Rating of countries by standard of living. Where does Russia rank in terms of living standards? Living standards of the population table

The Living Standards Rating and the Human Development Index show which countries are best to live and vacation in. It is compiled every year by publications such as The Economists, Numbeo, US News & World Report and is subjective in nature. However, the credibility of the research is high, since experts rely on data published in international organizations.

Human Development Index

On September 14, 2018, the UN published a report indicating the human development index for today. It is an annual rating that is published annually, which allows you to get an idea of ​​where to live most comfortably. These data also indicate the standard of living of the population in a particular country. When generating the report, the following indicators are used:

• average life expectancy;
• accessibility of education;
• GNP in relation to purchasing power parity;
• GDP per capita.

Russia occupies 49th position in this list with an indicator of 0.816, adding 0.001 points compared to 2017.

The maximum value is 1. According to official data, none of the existing states has a 100% indicator. But many are close to this value. Compared to the previous year, changes in the TOP 20 were insignificant.
It is important to understand that the UN relies on reports provided by countries and does not conduct research on its own.

Quality of Life Index from The Economists

According to the British publishing house, the leading states are Switzerland(8.22 out of 10 points), Germany(8.18 out of 10 points) and Norway(8.09 out of 10 points).

When determining the index, experts study the following indicators in different countries of the world:

• life expectancy;
• number of divorces per 1,000 marriages;
• accessibility of public organizations;
• indicator of material well-being;
• indicator of political stability and security;
• climatic conditions;
• unemployment rate;
• guarantee of respect for political freedoms;
• gender equality.

Based on this, a ranking of countries by standard of living is formed on an annual basis. It is worth noting that estimates may differ between different publications. Although The Economists last carried out the study in 2013, many are relying on it for new research.

Living standard rating according to Numbeo

• purchasing power of the population;
• safety;
• accessibility of the healthcare system;
• climatic conditions;
• the cost of living;
• ratio of cost of living to real income;
• traffic congestion and the time required to get to the destination;
• ecological situation.

Rating by European countries

According to surveys of residents, the best countries to live in Europe are:

1. Denmark.
2. Finland.
3. Germany.
4. Austria.
5. Netherlands.
6. Switzerland.
7. Slovenia.
8. Spain.
9. Sweden.
10. Portugal.
11. Norway.
12. Great Britain.
13. Croatia.
14. France.
15. Czech Republic.
16. Ireland.
17. Belgium.
18. Slovakia.
19. Poland.
20. Lithuania.

Rating of Russian cities

The Numbeo website conducts surveys of its users and, based on this data, creates its ranking of the best cities. Let's look at the data for Russia.

St. Petersburg is second in Russia. Photo: Michael Parulava

Experts performed a detailed analysis, which is based on the results of surveys of thousands of site visitors who lived (or live) in these cities:

1. Nizhny Novgorod scored 136.33 points. High marks were received for almost all parameters. However, the cost of living to income ratio and purchasing power were rated low.
2. Saint Petersburg with 113.03 points he took second place. The cost of living and salary ratio, climate conditions, safety and healthcare are highly rated here. The rest of the ratings are below average according to Numbeo.
3. Kazan highly appreciated by experts. However, the estimate was underestimated by purchasing power due to the low average wage (less than 25,000 rubles) and high pollution rates.
4. Samara received almost all average ratings from experts. Only traffic and purchasing power are below average. Thus, this city ranks 4th in the list of cities in terms of living standards in Russia.
5. Moscow gives city residents many opportunities. However, here high levels of pollution, traffic and the ratio of real income to prices are not in favor of the capital. 70% of residents are satisfied with the quality of life in the capital, which indicates the attractiveness of the city for living.
6. Ekaterinburg also showed himself well. The city has an excellent healthcare system and the cost of living is quite low. However, the environmental situation and purchasing power placed it in the lower part of the TOP 10.
7. Rostov-on-Don loses in almost all respects to the cities mentioned above. But climate conditions and cost of living are highly rated here.
8. Novosibirsk- the capital of Siberia. But here, as in Moscow, there are problems with the environment, traffic and purchasing power. Also, the estimate was underestimated due to the geographic location.
9. Chelyabinsk received average ratings in almost all respects. But minimum scores By ecological situation and purchasing power dropped it to 9th place. But medical organizations do excellent work here.
10. Omsk Almost everywhere it has low ratings. Experts praised the low cost of living, safety and health care system. This is what allowed the city to close the TOP 10.

