Denmark Ranks First... Nordic Countries Dominate Top Spots
UN Agency: "Gap Between Developed and Underdeveloped Countries Remains"
Denmark ranked first in the "Best Quality of Life" country rankings. In addition to Denmark, Nordic countries such as Sweden, Norway, and Finland also made the list. South Korea ranked 25th.
On the 29th, the financial news channel CNBC reported that the U.S. ranking agency U.S. News and World Report, together with global marketing and communications company WPP and the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School, ranked 89 countries based on quality of life.
The survey was conducted from March 22 to May 23, based on responses from approximately 17,000 people worldwide. The evaluation criteria included ▲job security ▲price stability ▲economic stability ▲family friendliness ▲income equality ▲political stability ▲safety ▲developed public education system and public healthcare system.
As a result, Denmark received the highest score, jumping from 4th place last year to 1st place this year.
CNBC stated, "Danish citizens pay some of the highest taxes in the world, but most medical services are free, and childcare costs are subsidized. University students pay no tuition fees and receive living expense grants while studying, and the elderly receive pensions along with caregiving assistance."
In a global online community survey for migrants conducted by InterNations in July, Denmark was also selected as the country where immigrants are most satisfied with jobs, career opportunities, and work-life balance.
Sweden ranked second in the best quality of life countries. Following were ▲Switzerland ▲Norway ▲Canada ▲Finland ▲Germany ▲Australia ▲Netherlands ▲New Zealand, all within the top 10.
South Korea ranked 25th in this ranking. Among Asian countries, it was the third highest after Japan (14th) and Singapore (24th).
Denmark was also ranked second, following Finland, in the "2023 World Happiness Report" released in March by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), an advisory body under the UN. South Korea ranked 19th at that time.
At the same time, in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)'s Human Development Index (HDI) ranking evaluating the quality of life of residents in each country, Denmark ranked 5th, following Switzerland and Norway. The HDI is based on four objective indicators: life expectancy, expected years of schooling, average years of schooling, and gross national income (GNI) per capita.
Meanwhile, the UNDP predicted last year that the global HDI would surpass pre-pandemic 2019 levels across all evaluation indicators, but pointed out that significant gaps still exist between developed and underdeveloped countries.
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