Manila, March 21 -- The emergence of Finland for the second time as the "happiest country in the world" in a UN commissioned survey was not met with surprise in Finland.
In random interviews by local media, ordinary citizens referred to the general social safety net, free education and public health care as justifications for the results.
In the latest survey published on Wednesday, Finland had increased its lead over Denmark, Norway and Iceland, which came next. Following the top four Nordics came the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, New Zealand, Canada and Austria. The survey covered 156 countries and regions, as well as citizens' perceptions of themselves and their own life.
Ilona Suojanen, a Finnish researcher of happiness in workin...