The UN World Happiness Report Belize #1 And Jamaica # 2 Happiest In The Caribbean

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:07]Hey guys, welcome back to Carb 21 Network wherever in the world you're watching us from. So today I want to talk about the latest world happiness report that came out recently and it is now showing bleise and Jamaica as the two top happiest countries within the Caribbean. So, Biz is number one, came in at number one, the happiest place in the Caribbean at 27, and Jamaica came in uh number two at 49. And I know a lot of people don't really take much stock into these type of report but they to me this is one of the most accurate um organizations out there um the United Nation that does these type of reports and I just want to go through the metrics what they use to measure and one of the interesting thing about this is that like especially in Jamaica right now if you listen to certain people in Jamaica Jamaica, you would believe that Jamaica is in its worst state since independent, but this report is saying something different. And a lot of other reports, not only um internationally, but regionally in the Caribbean, is ranking Jamaica as one of the top performers in the Caribbean. Now when it comes on to our debt to GDP ratio, when it comes on to the low lowest unemployment that we have seen in Jamaica in the history of Jamaica and the low the lowest crime rate within the past 40 years. So this video that I'm going to be reacting to is from Khalila Reynolds in Jamaica. And what is interesting about this, she was born in BISE but she lives in Jamaica.

[00:01:56]So both of her countries are represent in in the Caribbean number one and number two happiest place places places in the Caribbean. So let let's check it out.

[00:02:11]And bise are reportedly the happiest countries in the Caribbean. My two countries. Okay. I'm Kala from Money Media giving you money news for the Caribbean. So I'm not just making this up. According to the 2026 World Happiness Report, Bise was ranked as the 27th happiest country out of 147 countries in the world. Jamaica was ranked at number 49, jumping 24 places from 73 last year. This year's ranking puts Jamaica ahead of the Dominican Republic at 64th and Trinidad and Tobago at 76th. Other big regional players, Barbados and Guyana, were not in the report. Now, one important thing to note is that the 2026 report is based on average life evaluations from 2023 to 2025. So, it's not just about how people felt in one single year. It's based on a broader snapshot of how people rated their lives over time. And this includes the years with hurricanes Burl and Melissa.

[00:03:10]>> Yes. So, that is very important to take note that this includes two of the biggest disaster in in the history of Jamaica. Hurricane Melissa and Hurricane Barrel. We saw Jamaica coming off back-to- back natural disasters. So, it is very interesting that Jamaica is showing up in this report as top in the Caribbean, number two in the Caribbean in terms of this report. Even though we had, you know, coming out of the pandemic, that was one, you know, catastrophic thing for the entire world where there there's still countries trying to to get um back on their feet out of the pandemic. Jamaica did well coming out of the pandemic, which was a good thing. And then after that, we saw Hurricane Burial and then Hurricane Melissa, the most catastrophic natural disaster in the history of Jamaica. And this I don't believe this report would factor in hurricane Melissa because we have not yet um we are yet to feel the real impact of hurricane Melissa and when the survey was taking place hurricane Melissa would not have um factor in. So it is going to be very interesting to see like the the report coming out next year to see how hurricane Melissa impacted this report in terms of the the the world happiness report. So that that is interesting. I thought that was interesting that you know Jamaica is coming out of some really rough years. Um but here we are number two in the Caribbean.

[00:04:41]>> The ranking itself is based on how people answer one main question.

[00:04:45]Basically rating life from the worst possible to the best possible. The six key areas are income or GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make choices, generosity, and perception of corruption. For Jamaica, social support was our strongest area, 24th globally for healthy life expect.

[00:05:08]That is also interesting because I I have been trying to to to drive this point home since Hurricane Melissa and we have seen the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa and Hurricane Melissa have been heavily politicized, you know, between the political parties and I've been saying to Jamaicans because a lot of Jamaicans and even the opposition when they go out there with their argument and saying that the government need to give these people that were impacted by Hurricane Melissa, a brand new home and stuff like that. And I've been saying this from day one, Jamaica, not just Jamaica, but the Caribbean in general, does very well in terms of social programs, in terms of assisting their citizens. Even though the Caribbean region we are a developing and not a developed region, we do pretty well in terms of helping out people because you can ask anyone that lives in America, anyone that lives in Canada, any Jamaican that live in the UK when you face like say for Canada like ice storm and and and wildfire and flooding and your homes get damaged, if the government of Canada is going to help you in the same way that we see the government of Jamaica assisting people.

[00:06:31]Billions of dollars in assistance for the people of Jamaica. And the answer will be no. Trust me. Go to any Jamaican living in Canada who would have been impacted in 2025 by any of the wildfire across the biggest wildfire in in the history of Canada if they would have received any support from the government. I've stated before, if you don't have insurance, dog name your supper. Insurance is the key. And in most cases, a lot of places in in Canada, you are not allowed to move into a home without home insurance. Whether you're renting or you're purchasing, you have to have insurance. And the same thing with America. You know, in Florida, you'd experience a lot of hurricane. Just the same. We saw historic wildfire in California um in 2025 and go to any Jamaican that was affected by that and asks if the richest country in the world assisted them and they will tell you no insurance is the order of the day in America in Canada in the UK if you don't have insurance then dog name your supper and that is just the reality so it is very interesting that Jamaica came in at 24 in terms of social program. Remember a third world country but socially in terms of the government assisting in terms of the the low unemployment rate would impact also um Jamaica showing up very big socially on this report 24 that is amazing. So let's continue.

[00:08:08]>> We ranked 76th for income we ranked 84th and perceptions of corruption was our weakest area at 88. So, what does all of this mean? Well, the report gives a good look at how everyday Jamaicans feel about their lives socially. We're doing good.

