I wanted an impartial look at which countries on earth are doing best at the factors that matter to me, so I looked up maps and tables for Income Equality, Corruption, Homicide Rate, World Citizenship, Healthy Average Life Expectancy, Annual Work Hours Per Worker, Abortion Rate, Capital Punishment Rate, Freedom, Economic Freedom. I chose the first of these factors because I thought it would be nice to live in a country where I had lots of free time in health and safety without listening to a lot of griping about the government and the rich. I added more factors later, some of them by request. If you can think of important factors I omitted, please leave me a comment. Here are the numbers and the countries that are doing best on earth.
Summary
Northern Europe, Iceland, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia do well on most measures, with top prize going to northern Europe, particularly Denmark and Switzerland. Close behind Europe, Australia and Canada rank consistently well. Bucking the agreement of every other measure, Northern Europe (with highly-ranked Switzerland and Spain not exactly northern in European terms) is not the winner for healthy life expectancy, which goes to more southern countries led by Singapore, Japan, Cyprus, and Australia.
Carrying the contest through measures added since I first made this post, the most consistent winners are Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark. And an arbitrary long list of countries that significantly beat the USA includes Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Spain, Norway, Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Iceland. If I forgot a country please let me know.
Corruption
This graph is from Wikipedia. Winners: Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, Australia, Canada
Homicide Rate
This graph is from Wikipedia. Lightest blue countries have least homicides. Winners: Spain and European corridor from Norway, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, to Italy
World Citizenship
The
Good Country Index calculates the good that countries do in the world. The top 50 countries are listed below.
Overall Rankings |
Science and Technology |
Culture |
Int'l Peace and Security |
World Order |
Planet and Climate |
Prosperity and Equality |
Health and Wellbeing |
1st |
Ireland |
20 |
7 |
33 |
4 |
45 |
1 |
9 |
2nd |
Finland |
7 |
18 |
53 |
12 |
14 |
3 |
12 |
3rd |
Switzerland |
6 |
32 |
71 |
10 |
16 |
2 |
10 |
4th |
Netherlands |
18 |
2 |
97 |
3 |
23 |
8 |
2 |
5th |
New Zealand |
10 |
25 |
37 |
17 |
7 |
41 |
17 |
6th |
Sweden |
8 |
14 |
111 |
8 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
7th |
United Kingdom |
1 |
12 |
94 |
9 |
30 |
9 |
6 |
8th |
Norway |
40 |
24 |
58 |
7 |
4 |
14 |
16 |
9th |
Denmark |
14 |
9 |
88 |
5 |
26 |
35 |
5 |
10th |
Belgium |
15 |
1 |
100 |
16 |
56 |
5 |
3 |
11th |
France |
12 |
26 |
92 |
18 |
10 |
28 |
15 |
12th |
Canada |
28 |
20 |
106 |
14 |
2 |
30 |
4 |
13th |
Germany |
11 |
5 |
109 |
1 |
29 |
33 |
18 |
14th |
Austria |
2 |
4 |
104 |
2 |
43 |
24 |
31 |
15th |
Australia |
16 |
38 |
89 |
13 |
6 |
36 |
14 |
16th |
Luxembourg |
55 |
10 |
101 |
19 |
12 |
19 |
13 |
17th |
Iceland |
24 |
37 |
27 |
15 |
1 |
101 |
44 |
18th |
Cyprus |
3 |
35 |
86 |
21 |
22 |
37 |
49 |
19th |
Spain |
37 |
23 |
120 |
24 |
24 |
49 |
1 |
20th |