At the time of publication, the data was last updated in October 2018. More detailed information on other cities can be found on the official Numbeo website.

Thus, in these regions the standard of living is the highest. When studying these materials, it is important to consider what the research is based on. Intra-Russian analysis by region is based on the affordability of housing, education, healthcare, environmental conditions and the ratio of prices and wages.

The best cities in the world

The quality of life is made up of the level of purchasing power of residents, the level of pollution, the cost of real estate (including rentals), the cost of living, climatic conditions, access to healthcare, crime and access to public organizations. These are the main parameters for comparison. Based on this, the TOP 10 ranking of cities by standard of living includes:

1. Canberra (Australia);
2. Raleigh (USA, North Carolina);
3. Eindhoven (Netherlands);
4. Zurich (Switzerland);
5. Madison (USA, Wiscontin);
6. Wellington (New Zealand);
7. Adelaide (Australia);
8. Brisbane (Australia);
9. Ottawa (Canada);
10. San Diego (USA, California).

These cities attract not only tourists, but also migrants. The cost of living is relatively low here, it is possible to rent or purchase housing, and there are no problems with medicine and education. Infrastructure is also well developed in these settlements.

Several organizations study the quality of life in countries around the world. Based on research, they publish a ranking every year. The most authoritative is the opinion of UN scientists. Here is a list of countries of this organization that took the top 5 places in terms of living standards.

Norway

This country has held a leading position for several years. This is facilitated by two main factors: abundant budget revenues from profits from gas and oil and reasonable spending of money on social support for the population. The average monthly salary in the country is 4,300 euros.

Success factors:

• high-quality insurance medicine;
• low cost of housing;
• preferential loans from the state for secondary and higher education;
• developed social guarantees;
• low crime rate;
• generous benefits for the unemployed (received only by taxpayers);
• decent average salary;
• beautiful nature and good environmental conditions.

Australia

This is a continental state last years has achieved great success. Australia has high-quality medicine and education, low taxes and guaranteed social support. The average monthly salary on the continent is 3,160 euros.

Success factors:

• low level of taxes, with a minimum wage of 8%;
• most citizens live on the coast of Australia, where the climate is warm and mild;
• the country has the highest average hourly wage in the world - $17;
• low unemployment rate - 5%;
• Australia doesn't have enough workers to attract migrants, the government has launched a program financial assistance for them, and after 4 years they are given citizenship;
• conditions have been created on the sea coast for resort and active recreation;
• developed agriculture and industry;
• The government closely monitors the environment.

Sweden

With developed capitalism, this state has strong social support for the population. Life safety and good ecology complete the picture. The average monthly salary in Sweden is 3,553 euros.

Success factors:

• stable economy of the country, with a constantly growing GDP;
• developed manufacturing sector;
• low level of corruption and crime;
• fully implemented social guarantees;
• continued decline in unemployment;
• accessible secondary and higher education;
• complete freedom of expression for citizens;
• integration of migrants into society.

Switzerland

The state is constantly included in the top five countries with a high standard of living. After all, Switzerland is the financial center of the world. The average monthly salary is 5020 euros.

Success factors:

• the country is calm and safe with low crime;
• ample opportunities for recreation and tourism;
• the highest quality products (Swiss cheese, chocolate, drinks, dairy products, etc.);
• the average salary is one of the highest in the world;
• developed manufacturing sector, many brands of Swiss products have become the standard of quality;
• high quality of medicine, many foreign citizens are treated in Swiss clinics;
• gentle working conditions with a five-day working week;
• the best environmental situation in Europe.

Netherlands

By economic development The state is one of the top five leaders in Europe. The Netherlands has a strong, growing economy and a mild climate. The average monthly salary is 2800 euros.

Success factors:

• developed industry (aircraft and mechanical engineering, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, chemical and textile production);
• high purchasing power index - 120.12 points;
• The Netherlands is fully self-sufficient in products Agriculture and export alcoholic beverages, flowers, vegetables, meat, dairy products;
• crime in the Netherlands is so low that the government rents out prisons to French prisoners;
• The average life expectancy of the Dutch is 81 years;
• high level medicine;
• the state has created ideal conditions for business;
• high employment of the population - 75%.

