Vanuatu is world's happiest country: study
Wed Jul 12, 11:08 AM ET
LONDON (AFP) - The tiny South Pacific Ocean archipelago of Vanuatu is the happiest country on Earth, according to a study published measuring people's wellbeing and their impact on the environment.
Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica and Panama complete the top five in the Happy Planet Index, compiled by the British think-tank New Economics Foundation (NEF).
The index combines life satisfaction, life expectancy and environmental footprint -- the amount of land required to sustain the population and absorb its energy consumption.
The Group of Eight industrial powers meet in Saint Petersburg this weekend but have not much to smile about, according to the index.
Italy came out best in 66th place, ahead of Germany (81), Japan (95), Britain (108), Canada (111), France (129), the United States (150) and Russia, in lowly 172nd place.
2006-07-12 13:04:58 · 5 answers · asked by MaSTeR 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
According to the Happy Planet Index website, the score is a judgment of Life Satisfaction times Life Expectancy divided by ecological footprint. Some of this calculation makes sense because if you live in a country with high Life Satisfaction and you only live 25 years, you wouldn't have much time to experience the Satisfaction as another country with a similar Satisfaction and longer life expectancy.
I don't know why Ecological Footprint is given such a strong influence in this score. It reflects the perception of those that created it. I think for some the Ecology may not have as much influence in their overall happiness. I'm sure it's really peeving Al Gore, but I think the Bush family is quite happy!
The US failed on the Ecology divisor. I suppose if you ignored the Ecology, you'd love living in the US!
Of the Group of Eight countries you mention, five of them are in the same boat as the US: High scores on Satisfaction and Life Expectancy, but dragged down by the Ecology score. The three that have lower Satisfaction are France, Japan and Russia!
2006-07-13 05:54:35 · answer #1 · answered by Ken C. 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
That's all hogwash. The reason is that America IS a happy place to live. It's just that the people aren't happy. Being the land of the free, everyone has the same opportunity to be happy. But they have to work at it to get it. You can't soar with eagles lying on a couch.
2006-07-12 13:12:48 · answer #2 · answered by Newt 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Obviously, because Vanuatu doesn't have any doomsday liberals living there.
2006-07-12 13:10:39 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who did they poll? Themselves. What get an education!
2006-07-14 11:44:52 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe its because a lot more people live here than in London
2006-07-12 13:11:26 · answer #5 · answered by cinfull 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