Norway ranked as best country to live in

[one...two...tree 2,762]

AP

The United Nations ranked Norway as the best country to live in for a sixth consecutive year Thursday, prompting the country's aid minister to tell Norwegians to stop whining about wanting more.

Oil-rich Norway, with its generous welfare state, topped the U.N. Development Program's human development index, based on such criteria as life expectancy, education and income. Iceland was No. 2, followed by Australia, Ireland, Sweden, Canada, Japan and the United States.

Despite wealth, high levels of education, low unemployment, and an economic boom, Norwegians often complain of high taxes and of weaknesses in their cradle-to-grave welfare state, such as waiting lists at hospitals and a shortage of public care for both children and the elderly.

"There are unsolved problems in Norway, but let us battle this culture of whining, and look at the future with optimism," Aid Minister Erik Solheim was quoted as saying in an interview with the Norwegian news agency NTB.

According to the study, Norwegians earn 40 times more than the study's lowest- ranked country, Niger, live almost twice as long, and have nearly five times the literacy rate.

Solheim said instead of complaining, Norwegians should work on solving those problems, and to share their wealth with poorer countries. Norway is already one of the world's most generous foreign aid donors per capita, giving nearly 1 percent of its gross national product.

"The top place should make us show humility," said Solheim in the NTB interview. "Norway should be seen as a modern, rich and successful society, but should also be seen as a generous country. The world must see us as rich and generous, not rich and miserly."

Norway, a nation of 4.6 million people, is the world's third-largest oil exporter, after Saudi Arabia.

The five countries with the lowest scores were Guinea-Bissau in 173rd place, Burkina Faso as 174, Mali as 175, Sierra Leone as 176, and Niger 177. The report was unable to rank 17 countries, such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia, because there was insufficient data.

[Artegal 1]

Interesting Ranking, but contrast the Best Country to Live in list with the list of Suicide Rates.

I guess too much of a good thing is a bad thing: Notice World Health Organization's list of the same top 8 countries in Suicide Rates:

Country Females Males All /100,000

JAPAN 36.5 14.1 25.3

SWEDEN 19.7 8 13.85

NORWAY 19.5 6.8 13.15

AUSTRALIA 21.2 5.1 13.15

CANADA 19.5 5.1 12.3

ICELAND 19.1 5.2 12.15

IRELAND 18.4 4.3 11.35

USA 17.6 4.1 10.85

Ranked Most Suicides to Least / 100,000

Edited November 10, 2006 by Artegal

[I'm Gone 60]

Now we know where to send the Mexicans. LOL

[mybackpages 0]

Now we know where to send the Mexicans. LOL

does that mean we get to keep the Argentines, Columbians, Salvadorians etc?

[I'm Gone 60]

Now we know where to send the Mexicans. LOL

does that mean we get to keep the Argentines, Columbians, Salvadorians etc?

Should have said illegal aliens, but the Mexicans are 50%, so that would make a big dent in the problem.

[cmartyn 0]

Wow their suicide rates are almost as high as our murder rates! Shocking

CITY MURDERS

PER 100,000

(1) Washington, D.C., USA 69.3

(2) Philadelphia, USA 27.4

(3) Dallas, USA 24.8

(4) Los Angeles, USA 22.8

(5) Chicago, USA 20.5

(6) Phoenix, USA 19.1

[I'm Gone 60]

Wow their suicide rates are almost as high as our murder rates! Shocking

CITY MURDERS

PER 100,000

(1) Washington, D.C., USA 69.3

(2) Philadelphia, USA 27.4

(3) Dallas, USA 24.8

(4) Los Angeles, USA 22.8

(5) Chicago, USA 20.5

(6) Phoenix, USA 19.1

Yeah, but I wouldn't be worrying that much about a drive by suicide. LOL

[Carol&Marc 0]

Now we know where to send the Mexicans. LOL

Starting construction on a new bridge

[ace13 0]

One of my best friends lives in Norway and yea, their taxes are out of this world HIGH HIGH HIGH.

The government basically tells you where you are going to spend your money. Cigarettes were $9 a pack last time I was there-in 1999 (back when I smoked this left me screaming) but she said everything costs a lot. I guess it is all relative.

It is a BEAUTIFUL country. If you like trees and wooden homes and the time I was there it was damp and rainy. I loved the scenery.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Finland PWNED!!!

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

too cold for my furry brown #######.

Daniel

:energetic:

[Mirorgate 0]

Wow their suicide rates are almost as high as our murder rates! Shocking

CITY MURDERS

PER 100,000

(1) Washington, D.C., USA 69.3

(2) Philadelphia, USA 27.4

(3) Dallas, USA 24.8

(4) Los Angeles, USA 22.8

(5) Chicago, USA 20.5

(6) Phoenix, USA 19.1

And their country population is about as much as Denver city. More ppl = more a$$hats.