Table with the top five countries in terms of living standards:

Standard of living criteria

The standard of living in countries around the world depends on many factors. Based on their sum, the Human Development Index (HDI) is calculated. The country in which it is the highest and leads the world ranking.

When calculating the Human Development Index, the following indicators that affect people are taken into account:

• income of citizens, here information is taken about the cost of living, GDP or average salary;
• what share of earnings do residents spend on food and essential goods;
• the state of medicine, the cost of doctors’ services, the level of quality of medicines, attitude towards the elderly, incompetent citizens and disabled people;
• health of citizens: life expectancy, percentage of people with chronic diseases, prevalence of addictions to alcohol, smoking, drugs;
• accessibility and quality of higher education, the proportion of citizens who have received it;
• availability and effectiveness social support of people;
• housing costs;
• unemployment rate;
• cost, quality and availability drinking water and food products;
• the presence of freedom of speech, the democratic institution of elections, the objectivity of the media;
• climate indicators and the degree of environmental pollution;
• non-discrimination and tolerance, free access to information, freedom of expression.

Important! The quality of life includes not only the level of people's salaries. It reflects the degree of care of the state for citizens, people’s attitude and the comfort of life in the country.

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IN modern world Many citizens are planning to move abroad for the purpose of long-term residence. To do this, you need to have information about what awaits migrants in a new place, how much housing costs and what the general level of income is, and where it is best for retirees to settle. The rating of countries by standard of living compiled by the UN and the world's leading think tanks, which can be found in this material, will help you make your choice.

Europe

Traditionally, among the different countries chosen by Russians for permanent residence, European countries are first and foremost in the lead. This is due to the proximity, as well as the fairly high rating of many countries in terms of the standard of living of the population in 2017. According to one of the largest database providers, Numbeo, Denmark is in first place globally, followed by Egypt in last place (56th place). Next come Finland, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and Switzerland completes the list of the most prosperous European countries. All of them are in the top ten, ahead of even the United States of America. Evaluation is carried out according to several criteria:

• quality of life;
• purchasing power;
• security of residence;
• level of healthcare;
• cost of living;
• the ratio of income and property value;
• time spent in traffic jams;
• degree of pollution environment.

Denmark

One of the most prosperous in Scandinavia and the EU, Denmark leads the TOP ranking of countries in the world in terms of living standards. But this does not mean that it is one of the most affordable services. The overall quality of life index for citizens is about 180, the purchasing power of the population is close to 100. Pollution in the Danish state is average, this is estimated at 24 units.

Finland

Relatively cold and rich in forests, Finland, neighboring Russia and Sweden, is rated quite highly in terms of stability and living conditions. Despite the fact that the Finns lost to the Danes, living in their northern country will be no worse, and even better: the level of purchasing power is more than 100, pollution is lower than in the leading state - about 12 units.

Germany

Hard-working and law-abiding Germans have always lived more prosperously than their European neighbors. This is confirmed by the high health care index (76), as well as the ratio of population income to housing prices (7.8). The enthusiasm for the overall positive impression is slightly dampened by the level of atmospheric pollution (27).

Austria

The conditions for emigration in Austria, which is close in spirit to the Federal Republic of Germany, can also be considered quite favorable. The Germans there deserve a safety indicator higher than in the leading countries in terms of living standards in the world, according to the 2017 rating of Denmark - 80 units, and pollution in their state is lower than in Germany, only 23.4.

Netherlands

In Holland, the country of tulips and legalized soft drugs, the overall standard of living coefficient is close to Austria and Germany, it is 177 units. The ratio between the cost of housing and the income indicator is below 7, the degree of pollution is quite high - about 27.

Switzerland

A state world famous for its cheeses, jars, jackknives and exceptional stability. The overall quality of life index in Switzerland is close to New Zealand (172), but the cost of living there is unexpectedly high - 138. A truly expensive country, it is not easy to live in. The coefficient determining the correspondence of income to real estate prices is very high - 10.4. This is more than in all previous states.

