UN Again Ranks Norway as Country with Highest Standard of Living

That should make our local Norwegians happy, shout out to Heath!!!

 

Is there a complete list?

Man, I'm proud to be an Aussie.

 

This is like those "places rated" indexes. I don't understand those.


Ok...if you have zero connection to any other country. If you're an alien from another planet. Here's where we think...given our own criteria...you should choose to live.

What a waste of time and resources. Great for Maxim and Cosmo...ridiculous from the UN. I'm still waiting on a dining report from these guys.

 

Yes, a big hooray to everybody's favorite BBS Norwegian!

 

Exactly. When I see on the site that it says "cultural liberty in a diverse world," I know not to even waste my time reading the contents.

 

i don't even know what that means!

 

huh?



Did you read the report?

It's a report on human development status in developing countries, such things as child care, literacy, education, health care, etc, as well as attempting to measure free expression, repression of ethnic minorities, etc.

The HDI ranking is one of a 30 or 40 or so tables in the back.

THe HDI, human development index, is an aggregate measure of literacy, primary school education, life expectancy, infant mortality, etc. It's somewhat misleading to call it a living standard, because that is not what it is intended to be.

In the report:

While the HDI for all countries is included in one appendix on the back for reference, the focus of the report is definitely on the "have not's" rather than the "have's", though it does include sections on issues like religious freedom in France and other western countries.

But anyway, the focus of this 290- something or so paged report seems to be on the developing rather than the devolped.

Blame the wire service story writer if you want, but if you think this is just a top-10 list intended to waste time on a rainy day, that would be a mistake.

 

<a HREF="http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/norway.html">Norway</a>

<i>..............During the first eight months of 2003, Norway’s total oil output (includes all liquids) averaged 3.25 million barrels per day (bbl/d), a decrease of about 100,000 bbl/d over the same period in 2002. The country consumes very little of the oil it produces, an estimated 250,000 bbl/d in the first eight months of 2003. The remaining 3 million bbl/d of production is exported, making Norway the third largest net exporter in the world. In 2002, the United Kingdom imported the largest amount of Norwegian crude oil, followed by the Netherlands, the United States, France and Canada. Net crude oil exports reached their highest level in 2001, averaging an estimated 2.91 million bbl/d, according Norwegian government statistics..............

..........<b>Natural Gas Exports</b>
Norway continues to be the second-largest natural gas exporter in Europe after Russia. According to the Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Norway exported an estimated 2.27 Tcf of dry natural gas in 2002. With an export capacity over 3 Tcf per year, Norway has sufficient room to increase exports. Export capacity will also increase by 706 Bcf if the Britpipe linking Ormen Lange to the United Kingdom is realized.</i>

<a HREF="http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/no.html">CIA World Fact Book: Norway</a>

<i>........The Norwegian economy is a prosperous bastion of welfare capitalism, featuring a combination of free market activity and government intervention. The government controls key areas, such as the vital petroleum sector (through large-scale state enterprises). The country is richly endowed with natural resources - petroleum, hydropower, fish, forests, and minerals - and is highly dependent on its oil production and international oil prices, with oil and gas accounting for one-third of exports. Only Saudi Arabia and Russia export more oil than Norway. Norway opted to stay out of the EU during a referendum in November 1994. The government has moved ahead with privatization. With arguably the highest quality of life worldwide, Norwegians still worry about that time in the next two decades when the oil and gas begin to run out. Accordingly, Norway has been saving its oil-boosted budget surpluses in a Government Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad and now is valued at more than $43 billion. GDP growth was a lackluster 1% in 2002 and 0.5% in 2003 against the background of a faltering European economy..........</i>

With a population under 5 million, oil exports of roughly 3 million bpd and additional Natural Bas Exports, that makes for plenty of funds (on a per capita basis) to strive for a High Standard of Living.

 

to bama, if America isnt on the top of the list, its gotta be BS. Those top four countries are fine places to live for the average citizen, i'll agree, but then again, not everyone has the same criteria for best.

 

no...i avoid reading all reports. i'd rather make inflammatory comments in a state of ignorance. thanks for your understanding.

 

The oil and gas resources of that country, as pointed out, are what elevates it above the rest of the world. If you think the country is wealthy becuase of its economic system, you are kidding yourself.

 

Well as long as we're open about it counsel.

 

i'd love to say that in trial...like to an expert's report or something.

 

Sorry, you have to wait till you're a judge to be able to say and do that kind of thing.

 

is MadMax the only lawyer on this board? I'm going to be one in three years (but not the "bloodsucker" kind, I dislike trial law and litigation).

 

Excellent, Mango. That was the first thing that popped into my head when I saw the ranking. Not surprising at all when you check the facts. It reminds me of Texas when we were a top oil and gas producer and had little in the way of sales or gasoline taxes. Those revenues enable Norway to support it's great standard of living.

It sounds, from your post, like they are preparing for the time when it starts to seriously decline. I wish Texas had considered that. I've been to Norway, and it is absolutely beautiful and clean. Of course, I wasn't there during the winter. The Gulf Stream moderates those winters quite a bit, I'm guessing.

 

<b>Lawyers</b>

<i>Refman
Mad Max
SamFisher</i>

and I think <i>Sam Cassell</i> is also.

<i>Haven</i> is supposed to be in Law School, but no longer seems to post in this Forum.

There are probably a few others that I am overlooking.

We used to have a poster that claimed to be a lawyer, but he would eventually overstay his welcome and he would <i>leave</i> the BBS.