With its “Wellbeing in Germany – what matters to us” initiative, the federal government is turning its attention to the issue of wellbeing. It is designed to provide a benchmark for effective policymaking. But how do people define “wellbeing”? The government initiated a national dialogue to find the answer to this question. It revealed that people have a very broad and diverse view of what constitutes wellbeing. Based on this dialogue and the findings of other national and international research projects and discussions, the federal government selected 12 dimensions and 46 indicators in order to describe and measure the current status and trends in wellbeing in Germany. The indicators will be updated on a regular basis and are tagged accordingly (last update: March 2020).

Family, health, education, work and income are dimensions of wellbeing that have a direct impact on “our life”.

Safety, mobility, accommodation and social cohesion are all part of “our surroundings”.

A strong economy, clean environment, freedom and equality, peace and Germany's global responsibilities are all dimensions that have an impact on “our country”.

The government report provides a basis for a general understanding of what constitutes wellbeing in Germany. It reveals a number of thematic interfaces and reflects the challenges facing politics, the economy and society.

The interactive report invites people to get involved, including on mobile devices. It provides access to data and facts and makes it possible to experience and share the many aspects of wellbeing.

The dimensions describe the many aspects of wellbeing.

The indicator system shows the current situation and long-term trends in wellbeing in Germany. It highlights areas where action is needed – in politics, the economy and society – and makes forward and backward steps both measurable and transparent.

“Our life” describes five dimensions of our current lives: health, work, education, income and the time we have available for our work, family and leisure.

“Our surroundings” covers three dimensions of our lives: where we live, infrastructure and mobility in our cities and rural areas, security and social cohesion.

The four dimensions of “our country” form the national and international framework. They relate to the economy and environment, being able to live in freedom and equality, and the concerns of citizens about peace and Germany's responsibilities in the world.

A description of the 12 dimensions of wellbeing now follows. On the left you will find a detailed description of each dimension and on the right a short overview of the relevant indicators.