Asia and Europe.

“What we wanted to find out was what was driving those five things [the five questions polled],” said Gallup World Poll Managing Director Jon Clifton.

Clifton also said that Gallup found that major cultural factors influencing happiness or positivity include the workplace, or school environment, financial stability and a sense of community.

Clifton hopes to expand the study to include a better understanding of what factors contribute to workplace happiness and what makes negative emotions outweigh the positive and vice-versa.