The new Human Development Index 2005, which measures and ranks the standard of living of all countries around the world just came out today. Here is the top 100:
1. Norway
2. Iceland
3. Australia
4. Luxembourg
5. Canada
6. Sweden
7. Switzerland
8. Ireland
9. Belgium
10. United States
11. Japan
12. Netherlands
13. Finland
14. Denmark
15. United Kingdom
16. France
17. Austria
18. Italy
19. New Zealand
20. Germany
21. Spain
22. Hong Kong
23. Israel
24. Greece
25. Singapore
26. Slovenia
27. Portugal
28. Korea, Rep. Of
29. Cyprus
30. Barbados
31. Czech Republic
32. Malta
33. Brunei Darussalam
34. Argentina
35. Hungary
36. Poland
37. Chile
38. Estonia
39. Lithuania
40. Qatar
41. United Arab Emirates
42. Slovakia
43. Bahrain
44. Kuwait
45. Croatia
46. Uruguay
47. Costa Rica
48. Latvia
49. Saint Kitts and Nevis
50. Bahamas
51. Seychelles
52. Cuba
53. Mexico
54. Tonga
55. Bulgaria
56. Panama
57. Trinidad and Tobago
58. Libyan Arab Jamahirya
59. Macedonia, TFYR
60. Antigua and Barbuda
61. Malaysia
62. Russian Federation
63. Brazil
64. Romania
65. Mauritius
66. Grenada
67. Belarus
68. Bosnia and Herzegovina
69. Colombia
70. Dominica
71. Oman
72. Albania
73. Thailand
74. Samoa (Western)
75. Venezuela
76. Saint Lucia
77. Saudi Arabia
78. Ukraine
79. Peru
80. Kazakhstan
81. Lebanon
82. Ecuador
83. Armenia
84. Philippines
85. China
86. Suriname
87. Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
88. Paraguay
89. Tunisia
90. Jordan
91. Belize
92. Fiji
93. Sri Lanka
94. Turkey
95. Dominican Republic
96. Maldives
97. Turkmenistan
98. Jamaica
99. Iran, Islamic Rep. of
100. Georgia
Just to compare, last years Human Development Index top 20 looked like this:
2004 Index
1. Norway
2. Sweden
3. Australia
4. Canada
5. Netherlands
6. Belgium
7. Iceland
8. United States
9. Japan
10. Ireland
11. Switzerland
12. United Kingdom
13. Findland
14. Austria
15. Luxembourg
16. France
17. Denmark
18. New Zealand
19. Germany
20. Spain
It should be noted that a decline in the ranking from last year to this year does not necessarily mean a decline in standard of living. The United States was at 0.938 in 2000 and is now at 0.944 despite dropping in rank for two consecutive years. The drop in rank is explained by greater gains in standard of living made by other countries.
The Netherlands and Japan, staples in the top 10 for years have dropped out of the top 10. Despite this fact, both countries have increased their standards of living since 2000.
Sweden which was #2 last year and is now #6 has experienced a drop in standard of living since 2000 going from 0.958 down to 0.949 this year.
Ireland continues on its path to the top and is for the first time in its history, ranked ahead of the United States in standard of living coming in at #8. Ireland currently is #2 in Per Capita GDP worldwide!
China has increased its ranking from last year when it was at #94 all the way up to #85. Since 1995, China has gone from 0.683 to 0.755 in 2005.
1. Norway
2. Iceland
3. Australia
4. Luxembourg
5. Canada
6. Sweden
7. Switzerland
8. Ireland
9. Belgium
10. United States
11. Japan
12. Netherlands
13. Finland
14. Denmark
15. United Kingdom
16. France
17. Austria
18. Italy
19. New Zealand
20. Germany
21. Spain
22. Hong Kong
23. Israel
24. Greece
25. Singapore
26. Slovenia
27. Portugal
28. Korea, Rep. Of
29. Cyprus
30. Barbados
31. Czech Republic
32. Malta
33. Brunei Darussalam
34. Argentina
35. Hungary
36. Poland
37. Chile
38. Estonia
39. Lithuania
40. Qatar
41. United Arab Emirates
42. Slovakia
43. Bahrain
44. Kuwait
45. Croatia
46. Uruguay
47. Costa Rica
48. Latvia
49. Saint Kitts and Nevis
50. Bahamas
51. Seychelles
52. Cuba
53. Mexico
54. Tonga
55. Bulgaria
56. Panama
57. Trinidad and Tobago
58. Libyan Arab Jamahirya
59. Macedonia, TFYR
60. Antigua and Barbuda
61. Malaysia
62. Russian Federation
63. Brazil
64. Romania
65. Mauritius
66. Grenada
67. Belarus
68. Bosnia and Herzegovina
69. Colombia
70. Dominica
71. Oman
72. Albania
73. Thailand
74. Samoa (Western)
75. Venezuela
76. Saint Lucia
77. Saudi Arabia
78. Ukraine
79. Peru
80. Kazakhstan
81. Lebanon
82. Ecuador
83. Armenia
84. Philippines
85. China
86. Suriname
87. Saint Vincent & the Grenadines
88. Paraguay
89. Tunisia
90. Jordan
91. Belize
92. Fiji
93. Sri Lanka
94. Turkey
95. Dominican Republic
96. Maldives
97. Turkmenistan
98. Jamaica
99. Iran, Islamic Rep. of
100. Georgia
Just to compare, last years Human Development Index top 20 looked like this:
2004 Index
1. Norway
2. Sweden
3. Australia
4. Canada
5. Netherlands
6. Belgium
7. Iceland
8. United States
9. Japan
10. Ireland
11. Switzerland
12. United Kingdom
13. Findland
14. Austria
15. Luxembourg
16. France
17. Denmark
18. New Zealand
19. Germany
20. Spain
It should be noted that a decline in the ranking from last year to this year does not necessarily mean a decline in standard of living. The United States was at 0.938 in 2000 and is now at 0.944 despite dropping in rank for two consecutive years. The drop in rank is explained by greater gains in standard of living made by other countries.
The Netherlands and Japan, staples in the top 10 for years have dropped out of the top 10. Despite this fact, both countries have increased their standards of living since 2000.
Sweden which was #2 last year and is now #6 has experienced a drop in standard of living since 2000 going from 0.958 down to 0.949 this year.
Ireland continues on its path to the top and is for the first time in its history, ranked ahead of the United States in standard of living coming in at #8. Ireland currently is #2 in Per Capita GDP worldwide!
China has increased its ranking from last year when it was at #94 all the way up to #85. Since 1995, China has gone from 0.683 to 0.755 in 2005.