World's happiest countries in 2018? UN releases report | CNN Travel

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10. Australia. The World Happiness Report for 2018 ranks Australia among the top 10 of the planet's happiest nations -- no wonder with amazing natural wonders such as the Great Barrier Reef on its doorstep. Click through the gallery to find out which country is the happiest.

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9. Sweden. The Old Town pier architecture shines at night in the Sodermalm district of Stockholm, the capital city.

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8. New Zealand. Home to director Peter Jackson's Hobbit movie empire, New Zealand is also known for its stunning beaches, such as Coromandel on North Island.

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7. Canada: This bilingual (French and English) country was the only country in the Americas to make the top 10 list. The Toronto sign lights up the night at Nathan Phillips Square.

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6. Netherlands. Classic Dutch landscapes come to life in Zaanse Schans, a neighborhood in the Dutch town of Zaandamwith.

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5. Switzerland. The Glacier Express makes it easy to travel through highlights of the world's fifth happiest country. The train includes stops in St. Moritz, the alpine village of Zermatt (with views of the Matterhorn), the Rhine Gorge, also known as the Grand Canyon of Switzerland; and the Oberalp Pass.

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4. Iceland. Mount Kirkjufell was a featured location in the HBO hit series "Game of Thrones" for season 6 and 7. The 1,500-foot-tall (463 meters) mountain is on the north coast of Iceland's Snæfellsnes peninsula, near the town of Grundarfjörður.

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3. Denmark. Denmark has topped the list of the world's happiest countries three times, the last time in 2016. Perhaps the rugged nature celebrated and enjoyed by Danes is one reason why. Visitors can spot this waterfall in the village of Gasadalur on Vagar, one of the Faroe Islands. (This photo was taken with a long exposure.)

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2. Norway. Although Norway slipped from the top spot to second place this year, the differences between the top five countries is so minimal that the report's editors aren't surprised by the yearly shifts. Bergen, shown here, is Norway's second largest city and was founded more than 900 years ago.

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1. Finland. This Nordic country is the happiest country the world, according to the 2018 World Happiness Report, which was released by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network for the United Nations. Finns love hiking, horseback riding, snowshoeing and alpine skiing at Koli National Park, shown here.