The Happiest Countries on Earth

**girl_ziplocked** · 07-13-2006 04:32 PM

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.
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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).[/b]

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.[/b]

Selected others: 17. Philippines; 23. Indonesia; 31. China; 32. Thailand; 44. Malaysia; 62. India; 64. Iceland; 70. Netherlands; 87. Spain; 88. Hong Kong; 89. Saudi Arabia; 99. Denmark; 112. Pakistan; 115. Norway; 119. Sweden; 123. Finland; 139. Australia; 154. UAE; 156. South Africa; 159. Kuwait; 166. Qatar.[/b]

link

**Esternogligen** · 07-13-2006 04:38 PM

From Yahoo:
<div class=\'quotetop\'>QUOTE</div><div class=\'quotemain\'>Sorry, the page you requested was not found.
The story or page you were trying to access may have expired.

If you are having trouble locating a destination on Yahoo! News, try visiting the Yahoo! News home page or browse through the News site index. Also, you may find what you're looking for if you try searching below.[/b][/quote]

**girl_ziplocked** · 07-13-2006 04:41 PM

From Yahoo:
<div class=\'quotetop\'>QUOTE

<div class=\'quotemain\'>Sorry, the page you requested was not found.
The story or page you were trying to access may have expired.

If you are having trouble locating a destination on Yahoo! News, try visiting the Yahoo! News home page or browse through the News site index. Also, you may find what you're looking for if you try searching below.[/b][/quote]

[/b][/quote]

Ooops! It should work now

**Gosu** · 07-13-2006 04:45 PM

Interesting to note that so many non-democratic and/or really poor countries are among the happiest. I think this says more about the culture than anything else, and certainly hurts the credibility of the research.

**Trionix** · 07-13-2006 04:48 PM

That's cool. I'm trying to find the full listing (mainly to see how Cuba and Venezuela are doing), but it doesn't look like it's knocking about yet.

**The Viking** · 07-13-2006 04:52 PM

While yes, this is a pleasant little study, adding in the ecological footprint makes it a bit ridiculous. If you're going off pure happiness alone, I'm sure the United States would be a bit higher. Thing is, we're so clueless about our environmental impact that most just take the environment for granted.

It makes sense that many "primitive" nations rank high on the list. Generally speaking, these countries are very environmentally friendly, with each person simply taking what they need for food and shelter. While yes, it may be true that the happiest life is a simple life, I would argue that people can take just as much pleasure by destroying the environment.

Theoretically, if I got in my big huge SUV, drove a half hour around town to pick up friends, then another half hour to get to a movie theater, waste electricity by watching the movie, spend money on a bucket of Coca-Cola (produced with chemicals in a factory), then drive around aimlessly on my way home with friends.......I could still have a fantastic night. Happiness, in this day in age, does not always require a single thought for the environment.

Saying that Vanuatu is "the world's most environmentally friendly" country? Sure. But trying to pawn that off as "the happiest"? I don't think that's right.

**JayJ** · 07-13-2006 05:00 PM

not to be negative, but that sounds all bullshit to me. there is no way to create an accurate matrix to decide what countries are the happiest on the earth. Arbitrary crap that really tells us nothing in my opinion.

China is 32?? I like to see how they figured that one out. Considering more than half their population lives in oppressed poverty (based on north american standards anyways)

**BrokenSound** · 07-13-2006 05:10 PM

I'd totally be way happier if I lived in a 5x5 foot apartment in China.

**Trionix** · 07-13-2006 05:11 PM

China is 32?? I like to see how they figured that one out. Considering more than half their population lives in oppressed poverty (based on north american standards anyways)
[/b]

And we all know, as a fact, that the poor can't afford to be happy.

**BrokenSound** · 07-13-2006 05:21 PM

<div class='quotemain'>
China is 32?? I like to see how they figured that one out. Considering more than half their population lives in oppressed poverty (based on north american standards anyways)
[/b]

And we all know, as a fact, that the poor can't afford to be happy.

[/b][/quote]

Not working 18 hour sweatshop days.

**girl_ziplocked** · 07-13-2006 05:33 PM

I wish there was more on this out right now, but the reason I think some nations (particularly island nations) do so well is because access to processed foods, consumerism, and media is strongly linked with lower levels of emotional and physical wellbeing (ie. diseases, depression, higher suicide rates, etc).

And the lower levels of pollution probably really correlate with better health in general.

Also, it suggests that providing a better life for *all* people within the nation is a consideration, so nations that score poorly on the GINI inequality index (ie. America) probably don't do so hot.

Though, still, China is weird. I think it's because most people in China live in the countryside away from the cities. Though, I'm not really that sure.

**Trionix** · 07-13-2006 05:34 PM

Wow, good point BS.

Because those people are so unhappy, I'll tell you what, let's boycott the companies who give them such a terrible life, you in?

:P

**bbking** · 07-13-2006 05:40 PM

Right now im sitting in a pair of silk boxers in my air conditioned apartment, listening to loud techno music. I have a 2L bottle of orange juice in one hand, and my mouse in the other (COMPUTER mouse, but good idea..).

In a while, I might put on a bathing suit and jog down to one of the several new olympic sized pools put in by my university a mere four blocks from here, and enjoy the view of dozens of college girls in bikinis.

Those sweatshops in china must be a hell of a place, because right now im pretty damn happy

**ameliaprincesa** · 07-13-2006 05:43 PM

How does one measure happiness objectively? Are there statistics computated and averaged. Geez... I'm such a math nerd.

**Atom' Package** · 07-13-2006 05:45 PM

haha,look at all the people get annoyed because their countries aren't happier than the damn reds. sorry, but when i see an american with a grin on their face equal to the grin on the dude from the article's face, then i'll listen to you. (wasn't going to make that point, but the more i thought about it, the more it is actually quite valid)

also, think about the ridiculous amount of people in the states/uk/modernised western countries that claim to have depression/require councilling, i'd love to see figures for the amount of counciling required in Tahiti or somewhere similar.

I do wonder if the study has labelled itself correctly, i can see that America's ridiculous amount of pollution and China's incredibly good economy atm, could be the actual reason's for there being such a gap between the two, when i don't think those two factors will make Chinease people that much happier and American people that much unhappy.

It's wierd how the americansd on this board at least don't come ac ross as not wanting to live in a polluted place actually, like most people i know face to face would genuinly prefer to live in somewhere with fresh air and decent greenery around, is that not the case in the USA?

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