May 20, 2010-- "I'm always a happy person," says Nina Nielsen, 24, roaming a bustling street with her mother and friends in Denmark's capital of Copenhagen. In more than one study (including a 2009 report from Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development), residents of Denmark have been designated the happiest people in the world. What's their secret? A well-balanced lifestyle. A positive outlook, dedication to exercise (55% of Copenhagen residents ride bikes to work or school), government-funded health care and higher education, close family ties and a love of socializing. Though there is crime, and income tax can take away half of one's paycheck, the overall morale is high. "We are happy," says Jette, a mid-aged mother and energetic dental assistant who hosts tourists in her spare time. Her daughter Cecille chimes in, "We get money for going to school when we turn 18." (6409 reads)