Russia's happiness more than doubled in 2014 despite the country's war and economic crisis

An amazing poll by Gallup and Romir, a Russian research company, suggests that Russians were more than twice as happy at the end of 2014 than they were in 2013, and at their happiest in at least three years.

The WIN/Gallup poll is conducted in 65 countries worldwide. In Russia at the end of 2014, 59% of respondents said they felt happy, as opposed to just 24% in 2013.

Here's the Moscow Times' report of the somewhat surprising findings:

The pollster suggested the spike in Russians' happiness may have been connected to a series of events that boosted many people's spirits last year - such as the Winter Olympics in Sochi and the annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, accompanied by a "general rise of patriotism," a report on the pollster's website said.

Tumbling oil prices, which hit Russia particularly hard, and the subsequent massive drop in value of the ruble seem not to have dampened spirits. That drop in the currency has massively inflated the price of imported foods, but apparently nobody much cares.

You can see how the happiness index around the world (???) and Russia (??????) has changed in this graphic from Romir: