Best country to live in? Well USA not in top 10.

[mjp28]

Norway is best place to live, China moves up: UN

Mon Oct 5, 7:53 am ET
PARIS (AFP) – Norway takes the number one spot in the annual United Nations human development index released Monday but China has made the biggest strides in improving the well-being of its citizens.

The index compiled by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) ranks 182 countries based on such criteria as life expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.

Norway, Australia and Iceland took the first three spots while Niger ranks at the very bottom, just below Afghanistan.

China moved up seven places on the list to rank as the 92nd most developed country due to improvements in education as well as income levels and life expectancy.

Colombia and Peru rose five spaces to rank 77th and 78th while France -- which was not part of the top 10 last year -- returns to the upper echelons by moving up three places to number 8.

The UNDP said the index highlights the grave disparities between rich and poor countries.

A child born in Niger can expect to live to just over 50, which is 30 years less than a child born in Norway. For every dollar a person earns in Niger, 85 dollars are earned in Norway.

This year's index was based on data from 2007 and does not take into account the impact of the global economic crisis.

"Many countries have experienced setbacks over recent decades, in the face of economic downturns, conflict-related crises and the HIV and AIDS epidemic," said the UN development report's author Jeni Klugman.

"And this was even before the impact of the current global financial crisis was felt."

Afghanistan, which returns to the list for the first time since 1996, is the only Asian country among the bottom ten which also include Sierra Leone in the 180th spot, just below the Central African Republic.

The top ten countries listed on the index are: Norway, Australia, Iceland, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Switzerland and Japan.

The United States ranks 13th, down one spot from last year.

[mjp28]

But do they have real FOOTBALL?

[Nate]

Iceland at #3?  Didn't their entire government just go bankrupt less than a year ago?   

[ScarletBlooded]

Europe has always had a beauty to it that makes it livable.

Also Canada is #4! Kick-@$$! My family would spend summers and some winters in Toronto, where my dad's good friend lives, so I have a bit of Canadian in me. Go Maple Leafs! Screw the Habs!

[buckeye2]

France??? Humph??
No thanks!

[AutoModGod]

France??? Humph??
No thanks!

I think France has a 24-hour work week. 

[Nate]

I think France has a 24-hour work week. 

I think I heard it's 32 with like 2 months vacation.

[buckeye2]

I think I heard it's 32 with like 2 months vacation.

Isn't Japan like that too?

[mjp28]

From CNN Money, June 2007

PAID TIME OFF WITH 10 YEARS' TENURE (Alphabetical order)
Country/Region Minimum Paid
Vacation Days Paid public holidays Total
Australia 20 11 (avg.) 31**
Austria 25 13 38
Belgium 20 10 30
Bulgaria 20 12 32
Canada 10 10 (avg.) 20
Cyprus 21 15 36
Czech Rep. 20 11 31
Denmark 25 10 35
Egypt 21 16 37
Estonia 28 10 38
Finland 30 14 44 <---the leader
France 30 10 40 <---a bunch with 40 days off, (not the USA)
Germany 24 10 34
Greece 25 12 37
Hong Kong 14 12 26
Hungary 23 (if over thirty-one yrs old) 10 33
India 12 19 31
Indonesia 12 13 25
Ireland 20   9 29
Israel 24 16 (avg.) 40
Italy 20 11 31
Japan 20 15 35
Latvia 20 11 31
Lebanon 15 18 33
Lithuania 28 12 40
Luxembourg 25 10 35
Malaysia 16 12 + state holidays 28 + state holidays
Malta 24 14 38
Morocco 21 19 40
Netherlands 20   8 28
New Zealand 20 11 31
Pakistan 14 14 28
Philippines   5 14 19
Poland 26 10 36
Portugal 22 12 34
Romania 21   7 28
Singapore 14 12 26
Slovakia 20 15 35
Slovenia 20 16 36
South Africa 21 12 33
South Korea 19 11 30
Spain 22 14 36
Sweden 25 11 36
Taiwan 14 11 25
Thailand   6 13 19
United Arab Emirates 30   9 39
United Kingdom 20   8 28
United States 15* 10* 25*
Vietnam 14   8 22

*These numbers reflect typical practice among large U.S. firms. There is no federal law requiring employers to give a minimum number of vacation days and holidays off, paid or unpaid.

**Correction: Due to a typo, an earlier version of this table incorrectly stated that the total number of paid days off in Australia is 41. It is, in fact, 31.