Italy |
38 |
22 |
102 |
11 |
44 |
65 |
19 |
21st |
United States of America |
26 |
41 |
114 |
28 |
39 |
53 |
7 |
22nd |
Costa Rica |
61 |
64 |
35 |
25 |
19 |
42 |
76 |
23rd |
Malta |
64 |
3 |
66 |
6 |
36 |
99 |
50 |
24th |
Chile |
52 |
47 |
42 |
27 |
18 |
31 |
114 |
25th |
Japan |
46 |
44 |
77 |
56 |
11 |
71 |
33 |
26th |
Kenya |
47 |
84 |
20 |
48 |
98 |
16 |
28 |
27th |
Singapore |
21 |
39 |
80 |
121 |
20 |
7 |
58 |
28th |
Slovenia |
17 |
17 |
87 |
23 |
68 |
111 |
26 |
29th |
Guatemala |
91 |
57 |
29 |
76 |
42 |
21 |
39 |
30th |
Greece |
34 |
36 |
65 |
33 |
32 |
87 |
71 |
31st |
Colombia |
57 |
83 |
43 |
107 |
15 |
29 |
29 |
32nd |
Bulgaria |
19 |
27 |
79 |
36 |
80 |
70 |
55 |
33rd |
Panama |
81 |
43 |
70 |
30 |
37 |
44 |
66 |
34th |
Estonia |
31 |
6 |
107 |
80 |
66 |
66 |
21 |
35th |
Portugal |
42 |
19 |
116 |
44 |
48 |
61 |
51 |
36th |
Mauritius |
69 |
33 |
40 |
32 |
122 |
27 |
63 |
37th |
Israel |
5 |
40 |
81 |
68 |
35 |
63 |
103 |
38th |
Ghana |
59 |
62 |
12 |
71 |
72 |
6 |
115 |
39th |
Ecuador |
105 |
79 |
10 |
39 |
38 |
90 |
38 |
40th |
Zambia |
90 |
85 |
21 |
47 |
21 |
11 |
124 |
41st |
Uruguay |
104 |
58 |
5 |
35 |
13 |
94 |
95 |
42nd |
Slovakia |
43 |
21 |
110 |
49 |
51 |
69 |
62 |
43rd |
Czech Republic |
4 |
8 |
121 |
34 |
77 |
100 |
67 |
44th |
South Africa |
29 |
60 |
15 |
31 |
102 |
121 |
56 |
45th |
Jamaica |
65 |
59 |
23 |
62 |
87 |
51 |
72 |
46th |
Croatia |
35 |
30 |
62 |
73 |
52 |
85 |
84 |
47th |
Republic of Korea |
30 |
34 |
119 |
45 |
71 |
60 |
65 |
48th |
Namibia |
74 |
52 |
30 |
89 |
34 |
25 |
120 |
49th |
Brazil |
75 |
49 |
83 |
37 |
5 |
123 |
52 |
50th |
Jordan |
39 |
78 |
2 |
101 |
99 |
81 |
25 |
Healthy Average Life Expectancy
This data is for 2012 from
WHO for both sexes. Winners at top.
Singapore |
76 |
Japan |
75 |
Cyprus |
74 |
Australia |
73 |
Switzerland |
73 |
Spain |
73 |
Italy |
73 |
Republic of Korea |
73 |
San Marino |
73 |
Andorra |
72 |
Canada |
72 |
France |
72 |
Iceland |
72 |
Israel |
72 |
Luxembourg |
72 |
Monaco |
72 |
New Zealand |
72 |
Sweden |
72 |
Austria |
71 |
Belgium |
71 |
Germany |
71 |
Finland |
71 |
United Kingdom |
71 |
Greece |
71 |
Ireland |
71 |
Malta |
71 |
Netherlands |
71 |
Norway |
71 |
Portugal |
71 |
Chile |
70 |
Denmark |
70 |
Slovenia |
70 |
United States of America |
70 |
Costa Rica |
69 |
Czech Republic |
69 |
Lebanon |
69 |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
68 |
Brunei Darussalam |
68 |
China |
68 |
Colombia |
68 |
Croatia |
68 |
Kuwait |
68 |
Qatar |
68 |
Uruguay |
68 |
United Arab Emirates |
67 |
Argentina |
67 |
Cuba |
67 |
Estonia |
67 |
Maldives |
67 |
Mexico |
67 |
Panama |
67 |
Peru |
67 |
Poland |
67 |
Slovakia |
67 |
Seychelles |
67 |
Bulgaria |
66 |
Bahrain |
66 |
Barbados |
66 |
Dominican Republic |
66 |
Ecuador |
66 |
Hungary |
66 |
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia |
66 |
Montenegro |
66 |
Nauru |
66 |
Oman |
66 |
Romania |
66 |
Suriname |
66 |
Thailand |
66 |
Tunisia |
66 |
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) |
66 |
Viet Nam |
66 |
Albania |
65 |
Georgia |
65 |
Sri Lanka |
65 |
Lithuania |
65 |
Latvia |
65 |
Mauritius |
65 |
Paraguay |
65 |
Saudi Arabia |
65 |
Serbia |
65 |
Turkey |
65 |
Antigua and Barbuda |
64 |
Bahamas |
64 |
Belarus |
64 |
Brazil |
64 |
Cook Islands |
64 |
Cabo Verde |
64 |
Honduras |
64 |
