Quality of Life - America Ranks only 7th in the World

[jgarden]

Most and Least Livable Countries: UN Human Development Index, 2003

The Human Development Index (HDI), published annually by the UN, ranks nations according to their citizens' quality of life rather than strictly by a nation's traditional economic figures. The criteria for calculating rankings include life expectancy, educational attainment, and adjusted real income.

“Most Livable” Countries, 2003

1. Norway 2. Iceland 3. Sweden 4. Australia

5. Germany 6. Belgium 7. United States 8. Canada

9. Japan 10. Switzerland 11. Denmark 12. Ireland

13. United Kingdom

Source: Human Development Report, 2003, United Nations. Web: www.undp.org/hdr2003 .


1. Why does the richest, most powerful nation in the history of the world rank only 7th in terms of quality of life?

2. What do the first 6 nations know that we don't? (ie. public health care)




Why does the richest, most powerful nation in the history world only rank 7th in terms of quality of life? Is it time to re-examine our priorities as Christians and citizens?

 

[jayem]

#7 is actually better than I would have thought. I haven't seen the survey, but I suspect a major reason for our position is our health care system (or lack thereof.) I think all of the countries above us (not sure about Australia) provide some kind of national health care for their residents. But, I also believe they have higher tax rates. And I'm sure these 6 countries don't spend as high a percentage of their GNPs on the military.

 

[jameseb]

Well, depending on how you define a nation, there are 189 to 266 countries. Taking 7th place in either number isn't too bad at all.

 

[David Waffen]

If by livable you exclude the horrific taxes of the first six!!

 

[ond_magiker]

We prefer to think about it as sharing

 

[Kelly]

Especially good considering our size.

 

[David Waffen]

I thank George W. Bush for that!

 

[Kelly]

I thank George W. Bush for that!

Yes!! Congrats to GWB for making us #7 out of 200+ countries!

 

[the Colonel]

Not to mention it's ranked by the UN! An America hater if there ever was one!

 

[Jeremiah the Bullfrog]

Because private health
care providers are the first
port of call for many poor
people, governments
must bring them into the
public domain through
better regulation

After seeing this, I know that this report is not the way to go about lowering the poverty rate.

 

[SDSUMarcus01]

.

 

[Dark_Lite]

Go Iceland.. But Finland's not up there....

:\

 

[armed2010]

Yes!! Congrats to GWB for making us #7 out of 200+ countries!

??? weve been around #7 for quite a long time. How is this exactly Bush's doing?

 

[Bulldog]

I'm packing my bags for Norway.

 

[JENINOELLE]

i'm going with you.

 

[armed2010]

Not to mention it's ranked by the UN! An America hater if there ever was one!

ROFL ya because the UN hates america lolerz!!!

 

[Dark_Lite]

I'm packing my bags for Norway.

To Amsterdam and FREEEEEEEEEEEDOMMMMMMMMMMM!

/me gets some strange-looking plants
.

....*shifty eyes*

 

[armed2010]

Hmm, Japan got 9? Everything that ive heard is that life is great down there, even better than the US in some cases. Lots of food, lots of good priced technologies, great atmosphere, good people, etc.

 

[Larry]

Ranked 7th?! Out of how many hundred countries? That's very high up there....in the top 5% or so.....something to be very proud of as a nation. Good job, America!

 

[warriorprincessdaughter]

In case anyone was wondering, Australia does have a health care system we can go to a public hospital for free, doesnt America have that?

I wonder if they took into account the fact that most of our public hospitals are in "code red" all the time and are dangerously short-staffed.