Study: Iceland best place to live

[moshquerade]

But... but.... it's cold there....

Iceland best place to live; U.S. slips in rankings
U.N. report says 22 nations at bottom of index are in sub-Saharan Africa
Reuters
updated 8:38 a.m. ET, Tues., Nov. 27, 2007

BRASILIA, Brazil - Iceland has overtaken Norway as the world's most desirable country to live in, according to an annual U.N. table published on Tuesday that again puts AIDS-afflicted sub-Saharan African states at the bottom.

Rich free-market countries dominate the top places, with Iceland, Norway, Australia, Canada and Ireland the first five but the United States slipping to 12th place from eighth last year in the U.N. Human Development Index.

But the index, blending 2005 figures for life expectancy, educational levels and real per capita income, finds that all 22 countries falling into its "low human development" category are in sub-Saharan Africa, with Sierra Leone last.

In 10 of these countries, two children in five will not reach the age of 40, said the compilers at the U.N. Development Program. Last year's report said HIV/AIDS had had a "catastrophic effect" on life expectancy in the region.

The index ranks 175 U.N. member countries plus Hong Kong and the Palestinian territories. It does not include 17 countries, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia, because of inadequate data.

Norway held top spot for 6 years
Norway had held top spot for six years but was edged into second place by Iceland this year because of new life expectancy estimates and updated figures for gross domestic product, or GDP, the report said.

U.N. officials played down the significance of minor short-term shifts in the rankings including the slide in the U.S. position. They said if subsequent data for the year in question been available for last year's report, the United States would have been in 10th, not eighth place.

The United States scores high on real per capita GDP, which at $41,890 is second only to that of Luxembourg ($60,228), but less well on life expectancy ? joint last in the top 26 countries, along with Denmark and South Korea, at 77.9 years.

Japanese have the longest life expectancy ? 82.3 years ? and Zambians the lowest, at 40.5.

The report said most countries had seen their human development index rise over the last 30 years, but in 16 it was lower than in 1990, and in three ? the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia and Zimbabwe ? lower than in 1975.

Per capita GDP is 45 times higher in Iceland than in Sierra Leone.

The United Nations has published its human development index every year since 1990.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21989185/?GT1=10547

 

[skace]

Don't we have an icelander here? Weigh in on your awesomeness.

 

[yllus]

Isn't that the country where you have to choose a name for your newborn off a state-approved first names list?

I'm sure it's a wonderful place to live for many, but I wonder how accepting of immigrants the country is...

 

[Kadarin]

Most pictures I've seen of Iceland are rather... stark. No thanks.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: yllus
Isn't that the country where you have to choose a name for your newborn off a state-approved first names list?

thats not really a bad idea, sooo many people in the US with bad names, or names that well arnt names but incorrectly spelled names

 

[Demo24]

any idea where one could find the list, say 1-20?

 

[ryan256]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
But... but.... it's cold there....

True... but Iceland women know how to keep you very warm

 

[panipoori]

The last names of a newborn baby in iceland will have the their fathers first name plus a -sson at the end.

 

[Beev]

Originally posted by: Anubis
thats not really a bad idea, sooo many people in the US with bad names, or names that well arnt names but incorrectly spelled names

Shit like Shaquanda, Starkeisha, and then misspellings like Cindi and Whess?

 

[zinfamous]

Iceland is freaking gorgeous, actually. I have a pal who is Icelandic, and he moved the family back 2 years ago. He was doing his PhD/Post Doc in the states.

Volcanoes, hot springs, lush vegetation, Bjork....what's not to like?

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: zinfamous
Iceland is freaking gorgeous, actually. I have a pal who is Icelandic, and he moved the family back 2 years ago. He was doing his PhD/Post Doc in the states.

Volcanoes, hot springs, lush vegetation, Bjork....what's not to like?

