(QCOSTARICA) The Happy Planet Index ranks Costa Rica #1 of all the countries analyzed. The country’s HPI 64.0 score reflects a high life expectancy, high levels of experienced well-being and a moderate ecological footprint.
But, where inside Costa Rica do the happiest people live?
The residents of Heredia, San José and Alajuela are happier than the Ticos (Costa Ricans) in the coastal provinces of Puntarenas and Limón according to the Felicidad Interna Bruta (FIB) – Gross National Happiness Index – as study by the company Coopenae and Eco Market Research.
The investigation revealed that the people in Heredia are the happiest with an 89.9% level of happiness, followed by San Jose with 86.5% and Alajuela with 85.8%.
On average, Costa Ricans have a happiness level of 85.5%.
Elias Izaguirre, researcher for Eco Market Research, said the average happiness in the country is 85.5%.
The study was done in May 2015, with face-to-face interviews of 1,285 people across the country between 15 and 75 years of age.
The age groups with the greatest level of happiness are those between 15 and 18, followed by those between 19 and 25.
The groups with lowest level of happiness were those between 41 and 55 and 56 and 75 .
The ecology of the country and the diversity health are the two main reasons for happiness for Costa Ricans, revealed the FIB.
