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UN Again Ranks Norway as Country with Highest Standard of Living

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by gifford1967, Jul 15, 2004.

  1. gifford1967

    gifford1967 Member
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    You can see the full report here- http://hdr.undp.org/reports/global/2004/


    From-www.aftenposten.no.

    For the fourth year in a row, the United Nations has ranked Norway as having the highest standard of living in the world. Sweden, Australia and Canada are next in line, while the United States is further down the scale.

    Norway, also known for its scenic beauty, is once again being hailed as the world's best country in which to live.

    The report measured standards of living in 177 countries around the world. Other Nordic countries also ranked high, with Iceland in 7th place, Finland 13th and Denmark 17th.

    Norway's gross national product per person amounted to USD 36,600, beaten only by Luxembourg. Its men and women are expected to live to an age of 78.9 years and Norway is one of 19 countries in the world with no measurable rates of illiteracy.

    Researchers for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) also weighed countries' degrees of cultural freedom in their analysis. They called cultural freedom a "basic human right," and awarded high scores in this year's UN Human Development Report to countries that accept immigrant cultures in addition to their own.

    Norway's cultural diversity has blossomed in recent years, and public policies are aimed at integrating various ethnic groups and promoting tolerance.

    Norway also was lauded for its high literacy rate in addition to educational levels and material wealth. Norwegians themselves generally point to their country's scenic beauty, recreational opportunities, clean water and fresh air.

    The United States landed in eighth place on the list, while France, for example, was 16th.

    The worst countries in which to live are all in Africa, according to the UN report. All 23 nations at the bottom of the list were African, with war-torn Sierra Leone in last place.

    Aftenposten English Web Desk
    Nina Berglund/NTB


    This is an article from www.aftenposten.no.
    Updated: 15. juli 2004 kl.11:23
    It can be found at this address: http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article828724.ece
     
  2. Oski2005

    Oski2005 Member

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

    ZRB Member

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    Is there a complete list?

    Man, I'm proud to be an Aussie.
     
  4. gifford1967

    gifford1967 Member
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    Follow the link at the top of the article.
     
  5. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    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.
     
  6. Manny Ramirez

    Manny Ramirez The Music Man

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

    bamaslammer Member

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    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.
     
  8. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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    i don't even know what that means!
     
  9. SamFisher

    SamFisher Member

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    huh?

    :confused:

    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.
     
    #9 SamFisher, Jul 15, 2004
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2004
  10. Mango

    Mango Member

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    <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.
     
  11. gifford1967

    gifford1967 Member
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    What is the problem with that criteria?
     
  12. nyquil82

    nyquil82 Member

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    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.
     
  13. MadMax

    MadMax Member

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

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    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.
     
  15. SamFisher

    SamFisher Member

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

    MadMax Member

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

    SamFisher Member

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    Sorry, you have to wait till you're a judge to be able to say and do that kind of thing.
     
  18. nyquil82

    nyquil82 Member

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    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).
     
  19. Deckard

    Deckard Blade Runner
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    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.
     
  20. Mango

    Mango Member

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    <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.
     
    #20 Mango, Jul 15, 2004
    Last edited: Jul 15, 2004

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