I'll pass on a helping of Bjork but all that other stuff is pretty interesting. Plus they are probably the only country in the world that is growing naturally in area since they sit atop the mid Atlantic ridge.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Beev

Originally posted by: Anubis
thats not really a bad idea, sooo many people in the US with bad names, or names that well arnt names but incorrectly spelled names

Shit like Shaquanda, Starkeisha, and then misspellings like Cindi and Whess?

yea Anferny as well, that always makes me LOL

 

[irishScott]

If it's from the UN, it's politicized up the arse. While there may be a valid reason for the US slipping, I wouldn't be surprised if we slipped another place or two due to Iraq.

Also, notice that the 5 top countries are nations no one's pissed off with currently (Iceland, Norway, Australia, Canada and Ireland). Not that the slots aren't accurate to a degree, and I'm sure Iceland's nice, but there's definitely some politics behind it.

 

[wheresmybacon]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: yllus
Isn't that the country where you have to choose a name for your newborn off a state-approved first names list?

thats not really a bad idea, sooo many people in the US with bad names, or names that well arnt names but incorrectly spelled names

"Order to go for Placenta. Placenta, your order is ready."

 

[BChico]

Originally posted by: DEMO24
any idea where one could find the list, say 1-20?

Top thirty countries (HDI range from 0.968 down to 0.894)
1. Iceland 0.968 ( 1)
2. Norway 0.968 ()
3. Australia 0.962 ()
4. Canada 0.961 ( 2)
5. Ireland 0.959 ( 1)
6. Sweden 0.956 ( 1)
7. Switzerland 0.955 ( 2)
8. Japan 0.953 ( 1)
9. Netherlands 0.953 ( 1)
10. France 0.952 ( 6)
11. Finland 0.952 ()
12. United States 0.951 ( 4)
13. Spain 0.949 ( 6)
14. Denmark 0.949 ( 1)
15. Austria 0.948 ( 1)
16. United Kingdom 0.946 ( 2)
17. Belgium 0.946 ( 4)
18. Luxembourg 0.944 ( 6)
19. New Zealand 0.943 ( 1)
20. Italy 0.941 ( 3)
21. Hong Kong 0.937 ( 1)
22. Germany 0.935 ( 1)
23. Israel 0.932 ()
24. Greece 0.926 ()
25. Singapore 0.922 ()
26. South Korea 0.921 ()
27. Slovenia 0.917 ()
28. Cyprus 0.903 ( 1)
29. Portugal 0.897 ( 1)
30. Brunei 0.894 ( 4)

 

[lizardboy]

I've been to Iceland, was there for about 8 days in September (cold) and then for two days in December (very, very cold). The country is absolutely beautiful & the people are extremely friendly, but it's insanely expensive. We're talking like $15 for a beer and $8 - $10 for a gallon of gas. I'd love to go back there someday, not sure if I could handle living there full time.

 

[Dualist]

It may be among the best places to live, but their cold climate doesn't suit me much.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: yllus
Isn't that the country where you have to choose a name for your newborn off a state-approved first names list?

I'm sure it's a wonderful place to live for many, but I wonder how accepting of immigrants the country is...

They have some serious names there, thats for sure. Someone published pics and names here a couple of years ago of the competitors for Miss Iceland or some such thing. Each name, first and last, had at least 5 syllables.:roll:

 

[waffleironhead]

Not a bad country as I see it, at least economically. Imagine how low our cost of living would run if we had all of those hot springs to tap? All the free hot water you want. Heat every house for free( at least in dense urban areas). And using the geothermals to produce electricity. (kinda makes you want to tap old faithful)


As far as it being cold. It gets way colder here in wisconsin during the winter than it does in iceland. My sister in law is dating an icelander and when he was living over here for a year he always complained at how cold it was compared to home. Its 10F here while 32F in Reykjavik.(Still cold i will admit to all of you southerners).

 

[DarkThinker]

Originally posted by: ryan256

Originally posted by: moshquerade
But... but.... it's cold there....

True... but Iceland women know how to keep you very warm

Ugh! What, they have bearded ladies running around the place? And you slept with one too? /barf

 

[Ns1]

might be time to pack my bags and move to Canada