I was interested to read of a recent report which placed Rio de Janeiro at the top of the list of the world’s happiest cities, despite the many daily challenges of people living there.

Credit: The Daily Telegraph

According to Simon Arnholt who carried out the research:

Brazil is associated with all these qualities of good humor and good living and Carnaval,” says Anholt. “Carnaval is very important–it’s the classic image that people have of Rio, and it’s an image of happiness.

Read more: The World’s Happiest Cities