Iran (Islamic Republic of) |
64 |
Jamaica |
64 |
Jordan |
64 |
Libya |
64 |
Malaysia |
64 |
Nicaragua |
64 |
Niue |
64 |
Samoa |
64 |
Azerbaijan |
63 |
Belize |
63 |
Dominica |
63 |
Grenada |
63 |
Saint Kitts and Nevis |
63 |
Saint Lucia |
63 |
Republic of Moldova |
63 |
El Salvador |
63 |
Ukraine |
63 |
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
63 |
Armenia |
62 |
Algeria |
62 |
Guatemala |
62 |
Indonesia |
62 |
Palau |
62 |
Democratic People's Republic of Korea |
62 |
Tonga |
62 |
Vanuatu |
62 |
Egypt |
61 |
Iraq |
61 |
Kyrgyzstan |
61 |
Cambodia |
61 |
Morocco |
61 |
Russian Federation |
61 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
61 |
Uzbekistan |
61 |
Bangladesh |
60 |
Fiji |
60 |
Micronesia (Federated States of) |
60 |
Kazakhstan |
60 |
Mongolia |
60 |
Philippines |
60 |
Tajikistan |
60 |
Bolivia (Plurinational State of) |
59 |
Bhutan |
59 |
Marshall Islands |
59 |
Nepal |
59 |
Solomon Islands |
59 |
Syrian Arab Republic |
59 |
Kiribati |
58 |
Tuvalu |
58 |
India |
57 |
Lao People's Democratic Republic |
57 |
Myanmar |
57 |
Namibia |
57 |
Sao Tome and Principe |
57 |
Timor-Leste |
57 |
Pakistan |
56 |
Turkmenistan |
56 |
Ethiopia |
55 |
Guyana |
55 |
Madagascar |
55 |
Rwanda |
55 |
Senegal |
55 |
Eritrea |
54 |
Gabon |
54 |
Ghana |
54 |
Yemen |
54 |
Botswana |
53 |
Comoros |
53 |
Gambia |
53 |
Kenya |
53 |
Mauritania |
53 |
Papua New Guinea |
53 |
Sudan |
53 |
Djibouti |
52 |
Haiti |
52 |
Liberia |
52 |
United Republic of Tanzania |
52 |
South Africa |
51 |
Benin |
50 |
Burkina Faso |
50 |
Congo |
50 |
Malawi |
50 |
Niger |
50 |
Togo |
50 |
Afghanistan |
49 |
Guinea |
49 |
Uganda |
49 |
Zambia |
49 |
Zimbabwe |
49 |
Burundi |
48 |
Cameroon |
48 |
Mali |
48 |
South Sudan |
48 |
Guinea-Bissau |
47 |
Equatorial Guinea |
47 |
C?te d'Ivoire |
46 |
Nigeria |
46 |
Swaziland |
46 |
Mozambique |
45 |
Somalia |
45 |
Angola |
44 |
Democratic Republic of the Congo |
44 |
Chad |
44 |
Central African Republic |
43 |
Lesotho |
43 |
Sierra Leone |
39 |
Annual Work Hours Per Worker
This data is from
OECD. Winners at top are all from northern Europe.
Netherlands |
1381 |
Germany |
1396.6 |
Norway |
1419.7 |
France |
1479 |
Ireland |
1529 |
Denmark |
1545.95 |
Belgium |
1574 |
Luxembourg |
1609 |
Sweden |
1621 |
Slovenia |
1640 |
Switzerland |
|
United Kingdom |
1654 |
Finland |
1672 |
Spain |
1686 |
Portugal |
1691 |
Austria |
1699 |
Iceland |
1706.1 |
Canada |
1710 |
Australia |
1728 |
New Zealand |
1739 |
Japan |
1745.201 |
Italy |
1752 |
OECD countries |
1765.4884 |
Slovak Republic |
1785 |
United States |
1789.9219 |
Czech Republic |
1800.2314 |
Turkey |
1855.0575 |
Hungary |
1888.45 |
Estonia |
1889 |
Israel |
1910 |
Poland |
1929 |
Russian Federation |
1982 |
Chile |
2029 |
Greece |
2033.9604 |
Korea |
|
Mexico |
2225.66 |
Abortion Rate
This data is from
UN Data. I have done some followup research on the lower values at the top of this list, and many of them are not credible. The value for Switzerland does seem to be a correct indication that Switzerland has a comparatively low abortion rate. Most of our usual suspects don't do well by this measure, with many of them barely beating the USA. That said, all of them do beat the USA on this list, with Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Finland, Japan, and Singapore doing best among usual suspects.