These were the best countries in Europe in terms of living standards in 2017, the top participants in the assessment. The remaining applicants were distributed in various positions, from 10 (Slovenia) to 56 (Egypt).

World

The top ten most affluent countries in terms of living standards in the world ranking include:

• New Zealand (7th place);
• Australia (8th place);
• USA (9th place).

Tiny Slovenia also made it into the top 10 countries. The second top ten is opened by Spain, followed by Sweden, Portugal, Norway, and Canada closes the list of 15 countries with not the lowest standard of living.

Australia and New Zealand

It's not the Old World, but it's good too. States located far from noisy Europe and the American continent, former British colonies, show equal indicators - about 172 units on the total scale of average well-being indicators. They have a lot in common: these are approximately the same levels of purchasing power of the population in relation to the cost of housing - a little over 7. The residential safety index is close to 60, which is also not bad.

America

One of the wealthiest, in fact, a superpower that influences the policies of world states and communities. Many people dream of living in the USA, but not everyone knows about dry analytics in numbers, and it is as follows: the overall quality of living parameter is 167, safety is 51, time spent in traffic jams is 34.8 (for Denmark – 28.6), degree pollution – 31.

Important. The US has a surprisingly low housing purchasing power index of 3.1. It is not for nothing that the United States is considered in absentia a country of equal opportunities for those who want to live there and actively earn money and develop their business.

Slovenia

A fragment of the once federal southern Slavic state, Slovenia, is trying to find its way to prosperity in this changing world. The success of the chosen policy is evidenced by the 10th place in the world ranking, as well as the total quality of life indicator - 166. The purchasing power of its citizens is rated lower than in Denmark or the Netherlands, but higher than some other European countries, at 68 units. The level of income/housing prices is quite high, it is equal to 8. Environmental pollution is average, approximately the same as in Germany - 26.

Spain

It remains a mystery why the Basque country was inferior in ratings not only to its neighbors in Europe, but also to distant Australia and New Zealand. The data from the British agency is beyond doubt; according to them, Spain has environmental problems (pollution index 38), its residents suffer from prolonged exposure to traffic jams (32 units), and this is where the disadvantages of living in one of the Pyrenean states end.

The advantages include a good general safety indicator (70, higher than in the USA), a relatively low cost of living indicator - 60. It remains to add to these data the mild climate in order to convince those who want, but doubt, the need to move to Spain.

Sweden

Home to the Abba Quartet, Ericsson telephones and once-warlike kings, today's Sweden is a large, developed nation located on the Scandinavian Peninsula. The country has a relatively stable purchasing power index of 94, safety slightly lower than in the North American States (50) and a human pollution index on par with green and clean New Zealand (19). But the cost of living is high - 83, and real estate prices in the kingdom cannot be called affordable (11.5 units).

Portugal

The most extreme republic located in western Europe. It attracts travelers with its mild subtropical climate, vibrant vegetation, and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. From the point of view of independent assessment, not everything is so smooth: purchasing power is at the level of 55 units (lower than tiny Slovenia), with an acceptable cost of living indicator (54), the ratio of housing prices to income is 9 units. Losses due to waiting in traffic jams (31) and pollution (29) are high.

Norway

Another state from the Scandinavian Union, formed on many islands. Demonstrates a stable economy, as evidenced by good purchasing power (92 compared to 98 for Denmark), a clean atmosphere (19 units) and acceptable safety of residence (55, compared to 51 for the United States).

But life itself in this country cannot be called affordable: the cost index is 112.8, the ability to purchase housing is estimated at 8 units (more expensive than Spain, but cheaper than Sweden). At the same time, Norway leads the alternative list of countries with a high standard of living in 2017, scoring a high score on the Human Development Index. This indicator consists of the level of literacy, education and life expectancy, determining the degree of comfort for citizens to live.

Canada

The state, located on the North American continent, according to assessment data, is inferior to some countries of the Old World in terms of general indicators of the quality of habitat, but is still included in the top 20 best. Canada ranks 15th in the ranking of countries in terms of living standards for 2017, scoring only 158 points. The atmosphere is dirty by statistical standards (27 points), the level of delays in traffic jams is above average (36), but the purchasing power indicator is close to that of the leader, Denmark (98).

