Continue to smile fellow Kiwis, because we're amongst the happiest people in the world. The 2012 Prosperity Index led by the Legatum Institute is a unique inquiry into wealth and wellbeing of nations around the globe, with New Zealand coming in 5th place. This year the results include 142 countries, up 32 on last year as new data was made available.

To rank countries, the Institute references academic literature on economic growth and wellbeing, outlining their methodology in detail on their website.

All images Getty.