Every year the UN makes the list of Human development report. This year it is based on data from 2007. You can find the list here: http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/# The top 10: 1: Norway 2: Australia 3: Iceland 4: Canada 5: Ireland 6: Netherlands 7: Sweden 8: France 9: Switzerland 10: Japan The US is at 13 (http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_USA.html#). With life expectancy the US is at 26th. And another interesting fact, they are 34th in percentage of population that are immigrants with 13% (the Netherlands has 10.6% immiigrants). Other interesting facts: The life expectancy of someone from afganishtan is 43.6 years
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I think America's size and social diversity will always keep it from being at the top of this list. But I don't think you'll ever find a country this large with as much prosperity. What's the closest, maybe, Germany and Japan?
Great post as always, pouhe. I know Japan has the 2nd highest GDP after the US but it's really not a place I'd want to work considering the long work hours, an economy driven by the mundane service sector and the unattractive women. Things like job security and lifetime employment are common practice there due to the robotic, disciplined nature of it's people. A list of GDP per hour worked shows a significant difference between #4 France and #19 Japan (although a lot of the discrepancy stems from the creative talent in France working less hours and bringing in more $). Although it's possible my definition of "prosperity" is off here.
Size is defenitly a factor why the US will not be on the top of these charts. For the US it would be more fair if you compaire the European countries to the different states of the US. The social diversity is something a country should work on. The amount of immigrants in the US is not bigger than in other countries (relative to the population size). So taking care of the less fortunate is a way to improve in these lists. and improve the life standard of the population. It is no surpise that relativly social countries are on top of this list, since they also take care of the less fortunate (with healthcare and stuff ). p.s. Iceland will probably nosedive in future lists since they really suffered as a result of the economic crisis. Subtle. On the side note, How many holiday days does the average American have? Rockets fans are always welcome in the Netherlands . My girlfriend and I have always said that if we ever move to another country it will probably be Norway. Iceland might not be the best place to move to right now.
I work for the state, so I have more than the average, but less than Federal government workers, but I get 14 days that count as "holidays" plus 12 each of sick and vacation leave per year (vacation will increase as I get longevity).
They all live so long in those other countries because they come to the U.S. for advanced medical care. [/Republican]
One of my clients at the moment is a large European firm. It kills me how much more vacation they get. Absolutely kills me.
As long as Americans continuously live unhealthy lifestyles, shovel fast food down our throats and refuse to excercise...we'll never move up the list on Life Expectancy.
Complacency is what gives America it's identity since it lacks culture. From all those "nifty" gadgets introduced in the mid 1900's that made sitting on your ass OK to the lack of curiosity about things outside of one's personal bubble, it is what it is. The vast amount of opportunity presented to it's citizens (coupled with a short history) might have worked against it in the long run on topics such as this.
14 days?? Does that include holidays like Christmas? I can imagine of you only get 3 weeks of in the year. Most of us here get about double that. I work for the university and I think I have about 6 weeks of a year. I a month I'm going on a holiday for 28 days. Looking forward to it
I could live with it except that all this extra work and stress nets me nothing. /frustrated Further proof that this statement I made earlier reeks of truth...
Yes, that 14 days includes a week off between Christmas and New Years, which is a luxury that people working outside of education don't get. I used to get two weeks off at Christmas and a week off at Spring Break, now that is down to 7 days and 1 day, respectively.
