What is the greatest country on Earth?

I can't answer this question as I sincerely believe that the United States is by far the best country in this solar system.

In general, it's only (or mostly) Americans who think that country is the "best in the world" (whatever that means.) I think France is the best country in Europe, and since Europe is the best politico-economic bloc on the planet, then, clearly France must be the best country in the world. My friend Pilar thinks it's Spain.

My country can kick your country's ass . . .

In Ireland there is a general tendency to aspire to be like the Nordic countries. Sweden, Denmark & Norway anyway. Whether any of them are the greatest countries on Earth, I cant say.

Ireland is about the most beautiful place i've ever been. I don't know that i would happy living there (although i did for a while in the 70s), but i can't think of a more beautiful place.

stepan says:



And the Earth is the best planet! And I'll fight anybody that says different. You can just go and live on Jupiter if you don't like it here! Love it or leave it, you Commie rats!

We by no means happiest

http://www.google.ca/#hl=en&gs_nf=1&cp=17&gs_id=1u&xhr=t&q=happiest+country+in+the+world&pf=p&sclient=psy-ab&oq=happiestd+country&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=894aafbd184b8e77&biw=1588&bih=841

I agree with you. There are many pretty good countries and they all have what I'll call rickets on some matters, and within them detractors for good reasons.
Or bad reasons. And what I might think is a pretty good country might not fit with another person's opinion across the globe.

I do think a lot of people everywhere who are even aware of the nature of the country they live in (compared, say, to their village) have a wish to like it and think it is best.. it seems natural to me. So does people hating a particular regime seem natural to me, and some of those people protesting may be feeling that way for love (effectively) of their home area, wishing to protect it.

I'm not a fan of constant jingoism, which I feel edges into nationalism - but I'm fine with being not only a fan but a booster of where any of us may live. It is a kind of attachment. Personally, I've moved several times in my life, but I still have attachment to the old places.

Haven't read the New Yorker article, but will, thanks for the link.

I vote for Monaco...

(lowest poverty rate)

You wouldn't recognise it now, after that Celtic Tiger nightmare. They built everywhere they could, dodgy deals, bad planning, no regulation.
If you stood still for more than 5 mins, you'd be built on. ha.
Over 2000 ghost estates in Ireland, empty and falling apart. Although luckily their starting to demolish them at last.
Now all that said, I recently spent a week on the Ring of Kerry and a week in a 6 berth on the Shannon and yes, Ireland's still got that something.
"And I don't drink so I wasn't imagining it" .... I swear...

I vote for the Netherlands...

(for reasons unknown)

My friend and i climbed Ben Bulben one day. When we got back to town (Sligo), a guy in the pub said that with all the abandoned mine pits, it was really dangerous. He said if we had climbed the south slope, we would really have been in trouble. We didn't tell him we'd climbed the south slope. The view from there was breathtaking. I also went swimming up the coast one day, and, of course, the Atlantic is pretty damend cold. When i got back to the house, my hair was frozen into tight curls from the cold salt water. The landlady said something to the effect that it could have been worse, i could have gone swimming in such-and-such bay, where so many people drowned every year. I didn't tell her i'd gone swimming in that bay. I was with some divers i had met by chance who told me to stay in the water from wich i could see two rocks, because otherwise i'd be a dead man.

I used to drive by Innisfree to work almost every day . . .

I WILL arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

My favorite is Bhutan..

For its high GNH (Gross national happiness)..

Defining which country is 'the greatest' comes down to what you value...and what a person in a major city values will likely be different to what a person in a the country values, and will be different to what a person from a different culture values, which will probably be different from what a conservationist values, which is likely different from what a person in war torn country values, which will obviously be different from what a pacific islander will value.

Exactly. And since I came to live in Spain, I have begun to value chorizo more and more, so maybe I will like Spain best soon...

I'd pick one of the Scandinavian countries. I'd have to do more reading to be sure which one, but my gut instinct would be Sweden.

I'm fond of my home, California, which is presently in a fuggedaboutit tangled mess.

Many know I'm an Italy nut, but that place, not so long a country, has been an entry for me to learn about many more places and times in my reading. I've been interested in other than where I lived since fourth grade geography (Sr. Mary Rita probably showed a few slides, um, Rio and Rome and Ireland likely).

So, like, do they teach geography in elementary school here in the US anymore?

Andorra, I think. But both Lichtenstein and Luxembourg are very close second place ties.

Seguro, chorizotapalandia.