Safety is determined to be the same as in distant New Zealand (60), the overall cost of living is almost the same as in the neighboring United States (72 versus 77). But for some reason, the ability of Canadian citizens to buy real estate is rated 2 times lower than that of their American neighbors.

Middle Eastern countries

The Arab states are considered not the worst choice in the table of countries in terms of living standards for 2017. The most famous:

• Saudi Arabia;
• Egypt.

For some reason, during the assessment process they ended up at completely different points on the list. The UAE and SA demonstrate equal indicators and are included in the top 30 countries, being in neighboring positions. These applicants differ significantly in cost of living (70 in the Emirates and 50 in the Saudis), as well as in the financial solvency of residents regarding the purchase of real estate, 5.2 and 2.8, respectively.

The latter indicator looks very tempting from the point of view of those who plan to settle in the country for a long time, starting with the purchase of housing. The environmental pollution statistics are somewhat alarming: 56 for the United Emirates and 73 for Saudi Arabia. About Egypt, we can say that it fell into the very last, 56th place.

CIS

The estimates received are interesting different countries, included in the post-Soviet space, CIS: from 30th place in Lithuania to 53rd in Ukraine. The remaining Baltic states, Asian republics and Belarus were not included in the list at all. Russia found itself approximately in the middle (50th place), for some reason ahead of China. For China, a very high level of pollution was noted - 86 (for Egypt - 89) and an indirect indicator of housing prices - 43.

Another life index company, Movehub, ranks countries based on the cost of living as of 2017. This is indirectly confirmed by the level of income of citizens and the stability of their income. The places on the list are distributed as follows:

1. Switzerland.
2. Norway.
3. Venezuela.
4. Iceland.
5. Denmark.
6. Australia.
7. New Zealand.
8. Singapore.
9. Kuwait.
10. Great Britain.
11. Ireland.
12. Luxembourg.
13. Finland.
14. France.
15. Belgium.

The evaluation parameters include the cost of food, transportation costs, utility bills, etc. As you can see, there are no statistics for the CIS at all.

Accordingly, another list consisting of the cheapest countries to live in is: India, Nepal, Pakistan, Tunisia, Algeria, Moldova, Egypt, Macedonia, Syria, Colombia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Georgia, Morocco, Philippines.

Lifespan

This indicator may be related to genetics, the general health of the nation, as well as the degree of environmental pollution. It is practically not affected by the level of average salary, but it depends on other various factors (the cost and availability of medical care).

According to the UN and independent centers specially conducting research for it, people live the longest in Hong Kong (84 years). Then comes Japan (83.5), Italy (83.1), Singapore and Switzerland (83 each).

Important. Assessment from the perspective of average life expectancy is an alternative, therefore it cannot be directly identified with the well-being, prosperity and purchasing power of the population.

In completely different countries located in different parts of the world (Iceland, Australia, Israel, France, Sweden, Canada), life expectancy is approximately equal - about 82 years. In the first 30 countries, the list of which is completed by Cyprus, the gap in maximum life expectancy is minimal, within 1-2 years.

The situation is changing radically for Latin America and states of Eastern Europe: Panama - 77.6, Poland - 77.4, Uruguay - 77.2. Relatively prosperous UAE citizens have an average life expectancy of 77 years, 7 years lower than in Hong Kong, which tops the list. The rate of long-livers in Georgia is not very high, but quite high (almost 75 years), it coincides with that in Nicaragua, Sri Lanka and Serbia.

For Russia, the threshold for mortality from old age is set at 70 years, which is one year less than in Ukraine. The African republics close the list - Sierra Leone, Chad and Swaziland - about 50 years.

Rating for pensioners

For older people, the “comfort zone” is especially important, the ability to live comfortably on a pension or minimum wage without slipping into poverty. Various organizations, including the UN and non-governmental companies of the European Union, conduct research to determine the most suitable countries for retirees to live in.

The TOP of popular countries for living the rest of your life is headed by Bulgaria and closes with Turkey; Montenegro, Portugal, Serbia, China and Egypt are also included there. It will also be important to be able to transfer benefits to a local bank without any problems, which is easily done in Bulgaria, as well as a simplified process of legalization for new citizens.

