f you are sick of violence, political instability and a weak currency you might want to consider packing your bags for Canada. Based on the results of recent and very comprehensive research by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Canada faredexceptionally well in those categories – even better than the United States.
The ever popular Australia, who always ‘makes the list’, did so again and seems cemented as a firm favourite as one of the best countries in the world to live in.
Based on information deduced from various indexes including the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index, the World Bank’s Governance Index and the Social Progress Index survey residents, to rank countries based on their performance across different categories. The BBC’s research concluded that six of the countries included in their research are the best governed countries in the world right now.
“While each index varies in their precise ranking, certain patterns emerge across all three, with the same countries consistently at the top for their progressive social policies, trust in government and effective justice system,” stated the report.
It placed the following six countries at the top of the class:
Denmark: “With near-perfect scores on the ‘Basic Human Needs’ ranking in the 2017 Social Progress Index, which includes meeting the nutritional and medical needs of its citizens
New Zealand: “Australia and New Zealand are virtually neck-and-neck across the indexes, but New Zealand scores slightly better for overall political stability, fundamental rights and lack of violence/terrorism.”
Canada: “Both the United States and Canada rank highly across all indexes, but Canada scores higher in political stability and lack of violence/terrorism. In fact, Canada comes close to many of the Scandinavian countries in its near-perfect scores, including access to nutrition and medical care, as well as to basic knowledge and personal rights.”
Japan: “Not only does the island nation rank highest in Asia by the World Bank for overall government effectiveness, rule of law and political stability, it also received the highest marks in Asia from the Social Progress Index for its access to basic knowledge, water and sanitation, and access to nutrition and medical care.”
Botswana: “Botswana consistently ranks as one of the strongest-governed countries in Africa, especially in its role in containing corruption, regionally ranking the highest in both the World Bank assessment and Rule of Law Index. Not only that, but the national revenue from diamond mining has been fairly well distributed throughout the country.”
Chile: “Ranked highly for its open and transparent government, control of corruption and access to basic knowledge and medical care, Chile has one of South America’s most stable and corruption-free governments.”
At the end of 2017, the United Nations published its annual Human Development Report, a ranking of where people live longer, healthier lives. The results of this report showed similarities to the research done by the BBC. The UN looked at nearly 200 countries across a number of categories, including life expectancy, education, gender equality, and financial wealth.
The overall ranking taking economics, overall experience of the country and the happiness of their families into consideration placed Singapore in first placed followed by Norway and New Zealand. Canada and Australia placed 6th and 7th respectively just behind Germany and Netherlands. The USA did not make the list and the rest of the list comprised of Nordic countries.
Source: BBC and UN