[00:08:25]>> Let's stop there. And I think that all Jamaicans can can um attest to this that the perception of corruption. Jamaica have been recorded as one of the the top corrupt countries in the world for decades. For the past 50 years, we have seen Jamaica um score very high when it comes on to to corruption. So the fact that we score very low in corruption that is no um surprise to anyone because Jamaica have been seen as a corrupt country. I think we are doing a little bit better than in the past than say 20 30 years ago. We're doing a little bit better but there's still a far way to go and especially with Jamaica with the whole scamming culture and all of those impact Jamaica as a corrupt country. Not just, you know, we know like in the banking system, we have seen so many people in some of the top banks in Jamaica um being sentenced and being sent to jail because people cannot um bank their money and be secure and say like, "Okay, my money is in the bank and it's safe." We have seen a lot of corruption in our banking system. We have seen corruption over the years in our governments um both governments. So it is no, it is not surprising that Jamaica would score low in terms of corruption. So I just wanted to point that out.

[00:09:48]>> Good. The crime rate is down by a lot and unemployment is at a record low. So more people are working. But it also shows where improvement is still needed, especially in areas like trust in institutions and broader economic conditions and health as well. At 84th, it's clear Jamaicans don't feel like they can live a long, healthy life.

[00:10:09]Overall though, it does say a lot about the progress we've made as a country in the last few years. And that's the bottom line.

[00:10:17]>> Yes. So, this this one is is the most shocking one for me, I would say. Um, Jamaica scoring 84 when it comes on to health. And I don't know if that encompassed like say Jamaicans don't really feel comfortable with the health care system or what. But that was surprising to me because I guess it should not be surprising but still surprising. But I think what would contribute to that is that we have seen Jamaica change over the years. You know, back in the days a Friday night in Jamaica look like um you go to like a restaurant, you go get some box food and some juice. you go get some jerk chicken and then the KFC lines are very very long nowadays. There is so much fast food restaurants in Jamaica. So much American um fast food joints in Jamaica right now. And not just Jamaica, but right across the Caribbean. We have seen an increase in obesity. Like when I was a child, you're not going to see an obese person in Jamaica um at at at the level that we're seeing now. like a lot of the population is obese now. So, I think that is a factor in in in terms of how Jamaicans see their their health, not being able not don't think that they're going to live a a long healthy life because we are indulging in a lot of fast food and a lot of unhealthy eating. We're not the same Jamaica that eat what you grow, grow what you eat.

[00:11:47]and we cook at home like six days a week and Friday night is that one night where you go and you get your jerk chicken and stuff like that. There's a lot of fast food places. There's a lot of imported food with um genetically modified food in Jamaica right now. You go downtown Kingston and you look in the market and a lot of the fruits and vegetables are not from Jamaica. So I think that would contribute to it. But that was very surprising to me in terms of the the health Jamaicans not thinking that they can live a healthy life and scoring 84% where that is concerned.

[00:12:28]>> So what do you think? How happy are you in Jamaica, Bise or wherever you are?

[00:12:34]>> Okay guys, so sound off in the comment section and let me know your thoughts on this. Are you surprised that Jamaica came in at number two in the happiness report, the United Nation Happiness Report in the Caribbean? I think this the biggest the only surprise for me was that Barbados I know Barbados socially Barbados is doing very well and I did not expect Jamaica to do better over Barbados because Barbados have a lot of social program. Barbados in terms of have one of the highest minimum wage in the Caribbean. I know that the cost of living in Barbados is getting more and more expensive. I know a lot of Beijians complain about the cost of living because the the prices the price of, you know, rent and homes have have increased in Barbados because a lot of people from outside of Barbados coming into Barbados to buy properties and stuff like that.

[00:13:29]So, but that was my only real surprise that Barbados did not was not number one or number two. And when it comes on to BISE, I am not surprised about BISE because I've been following what is going on across the region and BISE.

[00:13:44]There is a construction boom going on in BISE right now. Especially there are a lot of Americans moving to BISE, buying properties. Um people are are um opening Airbnb and BISE is like one of those places that a lot of especially Americans are just discovering for the first time. So a lot of Americans are traveling to Bise and as I said there's massive development going on in Bise as we speak. So no surprise there. But let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Are you surprised of the top two in the Caribbean number one ble number two Jamaica? And this is very interesting for those especially in the political landscape in Jamaica who have for the past couple of years have been trying to to paint the government as a dictator and Jamaica as being its worst in decades. This happiness report coming out now is kind of pouring cold water over everything that people have been doing and saying to put down the government because we have we have seen it from the Caribbean with the Caribbean Express naming the prime minister of Jamaica the man of the year and the prime minister of Barbados the woman of the year. And we have seen a lot of international accolades on Jamaica. And we saw, as I said, the lowest um homicide rate in over 40 years, the lowest unemployment rate in the history of Jamaica. Well, in particular, since Jamaica gained independence. So, this is good to see. And I hope that the the you know with the devastation of Hurricane Melissa that it doesn't throw Jamaica off too much that the government and the people of Jamaica will be able to recover in a speedy recovery and people will not suffer too much because of this setback from Hurricane Melissa. But as I said Biz happiest place in the Caribbean and Jamaica number two happiest in the Caribbean. Sound off in the comment section. Let me know your thoughts and don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for more amazing content. Here at Carb 21, I'm on a mission to showcase the vibrant culture and breathtaking beauty of the Caribbean while showcasing our culture and what is trending. If you want to support me on this mission, please subscribe. And if you also want to support, you can hit the comment section and buy me a cup of coffee. In order to buy me a cup of coffee, you can follow these instruction. Just click more, you will see the link to buy me a cup of coffee. Click the link, you can purchase one or two cups of coffee, and you'll be helping me to fulfill this mission. Thank you.