Omani and Saudi residents are happiest

22 April 2008

Muscat: Efforts to keep values and traditions alive contribute to making Oman a happier society amidst the race for globalisation, a senior Omani columnist and researcher believes.

Haider Abdul Redha Dawood, who is also an Oman Journalist Association board member told Gulf News that Omani people deservedly emerged as the happiest in the Middle East in a recent Maktoob Research survey.

"Family values are very high and the older generation is still respected in our country and that makes people happier," believes Dawood, who like most Omanis makes a point of spending at least the weekend with his entire family.

He pointed out that with the population moving more towards urban areas for better prospects some families are separated even in Oman. However, "they make it a point to meet once a week at least and that binds them together and gives happiness."

He also added that the respect that Omanis show their expatriate brethren makes the entire society happier. "We treat our foreign workforce with respect and not like some servants working here," he added.

He gave credit to government efforts to keep old traditions alive while modernising the state.

The survey was conducted last month, among 7,434 residents of diverse nationalities across 11 countries in the GCC, the Levant and the North Africa region.

Oman has the highest percentage of happy people, with 61 per cent, followed by Saudi Arabia (57 per cent), Qatar (56 per cent), Bahrain (54 per cent), Kuwait (53 per cent), UAE (52 per cent), Jordan (47 per cent), Egypt (46 per cent), Syria (46 per cent), Morocco (44 per cent) and Lebanon (35 per cent).

Factors that make people happy vary from country to country, however major reasons include an optimistic nature, being part of a close-knit loving family, marital stability, good friends, strong religious faith, high levels of job satisfaction, financial and career stability, sizable income, good health, a successful career and achievement of personal goals, Maktoob Research said on Monday.

Cost of living

Reasons for unhappiness include a very high cost of living, problems at work, insufficient salary, unemployment, bad health, obesity, dissatisfaction with personal appearance, unhappy marital and family life, lack of close friends, large debts, unsatisfactory academic results, the recent loss of loved ones, general instability and uncertainty regarding the future.

Older respondents (aged 46 and above) clearly emerged as the happiest with an overall happiness quotient of 59 per cent, these were followed by respondents aged 36 to 45 (54 per cent), followed by respondents below the age of 18 of whom 53 per cent classed themselves as happy. Some 47.5 per cent of respondents between 18 to 35 considered themselves to be happy.

The following cities were ranked the "happiest" in their respective countries, Manama at 67 per cent in Bahrain, Suez at 56 per cent in Egypt, Zarqa at 51 per cent in Jordan, Kuwait City at 56 per cent in Kuwait, Tyre at 50 per cent in Lebanon, Tangier at 56 per cent in Morocco, Buraimi at 88 per cent in Oman, Doha at 58 per cent in Qatar, Medinah at 83 per cent in Saudi Arabia and Damascus at 48 per cent in Syria. Al Ain, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain tied for the 'happiest city' in the UAE at 56 per cent.

"The GCC countries emerge as the happiest with Oman and Saudi Arabia taking the lead," Tamara Deprez, Maktoob Research Director, said.

In Oman almost 50 per cent of the population is below the age of 18 and this age group was considered among the happiest.

Another important finding is that one of the most quoted factors for unhappiness among surveyed countries is "the rising cost of living."

By Sunil K. Vaidya