Pivot table

It is not possible to summarize literally all the indicators and derive the most accurate ranking of the most favorable countries, since different people When moving abroad, people pursue different goals. According to one of the ratings compiled for the 15 “best” countries in Europe and the world, Norway takes the lead, and Austria closes the list:

These soulless statistics require some comment. Someone is looking for a country with a developed economic system, democratic freedoms, and some just want to change their place of residence. Denmark, Sweden and Norway, which rank high in the combined ratings, are known for the high cost of living, and the same applies to the cost of real estate.

Greece and Bulgaria, which are not very popular in Europe, are attractive due to their mild climate and the opportunity to spend time by the sea almost all year round, living by the principle “drink juice, have fun and sleep.” The same applies to Australia and New Zealand: having a low population density and not being particularly “prestigious” in comparison with other countries, thanks to their clean atmosphere and stable standard of living, they are popular among unspoiled natives of the CIS.

The USA has the most developed economy in the world. Next come China, Japan and Germany.

Each individual country has its own economic policy, which inherently has both strengths and weaknesses. If a state is rich in mineral resources, then most often the economy is built on the export of resources, which weakens the production component.

10 largest world economies in 2018

USA

The most stable economy in the world belongs to the United States; it has maintained its leading position for more than 100 years. Comprehensively developed economic policy is based on the banking system, the largest stock exchange, advanced technologies in the field of IT and agriculture, which is not devoid of innovative solutions and progress.

America, due to its significant coverage of areas of activity and advanced technologies in them, has great influence in the world and uses it.

The dollar has been a world currency for many years and is quoted in all countries. for 2019 amounted to $20.494 trillion, which allows us to understand why the US economy is the first, leading the ranking.

China

The fastest growing economy, capable of soon ousting America and moving it from its leading position in the TOP largest economies peace. Industry, agriculture and technology are rapidly expanding in China. The automotive market is larger than the American and Japanese combined.

Chinese clothing and equipment enter the markets of most countries, and exports in all directions are very developed. China provides food for 1/5 of the world's population, while using only 9% of the land intended for agriculture.

GDP growth is 10% annually, which gives America cause for concern. is represented in the TOP economies of the world by China, as the strongest and most developed power, the rest of Asia has weaker indicators.

Despite the crisis that Europe has been experiencing in recent years, it still stands on its feet and ensures annual GDP growth, which currently amounts to $3.996 trillion.

Great Britain

Economy Western Europe represented by the participating countries, it presents a blurry picture, but the undisputed leader is, which is included in the overall ranking for all countries of the planet. The country is poor Natural resources Therefore, its economic policy is based on services, industry and tourism.

Regarding industry, the leaders are the following areas: aviation and pharmaceuticals, as well as the automotive industry and the textile industry. The UK attracts investment from business representatives from other countries with its liberal banking policy, which allows for money laundering.

But in 2018, the country leaves the country, and experts find it difficult to guess what damage this will bring to the state’s economy and how its position in the world will change.

Which ones can be found on our website.

France

The country's economic position has been achieved thanks to the industrial-agrarian policy. Through agriculture, France supplies EU countries with products, and this state accounts for ¼ of all supplies.

The country's best attendance figures were achieved largely thanks to the Eiffel Tower, its recognition and the atmosphere of romance associated with it.

But having a high number of visitors to the country, it does not rely on tourism. The fact is that the funds left by tourists in the country are smaller compared to America, this is due to the fact that tourists do not stay in France, but after seeing the main attraction, they leave for neighboring countries. France's GDP currently stands at $2.777 trillion.

It is possible on our website.

To find out which countries could be considered the best in terms of living standards in 2019, we turned to Numbeo, which annually publishes ranking of living standards in countries of the world. The 2019 list includes 71 countries, each of which is assessed according to the following parameters:

• purchasing power of citizens;
• level of environmental pollution;
• climate;
• safety;
• level of healthcare;
• the cost of living;
• property value;
• travel time costs.

Sociologists agree that material well-being is not the most important factor in assessing whether life in a particular country is good or bad. In addition to basic goods such as wide access to food and housing, quality education and health care, and employment that will support our well-being, the concept of “standard of living” also includes intangible assets such as job security, political stability, personal freedom and environmental quality.

