Posted on 08/26/2005 12:22:56 PM PDT by Eurotwit
Norway will top a 2005 United Nations ranking as the best country in which to live for the fifth year in a row, the head of the UN Development Program (UNDP) said on Friday.
Rich from North Sea oil and with a generous welfare state, Norway has led the world ranking since it ousted Canada from top spot in 2001. The annual list ranks countries by an index combining wealth, education and life expectancy.
"The (2005) report comes out on September 7 and yes, Norway is ranked as number 1 on the human development index," UNDP administrator Kemal Dervis told a news conference in Oslo of the forthcoming report.
He gave no other details of the ranking. Last year, Norway was followed by Sweden, Australia and Canada at the top, while Sierra Leone was the last of 177 countries listed.
The news is likely to be welcomed by Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, whose centre-right government is trailing a "Red-Green" opposition alliance led by the Labor Party ahead of a Sept. 12 election.
But Dervis, on his first foreign trip since taking over as head of the UNDP this month, said the ranking was a reward for years of work by successive governments in Norway, the world's number 3 oil exporter behind Saudi Arabia and Russia.
"This is an achievement of the Norwegian people over a very long time. It cannot be interpreted as belonging to one government," he said.
Still, Bondevik has often grumbled that it is a paradox to be lagging so far in the polls when UNDP surveys have placed Norway top every year since he came to office in 2001.
The economy is set to expand by a stellar 3.75 percent this year, interest rates are at a very low 2.0 percent, annual inflation is almost non-existent at 1.1 percent and unemployment a low 3.7 percent.
Agree about the oil -- once that's gone you've got Appalachia with pickled herrings. Any room left in the Dakotas and Minnesota?
I would class it as a social democracy in the usual European sense. I believe that his intent was not to argue that it was socialist itself, but rather closer on the spectrum of such things than many other countries.
I think you make many fair points. However, using the word nightmare is taking it a tad to far.
BTW: If you have seen my posts around here, you'd know that I want to see Norway shake of socialism. I doubt that will happen anytime soon though, so I'd settle for a realistic immigration policy.
Cheers.
After having lived for years in the US and in Australia, I think that Bawer is not far off the mark.
Cheers.
Nope. The Norwegian gub'ment is playing it smart. They ain't spendin' every cent that comes their way - the are investing it in various instruments (stocks, bonds, etc.) that will yield income long after the oil runs out.
I'm exceptionally sensitive to socialist bull. The whole idea of wealth redistribution is morally offensive to me, and when they tax people to death I just want to vomit. So to me a country with some of the biggest taxes ever and HORRID socialized medicine problems is a socialist nightmare.
Yea they could definitely use a bit more sense - I have been noticing that there's been changes lately (for the better). They seem to have eliminated the "gift" tax... maybe they're coming to realization...
Petroleum Fund up 94 billion
The market value of Norway's Petroleum Fund investment portfolio increased by NOK 94 billion (USD 14.4 billion) in the second quarter.
This means that the state Petroleum Fund now has a total value of NOK 1.184 trillion (USD 181.5 billion) at the end of Q2 2005., up NOK 167 billion since the beginning of the year.
The increase is due partly to transfer of new funds (NOK 101 billion), returns from the capital market (NOK 53 billion) and a weaker exchange rate for the Norwegian krone (NOK 13 billion).
The Petroleum Fund is government controlled, owned by the Norwegian people and managed by the central bank. The fund is invested 40 percent in shares and 60 percent in bonds.
(Aftenposten English Web Desk/NTB)
http://www.aftenposten.no/english/business/article1101369.ece
Many countries have single cities with more people than that.
Interesting article from the same paper. Guess Socialist Perfection does not equal happiness. Really got to read this article. IT is funny as heck. Basically the people quoted are congratulating themselves on how great Norway is and scratching their heads why no one else seems to agree. Then there is this little gem. Guess maybe the official unemployment numbers are a little suspect
Aetat believes that unemployment has decreased in the past year, and is currently at 3.4 percent, but SSB disagrees, NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) reports. Norway's official statistics bureau says that unemployment has risen to 4.7 percent, 100,000 people. Researchers and analysts
"Nope. The Norwegian gub'ment is playing it smart. "
lol... yeah right
And someone else to cover you militarily so you never have to budget for your own defense.
Well, the Norwegian gub'mint has a fund of over $181 BILLION dollars stashed. This for a country with less 'n 5 million people.
It is invested in stocks n' bonds, rather than held in a "lockbox." Bet they don't have any "Politically Correct" garbage limitin' their investments, either.
Compare that to what American politicos would do - they'd have spent every cent. In my book, thats playin' it smart.
Just so you know - there is only so much military you get get outta five million folks. And we've actually bought Norwegian hardware (just as they've bought ours) - Penguin anti-ship missiles IIRC.
Shouldn't badmouth the Norwegians. Be happy for 'em.
Norway is now second only to the United States in NATO in per capita spending on defense.
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20E16F835540C778EDDA10894DB404482
"Norway -- Population: 4,593,041"
Key point is the small population base.
You really cant compare Russia and Norway. The population of Russia is 144,526,278 (July 2003), and is considerably smaller.
Any study coming out of the UN is immediately suspect. I'm sure Norway is number one according to the UN's agenda.
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