15 happiest, richest, healthiest, and safest countries in the world

Can you guess how Pakistan fared?


News Desk May 28, 2016
Norway is the most prosperous country in the world according to global prosperity index. PHOTO: visitnorway

People of Norway may have another reason to rejoice as the country has been ranked as the most prosperous in the world once again.

Every year, The Legatum Institute, a London-based think tank, releases its annual global Prosperity Index, which ranks the most prosperous countries in the world. While, the amount of money a country has is one factor of prosperity, the Legatum Institute considers more than that in its ranking.

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The institute has identified 89 variables, which are spread across eight sub-indices; economy, entrepreneurship and opportunity, governance, education, health, safety and security, personal freedom, and social capital, through which they identify and analyse the specific factors that contribute to the prosperity of a country.

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While Pakistan ranked at 130, in the bottom 15 on the index, neighbouring India stood at 99.

Here are the top-performing countries of the 142 countries the index looked at for their deductions.

1) Norway

Norway is ranked as number one on the index. The Scandinavian country has topped the prosperity index for the past seven years. Norway ranked in the top 10 of every sub-index.

2) Switzerland

The country with the second highest rated economy, Switzerland ranked one in governance.

3) Denmark

Ranked at number three, Denmark ranks the second-best when it comes to entrepreneurship and opportunity.

4) New Zealand

One of the most tolerant countries towards immigrants, New Zealand ranks best in social capital and is also rated the most prosperous non-European nation.

5) Sweden

The country ranks the best for entrepreneurship and opportunity and also fares well in safety and security.

6) Canada

Canada is the true land of the free according to the index which ranks Canada it the best in personal freedom. The country is the most tolerant of immigrants in the world with 92% of people thinking the country is a good place for immigrants. Canada also ranks well it comes to education and economy index.

7) Australia

The country has ranked seventh for the past three years and has the world's best education system according to the index.

8) Netherlands

The Netherlands is ranked highly in education, social capital and economy.

9) Finland

Ranked the third best in safety and security and fifth best in governance, however, their relatively poor economy has pushed them down a rank from last year.

10) Ireland

Ireland is also among the five most tolerant countries towards immigrants and ranks fourth best in safety and security in the world.

11) United States

While the US ranks best in health, falling levels of safety and security have blighted its performance.

12) Iceland

Although it dropped a rank compared to last year, Iceland ranks in the top five in three sub-indexes; personal freedom, entrepreneurship and opportunity and safety and security.

13) Luxembourg

The country is highly ranked in personal freedom and health, as well as governance and economy. Luxembourg rose from ranking 16 in 2014 to 13 this year.

14) Germany

Boasting the fifth-best economy in the world, Germany also ranks 6th in health.

15) United Kingdom

The UK ranks highly when it comes to entrepreneurship and opportunity, governance as well as social capital. However, it fell two places this year.

COMMENTS (34)

Rehan Ali Khan | 7 years ago | Reply Hello everybody, I'm very lucky to live in Norway
hoshiar singh gill | 7 years ago | Reply @Insider: Congratulations its amazing what it takes to make some people happy!
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