Norway has won the top spot in another international ranking of prosperity and well-being among 142 countries worldwide. The country performed best in the “social capital” portion of the latest Prosperity Index, compiled by the Legatum Institute, a British think tank.
The annual Prosperity Index ranks countries according to their performance in eight equally-weighted categories including economy, entrepreneurship and opportunity, governance, education, health, safety and security, personal freedom and social capital.
Fully 96 percent of Norwegians questioned said they were satisfied with living standards in Norway, compared to an average of just 59.7 percent of others questioned worldwide. Even though Norway has been through an economic downturn the past two years, its unemployment rate was less than half the world average and 78.5 percent said it was a good place to start a business.
Norwegians also ranked high in feelings of personal freedom, 94 percent said they can rely on friends and family for help if needed and 87 percent felt safe walking on the streets at night.
Norway, which also topped last year’s Prosperity Index, improved its performance in entrepreneurship and health care. All five Nordic countries were included in the 12 best-performing countries, which also included Switzerland, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands and Ireland.
For more on the Prosperity Index, click here (external link).
newsinenglish.no staff
