Countries with Highest Standard of Living

Norway...
As a norwegian I can tell you that the secret is oil, and lots of it compared to the population (4,3 million). Besides that we pay about 40% taxes, and the VAT is 25% on an average (much higher on booze, tobacco, gas...well, all the fun stuff), and most of it is spent on welfare. So life in Norway is safe...and dull... and for the weather it's freezing. It's a myth that there are polar-bears in Norway, but that's just because they can't swim long enough...

Molla, please tell me what are chances of studying and living in Norway in english, with great knowledge of science from high school.

I'm surprised about Switzerland too.

USA standatds of living
How could you possibly be surprised that the USA comes in 6th?..Your health care system is a mess,your kids are in danger of being shot every time they go to school and the welfare system is a joke as well..Don't get me wrong,the USA has many good points but please,give me a break..

I'm a norwegian as well, and I have to agree somewhat with DrivinMan. That USA comes in on 6th was actually suprisingly high to me.

On the HID (Human Development Index) United States are number 8th.
Wikipedia - Human Development Index

There is a lot of poverty in the US, and that, coupled with the fact that the healt system is, well, not very good, a terrible education system and a LOT of crime push the US down on the list.

That your houses are made of card board and aluminium probably don't help either

The real numbers
The United States of America is only rated as high as 6th or 8th if you just use the GDP divided by population. If you take in to account the distribution of wealth it is not that good.

If you figure the list based on the "Human Development Index" the USA is a sorry 12th.

If you look at the "Human poverty index" an even scarier 16th.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Poverty_Index

Since the late 60s our "Leaders" have dropped taxes on the "Ultra wealthy" people and corporations from 91% down to 26% and effectively increased the taxes on all the rest of us 99.99% of the population with "social insecurity taxes" that are only paid on the first $90,000.00 of annual income.

Get involved now and change this trend!

Ive lived all over the UK and wouldnt even rank it in the top 50!

Hey goodfielder,

You just quite brilliantly illustrated the main reason Australia ranks higher than the USA: The Aussie's unwavering sense of humor and good-natured self-debasing attitude!

I'm from Hawaii, raised in California and have lived in Europe and Norway in particular for 15-plus years. The weather is horrendous but we in Norway know there's NO such thing as bad weather; merely bad clothing;-)

It never rains in a pub (also popular saying in Ireland!)

And besides the beer here is good enough to make you forget the weather;-)

Rock on in OZ!!!!

Re: Norway...


Not that most people (outside of a few in Europe) even know where Norway is generally, and before one could be aware of any myths about polar bears IN Norway one would have to be aware of Norway;-)

Svalbard is part of Norway though it is a far removed island and there are polar bears there. So technically there ARE polar bears IN Norway;-)

There is a lot of poverty in the US, and that, coupled with the fact that the healt system is, well, not very good, a terrible education system and a LOT of crime push the US down on the list.

That your houses are made of card board and aluminium probably don't help either [/quote]

This is such typical self-righteous Norwegian smug myopic elitism.

Norway is NO paradise!

Last time I read the text headlines on NRK 1 the Norsk educational system currently ranks as one of the worst in Europe. There is NOT a lot of true poverty in the U.S. - the poverty level is based on a rather interesting set of criteria which doesn't actually reflect the majority of U.S. society. Norway's got its share of poverty as well but its made fairly invisible because its not under the world's eyes. There are many elderly Norwegians and refugees who live in reasonably abject poverty in Norway. Alcoholism and depression are rampant social ills as is an alarming shortage of psychiatric institutions and personnel.

There is PLENTY of crime in Norway as well. A glance at any Norwegian newspaper or tv text will validate this incontrovertibly.

While the health care system is excellent for trauma care it lacks severely in terms of long-term or chronic health care management is concerned.

As far as the construction of houses that varies quite significantly state to state and indicates that you didn't travel much or are not reporting the housing in Minnesota or any number of the mountain states where houses are often built to specs far surpassing most Norwegian housing.

I've worked, lived in and travelled Norway extensively after having lived in many U.S. states and I have travelled the USA extensively as well and if there's one thing that's "Typically American" as the Norsk folk are so fond of saying it's that there is nothing that is "typically American." America is DIVERSE in geography, climate, lifestyle, and cultures in a way that Norway could never be and with that diversity and a population of 300 million comes challenges and short-comings.