Rating of countries by standard of living 2019, Numbeo list

This is what the top ten most prosperous countries in the world look like.

10. Norway

A high-income country with a vibrant private sector and a well-developed social safety net and largely free higher education. The discovery of oil and gas off the Norwegian coast in the 1960s gave the country an economic boost, and today Norway is one of the world's leading oil exporters.

It has a rich literary tradition, and is currently one of the world leaders in the number of books published per capita.

This state is also famous for its citizens’ environmentally friendly lifestyle.

9. New Zealand

Since gaining independence from the British colonialists, the country has experienced impressive growth and transformation over the decades. An export market rich in dairy, meat, timber, fruit, vegetables and wine, as well as strong manufacturing and tourism, are key to New Zealand's prosperity. The GDP per capita in this small state is one of the highest in the world. It amounts to $39,230.42 per person.

Since 1980, New Zealand has been considered a nuclear-free zone. She is a leader in peacekeeping and global security and a participant in key international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and the Pacific Islands Forum.

8. Germany

The country of delicious beer and equally delicious sausages also boasts one of the largest economies in the world. Its most important sectors are:

• telecommunications;
• healthcare;
• tourism;
• industry;
• Agriculture.

Germany has a highly skilled and large workforce. However, the country's population is aging, which raises questions for the government about the high level of spending on social services.

Along with France and the UK, Germany is one of the world's most popular migration destinations, although its policies open doors has become a point of contention following recent crimes committed within the country.

7. Iceland

Until the beginning of the 20th century, the descendants of the Vikings lived ascetically, which was due to the remoteness of Iceland from the mainland. However, thanks to the development of the fishing industry, the state gradually became richer, which had a positive impact on the standard of living of the population. To this day, fishing is one of the most important sectors of the Icelandic economy.

About 80% of the population is employed in the country, and the high level of medicine gives Icelandic residents a chance to live to 80 years or longer.

6. Netherlands

The birthplace of Rembrandt and Van Gogh, as well as the microscope, telescope and thermometer, is considered one of the most liberal countries in the world. It was here that same-sex marriage was first legalized, and national positions on drugs, prostitution, euthanasia and abortion are very lenient.

Open market policies and strong transport links help the Netherlands maintain a trade surplus. The Netherlands also actively participates in United Nations peacekeeping efforts and in meetings of the headquarters of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

5. Austria

From year to year, Austria is among the top ten leading countries in terms of living standards. Several factors contribute to this:

• inexpensive education, Austrian diplomas are highly rated abroad;
• quality medicine;
• stable economy and developed industry;
• developed tourism industry;
• low unemployment rate and high salaries;
• government assistance in the development of medium and small businesses.

The life expectancy of Austrians is on average 81 years. For comparison: the same figure for Russians is 71.39 years.

4. Australia

Counts rich country with a prosperous market economy, which has a relatively high gross domestic product and per capita income. The Australian economy is driven by the services sector and the export of goods.

Fun fact: In 1986, the Australian nation ended all constitutional ties with the United Kingdom, although Queen Elizabeth II remains the ceremonial head of state.

3. Finland

This country is an international leader in providing quality education, and she praises her achievements in the areas of civil rights, press freedom and quality of life.

Finland was one of the first in the world to give women the right to vote, and was the first country to legalize universal suffrage, both to vote and to stand for election.

2. Switzerland

According to the CIA World Factbook, Switzerland has low unemployment, a large number of skilled labor and one of the highest GDP per capita - $80,113.9 per person.

The country's strong economy is supported by low corporate tax rates, a highly developed services sector led by financial services, and high-tech industries.

However, those who want to receive all the benefits of Swiss citizenship will not have a hard time. The residency requirement here ranges from 5 to 12 years, and even if you are a billionaire, you will not be able to buy a Swiss passport, unlike many other countries.

1. Denmark

The best country in terms of living standards in 2019 has progressive taxation, thanks to which Denmark has a universal healthcare system, and citizens receive mostly free medical care. Higher education also free.

It's no surprise that Denmark's highly developed government and social structure creates incredible social mobility. Danes are happy to pay high taxes, seeing them not as a government whip, but as an investment in a high quality of life.

This country is consistently ranked among the happiest and.