N. Korea ranks 2nd in own 'happiness index'

People's Republic of China is happiest place on earth, followed by isolated dictatorship, according to survey published by Kim Jong-il's government. Also in top five: Cuba, Iran and Venezuela. Two lowest spots go to South Korea, United States, while Israel not mentioned at all

Ynet|Published: 06.04.11 , 08:39

Happiness is in the eye of the beholder – according to a wellbeing survey published by the government of North Korea, the citizens of the isolated state are the second happiest in the world.

The Survey results, published by Italian daily paper Corriere Della Sera on Friday, reveal that the People's Republic of China is the happiest place on earth, followed by the communist North Korea, Cuba, Iran and Venezuela.

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The state-run TV network in Pyongyang reported that China received 100 points in the survey, whose indicators were not disclosed, while North Korea came in second with 98 "happiness" points.

Saluting to happiness. Kim Jong-il and officials (Photo: AFP)

At the bottom of the list, unsurprisingly, were South Korea, which ranked 152 with only 18 points and the United States – referred to as "the American Empire" – coming in last at 203. The survey results did not specify the ranking of European or African states, and no mention was made of Israel.

Reactions in the international media ranged between sarcastic remarks and complete disregard.

"Please send this survey to the United States so that they can also suffer a little," one web surfer wrote on the social network that replaces Facebook in China – and received dozens of "likes" from his friends, who according to the survey are the happiest campers in the world.