If California were taken individually as a country unto its own it would far surpass Norway in virtually every area: Not just financially.

And in case you hadn't noticed; the world is moving rapidly and necessarily away from the useage and dependency on fossil fuels... OIL. Where will Norway be when that day inevitably comes and sooner than later?

i'm surprised France didn't rank higher. it is not necessary to speak French in order to love there, but being bilingual is also very cool. they have great health care, education and social securities as well as being a beautiful country. despite them having a turd for a leader at the moment, when this list was compiled they were a great contender.

i am surprised, however, that a nation with a higher number of gun deaths than China and India combined, ranked as high as number 6. since 9/11 restrictions on civilians and surveillance of citizens makes the US one of the most policed states in the western world. coming from such privilege as some of these postings originate, some consideration should be given to the one in five children living below the poverty line in the US and the trillion dollars of debt on top of looming recession and the sub prime mortgage crisis.

i guess when the war was still being though of as "winnable" back when this list was compiled, times were better. and if california was its own nation? it would be one of the richest nations on earth, with all the crime, filth and murders it has now including the awful crap that sells for entertainment in your country. and arnold schwartznegger would be the president!
personally, i would rather live in Cuba!

The states should not in my opinion even be in the top 20. It's got a hideous standard of living. One of the worst health care systems in the world and one of the lowest standard of general education. so sorry buddy but I am shocked you are even in the top 10. I think you need to travel and see what people actually think about Americans. People are laughing at you.
Also I think you who said England should be in the top 10 think again. England has terrible wages, high cost of living, terrible NHS and negative whinging pomes who complain about everything. The tope 3 are right. I have travelled to all of them.

This list does look more accurate. The US sinks like a brick when you throw on our inequalities of healthcare, education, housing and income. I think Germany only lags because they had to absorb the mess that Russia left behind in the eastern half.

Having just sent the last 2 years living in Norway, I looking forward to returning to my 'low standard' London (UK). 'Living standard' targets mean absolutely nothing compared to the enjoyment, inspiration and enlightenment one gains from living in diverse, multicultural, and may I say 'edgey' societies.
If 'highest living standards' equates to living in a monocultural, nanny state coma, I'm quite happy to lower my standards

I agree that a diverse and multicultural society is wonderful - even ideal, but does it mean a society must sacrifice equality in terms of food, healthcare, education and housing? Why can't we have a decent standard of living for all along with multiculturalism? Why can't we raise the bar on the lowest standards of human needs and at least help people acquire the basics. Not everyone can float around in a yacht, but a society should at least be able to supply a row boat and oars to those who need it when the waters rise.

Agreed, it is everyones inalienable right to a decent standard of living.
What I am merely pointing out is that self-congratulatory ‘targets’ need to be understood within a wider framework of issues.

Iceland was officially declared bankrupt in October 2008 following high risk financial dealings in the global markets, which, does not bode well for the long term sustainability of its ‘highest living standards’.
Norway has made its wealth, as Molla rightly points out, exporting fossil fuels; the third largest in the world according to EIA. This effectively makes Norway one of the largest polluters in the world per capita. Their high living standards come at the cost of the environmental impact to us all.

The waters are certainly rising as you rightly say....

It's a ranking that may not consider the FACT that the poorest poor person in America is richer than the richest poor person in any other country in the world. Don't forget that many studies are done to benefit someone, a company, a country or a cause. When the analysis is done in a mathematical manner, we (in America) can say "people prosper here more than any other country in the world".
There are those who want to ask the question "what exactly is a standard of living?". Is it the amount of money an individual makes that creates a high standard of living? Is it the freedom that individuals have to either provide for themselves or others (and/ or both). It's a very complex equation to solve... and provide a clear answer when more "emotional factors" exist.

Just because you call your claim a fact, that does not make it a fact -- not even if you yell out the word fact in all-caps. If it is really a fact you are stating, you can back it up with international income statistics from reputable sources. Would you like to give it a try?

The Saudi Royal Family will be very surprised to hear that they don't live as well as an American "Bag Lady". Although Saudi women might envy her freedom and civil rights.

Please note darpaq's clever hedge here: He said 'the richest poor person'. That can mean anything darpaq wants it to. Certainly the House of Saud is not poor, not even 'the richest poor person'.