to Nick. you are in the wrong Party then. If you want all Green space built on and big business to close down traditional shops and allow the unions to put the economic interests of themselves and the Labour Party ahead of creating a good and happy society by all means stay with Labour. If you'd rather have grean space, clean air, local independent shops, a quality of life please cross the floor and join the conservitives. oh and stop using the is a forum to score political points.

to Nick, Huddersfield,

I guess this survey infers another conclusion: that wealth DOES influence the 'happiness level'. The regions marked as the happiest are actually the most prosperous countries in Western Europe economically: Denmark, The Netherlands, Finland and Sweden, whereas the poorest ones (Greece, Portugal) have claimed to be the most miserable. That's quite an interesting implication, I'd say.

Eugene Vorobyov, Kiev, Ukraine

Germans are never happier than when they can be miserable. Check out their literature. I have a German mother and studied German at Manchester.I've lived here for half my adult life and I think they have a higher standard of living and better quality of life, but they don't. A better-funded health system, six weeks' paid holiday PLUS extra holiday pay a year, many more public holidays than in the UK, a culture that doesn't believe that you have to work the long hours as in the UK (there ARE people who put in the hours, but they are more to be pitied).

Now Denmark, having had a Danish boyfriend in Randers, I would regularly travel up there by train. As soon as we crossed the border, I would notice the difference. MUCH quieter. The Danes are so laid back that I swore they were all on drugs. So calm, so relaxed. Such a peaceful country. Given the recent articles and opinions on noise pollution in the UK, this might well be a contributing factor. But then - you'd have to respect others.

Tina, Deganwy, Wales

Actually the highest suicide rates (%) are Sri Lanka, Lithuania and Russia - Finland comes in at around 22nd.

Alex, Sydney, Australia

I mostly grew up in Denmark, and always thought it was a happier country than Britain, partly because of better social cohesion and equality. It was an important factor which led me into the Labour party - I wanted to help us get the same kind of atmosphere that I'd known in Denmark as a child.

Nick Palmer MP, Nottingham, UK

Concerning "The Scandinavian suicide rate": Isn't there something about three factors distorting international comparisons?

(1) Scandinavians being quite irreligious will not camouflage their suicide in order to ensure a Christian burial.
(2) Life assurance is often paid out in Scandinavia because suicide is considered a disease, another reason for not camouflaging.
(3) Apparently, if you try to commit suicide by, say, poisoning and are rescued in hospital, and soon afterwards die from some normally non-lethal ailment because the suicide attempt (the poison) has weakened your constitution, the Scandinavian death certificate will state "Suicide" as cause of death, while in other countries it will state the ailment.

For what it's worth.

A Scandinavian living in France.

Knocke, Rouen, France

I think it's mostly genetic. I have both Italian and German relatives and their outlooks generally mimic these results. I think Mediterranean sorts sometimes enjoy being unhappy. For instance, when we go to a restaurant, my German father happily eats anything he is given. My Italian mother in contrast loves to criticize and complain about the food. She likes to compare it to the best that the food could be and dreams about food perfection. So, there is a difference in expectations.

And also, I think there can be a sort of happiness in unhappiness as well, and satisfaction in being able to complain and getting it all out. Perhaps that is why I believe the Scandanavian suicide rate is the highest in the world,

Claudia, Atlanta, USA