Australia is the second best place in the world to live

Life is good in Australia as the country has been ranked as the second-best country in the world for its quality of life by a UN report which assessed economic, education and life-expectancy data.

It’s official – Australia is the second best country to live in the world, beating the United Kingdom and the U.S.

Australia beat Switzerland to come second to Norway, based on the nation’s “Human Development Index” (HDI). Australia posted 0.935 out of the maximum score. Switzerland came third on the report list. Furthermore, the three countries at the top — Norway, Australia and Switzerland — maintained their positions from the previous year.

According to UN Report , the data was evaluated based on the “three basic dimensions of human development.” These include life expectancy at birth, mean, expected years of school, as well as standard of living. The latter is evaluated based on the gross national income per capita.

In Norway, the only country ranked higher than Australia, life expectancy was lower at 81.6 years and the mean years of schooling were 12.6 but citizens enjoy a much bigger slice of the national pie.

The gross national income per capita in the number-one country was a whopping $US64,992 ($A90,148), dwarfing the $US680 measured in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which came in way down the list of 188 countries at 176.

Australians can expect to live on average to about 82-and-a-half-years-old, have a mean 13 years of schooling and the gross national income per person is $58,618.

Australia beat the United States and United Kingdom, with the U.S. making the top 10 list in eighth place.
Top 10: Australia beat the United States and United Kingdom, with the U.S. making the top 10 list in eighth place.

Countries that made it to the top of the list include:

  1. Norway
  2. Australia
  3. Switzerland
  4. Denmark
  5. Netherlands
  6. Germany
  7. Ireland
  8. United States
  9. Tie between Canada and New Zealand
  10. Singapore

Recommended For You

About the Author: Akhtar Jamal

Tribune International