Indonesia ranked highest on a composite flourishing index as part of the Global Flourishing Study.

That study differs from the Gallup World Poll and the World Happiness Report.

Flourishing should be considered alongside indicators like health, education, and economic growth.

The President of Indonesia, at a National Christmas Celebration Summit and the World Economic Forum, claimed that Gallup and Harvard University found that Indonesia is the happiest and most flourishing country in the world.

Indonesia indeed self-reported the highest scores on several individual indicators, as well as on a composite flourishing index (covering happiness, health, meaning, character, relationships, and financial security) among 22 countries in the 2023 Global Flourishing Study data. The President’s statements have come under some criticism. Here are some clarifications.

First, there is a distinction between the Global Flourishing Study, a longitudinal panel study of flourishing in 22 countries, and the Gallup World Poll, an annual cross-sectional survey of 140 countries on a host of different indicators. Gallup collects data for both, but the........

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