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No. 9: Canada

Canadian Tourism Commission

No. 9: Canada

Population: 33,212,696
Life Expectancy: 81
GDP Per Capita: $38,400

Hard winters and a mind-numbingly vast expanse of land don't get the world's ninth-happiest people down. A member of the Group of Eight industrialized countries, Canada has enjoyed a rapidly growing economy since the early 1990s. Equalization payments are spread among richer and poorer provinces to maintain a balance in federal administration. Strong nationalism, ethnic and religious tolerance, and a welcoming atmosphere for immigrants and refugees also factor into Canada's status as one of the world's happiest countries.