Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

The UAE has once again been named the happiest country in the Middle East, securing its place as a regional leader in wellbeing, quality of life, and citizen satisfaction. According to the newly released World Happiness Report 2025, the UAE ranks 21st globally and first among Arab countries in the happiness index. The report placed the UAE higher than several Western nations including the United Kingdom, United States, and France. The ranking is based on GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, corruption perception, and generosity. This marks the 10th consecutive year the UAE has topped the list among Arab countries. The annual report, published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network and powered by data from Gallup and other international institutions, evaluates over 140 countries based on key indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, perceptions of corruption and generosity. The UAE’s high score reflects the country’s sustained focus on improving quality of life through initiatives in healthcare, infrastructure, economic stability, and public safety. Residents cite a strong sense of security, access to world-class services, and a multicultural environment as key reasons for high happiness levels. The government’s strategic investments in sustainability, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation are also seen as major contributors. In addition to its happiness ranking, the UAE ranked first globally in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report, and 10th in the Global Soft Power Index—further reinforcing its position as one of the world’s most forward-looking nations. The UAE has emerged as one of the world’s top-performing nations in 2025 across key global indexes, solidifying its position as a leader in safety, entrepreneurship and soft power. According to the latest Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report, the UAE ranked first globally for the fourth consecutive year, outperforming 56 economies in supporting entrepreneurship and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The country topped 11 of 13 indicators among high-income nations, including ease of access to funding, government support policies, integration of entrepreneurship in education, and social attitudes toward entrepreneurship. Meanwhile, the UAE secured 10th place in the Global Soft Power Index 2025 published by Brand Finance. With insights from 173,000 global leaders across 193 countries, the index reflects the UAE's growing international influence. Notable rankings include: • 4th in Future Growth Potential and Generosity • 7th in Economic Strength • 8th in Influence • 9th in International Relations and Diplomacy • 10th in Investment in Space Exploration The UAE also ranked second in the world for safety, with a score of 84.5 in Numbeo’s 2025 Safety Index. The country recorded the second-lowest crime rate globally. Numbeo’s survey attributes this to the UAE’s strict laws, efficient law enforcement, widespread surveillance systems, and smart policing strategies including artificial intelligence. The UAE also ranked third globally on the Agility Emerging Markets Logistics Index 2025 and first in the Gulf, highlighting the country’s prowess in digital readiness, logistics competitiveness, and clean energy investment. ICA/Expat Media
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