If GDP serves as a universal indicator of the success of the state economy, then it is difficult to understand how and what the inhabitants of a particular country of the world really live with. In general, strictly speaking, there is no universal measure of quality of life. In Bhutan (a small country between India and China), national happiness is used as such a statistical tool.
But how to calculate it? The phenomenon is immaterial. It turns out that the American sociological service Gallup has already thought through everything and prepared its own multifactorial way of studying public opinion and the level of emotional reactions in various countries of the world.
The survey is carried out in almost 150 countries. Its goal is to find out how often people from these countries experience positive and negative emotions in everyday life, and then to highlight from the general list those countries where polar emotions are most characteristic of people.
The latest study, conducted in 2020, shows that the largest share of emotional states is in South America. In addition to them, Cambodia, the Philippines and Iraq also found a place in the top 10.
Bolivia
The first line in the ranking is occupied by Bolivia, hidden in the high Andes, a country of Indians, ancient Inca architecture and coca. But emotionality is not connected with the latter - the inhabitants of this country are distinguished by openness, curiosity, friendliness and goodwill, like no one else.
Polar emotions here are experienced every day by more than half of the inhabitants. Despite such emotionality, curiosity and hospitality, the tourism industry here is poorly developed. Some believe that the reason for this is the complexity of communications, but it seems to us that the reason is a specific idea of one's own dignity. Unlike Chile and Peru, where Aborigines easily communicate with guests from the position of junior partners, Bolivians are not inclined to belittle themselves. The output is a unique, unparalleled culture that is addictive and makes travelers who look at the light linger here much longer than planned.
This is especially true in Sucre, a city where the foreign diaspora is concentrated and there is a decent university by local standards. Once the city was the center of the local colonial administration, so Europeans feel at home here.
Cambodia
This country has a tragic history. Almost all representatives of the older generation managed to live under the bloody regime of the Communists of the Khmer Rouge, when 25% of the country's inhabitants were killed in a mad paroxysm.
Most foreigners live in Phnom Penh. These are either employees of transnational corporations, or those who came to the country for a cheap life. Both the first and the second people of Cambodia seem overwhelmed with emotions, but at the same time very hidden and squeezed. It is not surprising: not everyone can cope with such a heavy burden of history.
However, strangers here are usually treated friendly, happy to help and show their country in the best way. It should also be noted that the people here are very smiling. This is noticeable in comparison with at least the neighboring Vietnamese. A rare case: representatives of the service sector, from sellers to taxi drivers, are ready to smile even to those who categorically refuse their services. Where else is this seen?
Philippines
This country is the only one in the TOP-5, located outside of Latin America. Although it cannot be said that there is little in common between them. The majority of the local population that is there, what is here comes from the intermarriage of Spanish colonists and aborigines, and the colonial rule of the Habsburg monarchy imposed an indelible stigma on the peoples of these countries.
Expats here prefer to settle in large cities in the south and southwest, where the mix of both civilizations – West and East – is a particularly outlandish picture. Residents of the Philippines are very painfully experiencing negative emotions, but they can hardly cope with expressing them with actions or words. In general, they keep it to themselves.
The culture of the local population is tightly tied to the absolute feelings of attachment to the family, the willingness to receive guests, as well as on the ability to be grateful for the bits of happiness that fate gives.
Guatemala
This country in the heart of Central America is located on one of the highest lines. Its inhabitants are expressive and active like the Spaniards and do not hide their emotions, just like their more northern neighbors Mexicans. Here no one will be surprised by a story about dark deeds or indecent details from life. In short, friendliness and expression are the main national qualities.
Any interaction with a foreigner (or even just with a stranger), whether it is an attempt to show the way or sell the result of his work, is likely to turn into a lengthy monologue about his life-being. One can imagine that Guatemalans are permanently in the state that we call the traveler's syndrome. It lies in the unprecedented frankness during travel: why hide something from a person with whom you see for the first and perhaps the last time in your life?
The fountain of emotions and feelings is reflected in the specific cut of clothing, the brightness of fabrics and paints used to finish housing. The lion's share of foreigners prefers a more peaceful and safe life in the town of Antigua located in the center of the country to a dangerous capital, where the interests of mafia clans converge and clash. It is an hour and a half drive from the capital of the country, but built according to the general plan, and not spontaneously, and has a reputation for being relatively safe.
Iraq
A great contribution to the psychological instability of this region and the people inhabiting it was made by the political and social upheavals that they had to experience at the turn of the century.
A funny illustration: in the neighboring Syrian Republic, sad melodies are called "Iraqi" - they say that the songs of the locals in nine cases out of ten are very sad.
