Iceland best place to live, Africa worst: UN

[ondaball]

35 minutes ago



BRASILIA (Reuters) - Iceland has overtaken Norway as the world's most desirable country to live in, according to an annual U.N. table published on Tuesday that again puts AIDS-afflicted sub-Saharan African states at the bottom.

Rich free-market countries dominate the top places, with Iceland, Norway, Australia, Canada and Ireland the first five but the United States slipping to 12th place from eighth last year in the U.N. Human Development Index.

But the index, blending 2005 figures for life expectancy, educational levels and real per capita income, finds that all 22 countries falling into its "low human development" category are in sub-Saharan Africa, with Sierra Leone last.

In 10 of these countries, two children in five will not reach the age of 40, said the compilers at the U.N. Development Program. Last year's report said HIV/AIDS had had a "catastrophic effect" on life expectancy in the region...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071127/ts_nm/un_development_index_dc;_ylt=AgXmM2NLpnpHlESpXV0gOZCs0NUEhttp://www.yahoo.com/news


Maybe more @ www.bbc.co.uk/news


& www.cbn.com


& www.jpost.com


Ian

 

[Voegelin]

Iceland cut taxes.

Smaller countries have an advantage in not having a huge and well funded public sector workforce which distorts the democratic process by perpetuating itself.

 

[MichaelFJF]

Lived there for a year.....not all that great.

 

[Harpuia]

Australia 3rd? Nice, mate!

 

[Maxwell511]

Damn Canadians.

 

[eldermike]

I sure hope the US slips some more. People will soon be flocking to Iceland in massive waves.

The UN is our best source for carbon free garbage.

 

[Harpuia]

I don't see why the U.S. keeps slipping. Personally, I have a weird feeling that the UN will raise us in the standings again if the Democrats regain power whether it helps us or not...

 

[horuhe00]

I've heard many good things about Iceland througout the years. One notable difference is that they recently started whaling again...

 

[Avatar]

Damn Canadians.

 

[Trogdor the Burninator]

1. Iceland – cold
2. Norway – cold
3. Australia – beautiful countryside, sunny, warm weather, beautiful women, leave the office and go for a surf at lunch, best cricket team in the world, great fresh food, BBQs all year, Steve Irwin
4. Canada – cold
5. Ireland – cold
6. Sweden – cold
7. Switzerland – cold
8. Japan – Mostly cold, too many giant monsters wrecking Tokyo
9. Netherlands – cold
10. France – Full of French people

 

[clarksided]

Anyone surprised that Africa is the worst place to live? Didn't think so.

 

[horuhe00]

Anyone surprised that Africa is the worst place to live? Didn't think so.

I'd think it would be Antarctica...

 

[Avatar]

I'd think it would be Antarctica...

Wait a century - prime real estate.