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Where-to-be-born Index

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The Economist Intelligence Unit’s where-to-be-born index (previously called the quality-of-life index, abbreviated QLI) attempts to measure which country will provide the best opportunities for a healthy, safe and prosperous life in the years ahead. It is based on a method that links the results of subjective life-satisfaction surveys to the objective determinants of quality of life across countries along with a forward-looking element.

Methodology

The index calculated for 2013 includes data from 80 countries and territories. The survey used ten quality of life factors along with forecasts of future GDP per capita to determine a nation's score.[1]

The life satisfaction scores for 2006 (on a scale of 1 to 10) for 130 countries (from the Gallup Poll) are related in a multivariate regression to various factors. As many as 11 indicators are statistically significant. Together these indicators explain some 85% of the inter-country variation in life satisfaction scores. The values of the life satisfaction scores that are predicted by the indicators represent a country's quality of life index. The coefficients in the estimated equation weight automatically the importance of the various factors. The estimated equation for 2006 can be utilized to calculate index values for year in the past and future, allowing for comparison over time as well across countries.[2]

The independent variables in the estimating equation for 2006 include:

  • Material well-being as measured by GDP per capita (in $, at 2006 constant PPPS)
  • Life expectancy at birth
  • The quality of family life based primarily on divorce rates
  • The state of political freedoms
  • Job security (measured by the unemployment rate)
  • Climate (measured by two variables: the average deviation of minimum and maximum monthly temperatures from 14 degrees Celsius; and the number of months in the year with less than 30mm rainfall)
  • Personal physical security ratings (based primarily on recorded homicide rates and ratings for risk from crime and terrorism)
  • Quality of community life (based on membership in social organizations)
  • Governance (measured by ratings for corruption)
  • Gender equality (measured by the share of women holding seats in national Houses of Assembly)

2013 rankings

Where to be born index 2013 World map
Where to be born in 2013[3]
Rank Country Score
(out of 10)
1   Switzerland 8.22
2  Australia 8.12
3  Norway 8.09
4  Sweden 8.02
5  Denmark 8.01
6  Singapore 8.00
7  New Zealand 7.95
8  Netherlands 7.94
9  Canada 7.81
10  Hong Kong 7.80
11  Finland 7.76
12  Ireland 7.74
13  Austria 7.73
14  Taiwan 7.67
15  Belgium 7.51
16  Germany 7.38
16  United States 7.38
18  South Korea 7.33
19  United Arab Emirates 7.25
20  Israel 7.23
21  Italy 7.21
22  Kuwait 7.18
23  Chile 7.10
23  Cyprus 7.10
25  Japan 7.08
26  France 7.04
27  United Kingdom 7.01
28  Czech Republic 6.96
28  Spain 6.96
30  Costa Rica 6.92
30  Portugal 6.92
32  Slovenia 6.77
33  Nigeria 6.66
34  Greece 6.65
35  Slovakia 6.64
36  Malaysia 6.62
37  Argentina 6.52
38  Saudi Arabia 6.49
39  Brazil 6.41
40  Cuba 6.39
40  Mexico 6.39
42  Colombia 6.27
43  Peru 6.24
44  Estonia 6.07
44  Venezuela 6.07
46  Croatia 6.06
46  Hungary 6.06
48  Latvia 6.01
49  China 5.99
50  Thailand 5.96
51  Turkey 5.95
52  Dominican Republic 5.93
53  South Africa 5.89
54  Algeria 5.86
54  Serbia 5.86
56  Romania 5.85
57  Lithuania 5.82
58  Iran 5.78
59  Tunisia 5.77
60  Egypt 5.76
61  Bulgaria 5.73
62  El Salvador 5.72
63  Philippines 5.71
63  Sri Lanka 5.71
65  Ecuador 5.70
66  India 5.67
66  Morocco 5.67
68  Vietnam 5.64
69  Jordan 5.63
70  Azerbaijan 5.60
71  Indonesia 5.54
72  Russia 5.31
73  Syria 5.29
74  Kazakhstan 5.20
75  Pakistan 5.17
76  Angola 5.09
77  Bangladesh 5.07
78  Ukraine 4.98
79  Kenya 4.91
80  Poland 0.00

1988 rankings

The original quality-of-life index was released in 1988. It included a "philistine factor" for a lack of culture and a "yawn index" which measured how boring a country might be despite all its other advantages.[1][4]

Rank Country
1  United States
2  France
3  West Germany
4  Italy
5  Canada
6  Japan
7  Hong Kong
7  United Kingdom
9  Sweden
10  Netherlands
10  South Korea
12  Austria
13  Norway
13   Switzerland
15  Belgium
15  Ireland
15  Spain
18  Australia
18  Finland
18  New Zealand
21  Argentina
21  Soviet Union
23  Poland
24  Denmark
24  Hungary
24  Philippines
27  Greece
27  India
27  Mexico
30  Brazil
30  Israel
32  China
32  Portugal
32  United Arab Emirates
32  Venezuela
36  East Germany
36  Singapore
38  Malaysia
39  Yugoslavia
40 South Africa South Africa
41  Turkey
42  Indonesia
43  Pakistan
44  Egypt
45 Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Libya
46  Saudi Arabia
47  Nigeria
48  Iran
48  Iraq
48  Zimbabwe

See also

Measurement and metrics

Indices

Notes

  1. ^ a b "The Lottery of Life: Where to be Born in 2013". The Economist. 21 November 2012.
  2. ^ "The Lottery of Life Methodology: How we Calculated Life Satisfaction". The Economist. 21 November 2012.
  3. ^ "The lottery of life - Where to be born in 2013". The Economist. November 21, 2012.
  4. ^ WOND: Economist Where To Be Born Index – Business Insider
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