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Why is Denmark one of the world’s happiest countries?

Denmark, with a population of just over 5m people, has been named the third happiest country in the world for 2018 — a qualification that the Scandinavian country has earned for seven continuous years.

This puts Denmark ahead of Canada (ranked 7th) and well ahead of the UK (ranked 19th).

Why are the Danes such happy people?

It might be because the country embraces something called "hygge", a Danish word that roughly means a cosy atmosphere.

The word is pronounced "hoo-gah" and can involve hot cocoa by a fire, meeting up with friends at cafes or just spending time with loved ones.

Meik Wiking, the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, said the lifestyle is a defining part of Denmark's DNA.