Country or Area |
Year |
Value |
Poland |
2004 |
0 |
Brazil |
2003 |
0 |
Panama |
2000 |
0 |
Mexico |
2003 |
0.1 |
Portugal |
2002 |
0.2 |
Qatar |
2004 |
1.2 |
Austria |
2001 |
1.3 |
India |
2001 |
3.1 |
South Africa |
2000 |
4.5 |
Greece |
1999 |
5 |
Croatia |
2004 |
5.7 |
Switzerland |
2004 |
7.3 |
Belgium |
2003 |
7.5 |
Germany |
2004 |
7.8 |
Uzbekistan |
2004 |
7.8 |
Spain |
2003 |
8.3 |
Tunisia |
1996 |
8.6 |
Azerbaijan |
2004 |
9 |
Albania |
2003 |
9.6 |
Netherlands |
2004 |
10.4 |
Italy |
2004 |
10.6 |
Bahrain |
2002 |
11 |
Finland |
2004 |
11.1 |
Slovakia |
2005 |
11.7 |
Czech Republic |
2005 |
12.2 |
Japan |
2004 |
12.3 |
Singapore |
2004 |
12.6 |
Tajikistan |
2003 |
12.6 |
Armenia |
2004 |
13.9 |
Israel |
2004 |
13.9 |
Lithuania |
2004 |
13.9 |
Iceland |
2004 |
14.1 |
Denmark |
2005 |
14.3 |
Norway |
2005 |
15.2 |
Slovenia |
2004 |
15.2 |
Canada |
2003 |
15.2 |
Kyrgyzstan |
2004 |
15.8 |
Dominican Republic |
1998 |
16 |
France |
2002 |
16.9 |
United Kingdom |
2005 |
17 |
Republic of Moldova |
2004 |
17.6 |
Macedonia |
2001 |
18.4 |
Georgia |
2005 |
19.1 |
New Zealand |
2005 |
19.7 |
Australia |
2003 |
19.7 |
Sweden |
2005 |
20.2 |
United States of America |
2003 |
20.8 |
Bulgaria |
2003 |
21.3 |
Seychelles |
2003 |
21.6 |
Mongolia |
1997 |
21.7 |
Hungary |
2005 |
23.4 |
China |
1998 |
24.2 |
Cuba |
2004 |
24.8 |
Latvia |
2004 |
27.3 |
Ukraine |
2004 |
27.5 |
Romania |
2004 |
27.8 |
Belarus |
2004 |
31.7 |
Estonia |
2005 |
33.3 |
Kazakhstan |
2004 |
35 |
Vietnam |
2000 |
35.2 |
Russian Federation |
2004 |
53.7 |
Capital Punishment Rate
Capital punishment is a little different than the other categories since most of the civilized world has stopped executing criminals. This graph is from Wikipedia. The blue countries have abolished it. The green and brown countries have generally stopped the practice. The red countries retain the practice. Winners include the usual suspects.
Freedom
Freedom is also a little different, since it is subjective. Freedom House rates countries as Free, Partly Free, and Not Free. This graph came from Wikipedia. Winners again include the usual suspects, and USA is among the free countries.
Economic Freedom
This graph is from
Wikipedia. Economic freedom is a little more competitive, with only Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Singapore getting top marks among the usual suspects. Hong Kong also gets top marks. And Denmark barely misses the cut (see table in referenced article).
Income Equality
This graph is from Wikipedia. Winners: Northern Europe and Kazakhstan
The end for now.
Tom
2 comments:
Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Monaco and other city states deserve a higher status IMO.
Cost of living ought to be given more consideration as well, Denmark and Switzerland are very expensive places to live.
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings_current.jsp
Small is good. I hope to make sure I did not overlook those in my browsing.
I think annual hours worked is a better indicator for what I assume you care about than "cost of living". Denmark and Switzerland are comparatively admirable for annual hours worked.
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