Posted on 07/15/2004 10:45:07 AM PDT by adam_az
For the fourth year in a row, the United Nations has ranked Norway as having the highest standard of living in the world. Sweden, Australia and Canada are next in line, while the United States is further down the scale.
The annual ranking is based largely on average levels of education and income, combined with expected length of lifetime.
The report measured standards of living in 177 countries around the world. Other Nordic countries also ranked high, with Iceland in 7th place, Finland 13th and Denmark 17th.
Norway's gross national product per person amounted to USD 36,600, beaten only by Luxembourg. Its men and women are expected to live to an age of 78.9 years and Norway is one of 19 countries in the world with no measurable rates of illiteracy.
Researchers for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) also weighed countries' degrees of cultural freedom in their analysis. They called cultural freedom a "basic human right," and awarded high scores in this year's UN Human Development Report to countries that accept immigrant cultures in addition to their own.
Norway's cultural diversity has blossomed in recent years, and public policies are aimed at integrating various ethnic groups and promoting tolerance.
Norway also was lauded for its high literacy rate in addition to educational levels and material wealth. Norwegians themselves generally point to their country's scenic beauty, recreational opportunities, clean water and fresh air.
The United States landed in eighth place on the list, while France, for example, was 16th.
The worst countries in which to live are all in Africa, according to the UN report. All 23 nations at the bottom of the list were African, with war-torn Sierra Leone in last place.
Aftenposten English Web Desk Nina Berglund/NTB
Well, the folks at the UN can go ahead and move to Norway. I'll stay in the U.S., thanks.
This is a rather nebulous concept. It would be interesting to find out more about what they mean by this.
Canada hardly has 'cultural freedom.' They've made it illegal to quote certain passages from the bible.
But what have they done lately?
High temperatures in the 60’s in the summer doesn’t sound bad, and the winter temperatures aren’t all that bad in some places - but that little high tax Socialist State thing…
But SEX with animals is LEGAL in Scandinavia!
PETA please note!
"Norwegians themselves generally point to their country's scenic beauty, recreational opportunities, clean water and fresh air."
They left out the women.
On the other hand, I can't think of ONE country I would rather live in than the U.S. with all its faults. Its still heads and shoulders above the rest.
The kind of criteria the U.N. used to evaluate the desirability of different countries could just as well be applied to what farm cares for its beeff cattle best.
I guess they can't really rank "freedom" and "liberty". Besides, most of those U.N. morons wouldn't even understand what the words mean.
Actually...that was typical!
As a percentage of population... what's the country to the west of Sudan? Chad? That's it.
Well, at least we beat the French.
Norway is still not part of the European Union, right? At least that's one mark in their favor.
I have the distinction of having been born in the country ranked as the worst place to live. Glad I got out when I did.
I'm not surprised actually. In part we subsidize them.
They have the North Sea oil fields to boost per capita income. They have a nearly homogeneous western culture, so their crime rate is probably very low. They don't have much in the way of defense expenditures. Except for weather (too bloody cold) its almost paradise.
But isn't this is also the place where a judge at a rape case involving a Muslim rapist said that Norwegian women need to start considering the mores of Islamic men when they dress ("put on your burkha, wench.")?
"But isn't this is also the place where a judge at a rape case involving a Muslim rapist said that Norwegian women need to start considering the mores of Islamic men when they dress ("put on your burkha, wench.")?"
In UN parlance, that's considered respect for other cultures :p
I do not believe for a minute that Canada has a higher standard of living than the US. It is not possible. Ontarians(richest Canadians) makes less money than the poorest state in the US.
Ahhh that explains it... in the parrot skit, the Norwegian Blue is "pining for the fjords". Now we know why... cause Norway is such a swell place to live. It all makes sense now.
"But what have they done lately?"
Got themselves ranked highly on this list, for one. Been our ally, for another.
I understand the negative feelings many have for France.
I'm at quite a loss, about why so many on this board find such glee with being negative about just about everybody, and just about every place, just about all the time.
Been our ally? You've got to be kidding. Chirac promised Powell that he was going to support us on the vote re: Iraq, then stabbed us in the back the next day. They've been pulling that knife out and stabbing us over and over since then.
France may have done some things we asked them to do, but they were small things and only those that would benefit them in some way. They are hardly our ally.
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