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The 15 Countries With The Highest Quality Of Life
The 15 Countries With The Highest Quality Of Life
For a good chance at a happy life, head to Australia, which one again topped the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development‘s Better Life Index, which looks at the quality of life in member countries.
The (OECD) — an international economic organization — analyzed 34 countries in 11 categories, including income, housing, jobs, community, education, environment, civic engagement, health, life satisfaction, safety, and work-life balance. (You can read the full methodology here.)
We looked at the countries with the highest overall scores, and highlighted a few of the criteria on the following slides.
#15 Ireland
Average household disposable income: $24,104
The Irish have a strong sense of community — 96% of people believe they know someone they could rely on in a time of need (higher than the OECD average of 90%).
They also rate highly in work-life balance, where the average employee works 1,543 hours a year, less than the OECD average of 1,776.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#14 Luxembourg
Average household disposable income: $23,047
Luxembourg rates well in both health and environment, with an average life expectancy of 81 years and a low level of atmospheric PM10 — tiny air pollutant particles small enough to enter and cause damage to the lungs.
Citizens also have a high participation rate in the political process, with 91% of the population turning out for recent elections.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#13 Austria
Average household disposable income: $28,852
Austria has a high rate for education. 82% of Austrian adults ages 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high school degree.
Austrians also have a strong sense of community, with 94% of the population reporting they know someone they could rely on in a time of need.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#12 Finland
Average household disposable income: $25,739
Finland performed extremely well on the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment — the average student scored 543 in reading literacy, math, and science, whereas the average OECD score was 497.
They also have a high level of life satisfaction with 82% of the population saying they have more positive experiences than negative ones in an average day.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#11 New Zealand
Average household disposable income: $21,892
New Zealand has one of the best rates of renewable energy of any OECD country with 36.47%.
Students also scored 524 in reading literacy, math, and science on the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment — higher than the average of 497.
And New Zealand girls outperformed boys by 15 points, higher than the average OECD gap of 9 points.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#10 United Kingdom
AP/RICHARD LEWIS
Average household disposable income: $23,047
85% of the English population say they have more positive experiences in an average day than negative ones.
They also have a high life expectancy of 81 years, and 97% of the people say they are satisfied with the quality of their water.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#9 Iceland
Average household disposable income: $23,047
Iceland has high levels of civic participation — 98% of people believe they know someone they could rely on in a time of need.
97% of the Iceland population are also extremely satisfied with their water quality, and Iceland has less air pollutant particles per cubic meter than the OECD average.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#8 Netherlands
Average household disposable income: $25,493
People in the Netherlands only work 1,379 hours a year, significantly less than the OECD average of 1,776 hours.
They also test extremely high on the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment with an average of 519 (the OECD average is 497).
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#7 Denmark
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Average household disposable income: $24,682
Denmark has one of the highest life satisfaction rankings, with 89% of the population reporting they have more positive experiences in an average day than negative ones.
The Danish also know how to balance their work life with their personal life — only 2% of employees say they work very long hours, much lower than the OECD average of 9%.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#6 United States
Assouline
Average household disposable income: $38,001
The U.S. has the highest average household disposable income on the list at $38,000 a year — much higher than the OECD average of $23,000.
It also ranks as one of the best countries for housing conditions, with good basic facilities and general feelings of safety and personal space.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#5 Switzerland
Average household disposable income: $30,060
86% of adults in Switzerland have earned the equivalent of a high school degree, and students scored 517 on the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment — higher than the average of 497.
The Swiss also have a high life expectancy at 83 years of age, and 95% of the population say they are satisfied with the quality of their water.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#4 Norway
Average household disposable income: $31,459
There is a strong sense of community and high levels of safety in Norway, where 93% of people believe that they know someone they could rely on in a time of need.
Norwegians also tend to have a good work-life balance, with only 3% of employees working very long hours, compared to the OECD average of 9%.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#3 Canada
Average household disposable income: $28,194
Canadians work only 1,702 hours a year — less than the OECD average — with 72% of the population working at a paid job.
There is little difference in voting levels across society too, suggesting there is broad inclusion in Canada’s democratic institutions: Voter turnout for the top 20% of the population is 63% and for the bottom 20% it is 60%, a much smaller difference than the OECD average gap of 12 percentage points.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#2 Sweden
Average household disposable income: $26,242
Having a good education is extremely important in Sweden, where 87% of adults aged 25-64 have earned the equivalent of a high school degree.
They also ranked highly in all environmental categories. Their level of air pollutant particles is 10 micrograms per cubic meter — considerably lower than the OECD average of 21 micrograms per cubic meter — and 95% of the population is satisfied with their water quality.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
#1 Australia
Average household disposable income: $28,884
For the second year in a row, Australia is the number one happiest country in the world. And it’s not hard to see why —they rank extremely well in health, civic engagement, and housing.
The life expectancy at birth in Australia is 82 years, two years higher than the OECD average.
Australia also has exceptional voter turnout at 93% during recent elections, which is far above the OECD average of 72%.
Researchers compared data from 34 countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. They based the rankings on 11 factors including income, safety, life satisfaction, and health, and then rated each country on a 10-point scale. Income is net-adjusted and in USD.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/top-countries-on-oecd-better-life-index-2013-5?op=1#ixzz2VDnSmmPo
Ancient Celtic Knots inspire scientific breakthrough – Science News
Minute knots and chains have industrial and medical uses
Scientists have devised a new molecular technique, inspired by Celtic Knots and trees, which could be used in the treatment of multiple diseases.
Researchers at the Network of Excellence for Functional Biomaterials (NFB) in NUI Galway have discovered a new process that could be used in the industrial and medical fields.
“Polymerisation is the adding together of many smaller units,” says research assistant to the project’s leader Doctor Wenxin Wang, Ben Newland. “It is one of the most important processes in industrial manufacturing.”
The new process gives scientists a “simple method to produce large quantities of well-defined material”, which could be used in diagnostic, therapeutic and imaging processes in the body Newland says.
The Celtic Knots are an example of the new technique. A single chain is linked repeatedly, wrapping around itself, creating a very dense structure. These structures are needed to carry DNA, and can be used in gene therapies or new forms of drug treatment.
The tree-inspired hyper-branching, could also be used to produce hydrogels. These hydrogels are composed of a soft jelly, in which cells can be suspended. This could be used to deliver cells to damaged areas of the body, Newland said. In conditions like Epidermolysis Bullosa, where connective tissues of the skin tear, this hydrogel would be applied to the wound, using the Celtic Knot as a skin adhesive. The cells could then repair the broken tissue.
As a topical ointment, it might be approved sooner by the FDA, Newland says. Regarding its use on people, Newland concedes this would be a big step, but estimates we could see this within 5 to 10 years.
Newland believes the polymerisation technique itself “will become widespread”, due to its numerous industrial applications in the manufacturing of elastics or higher strength plastic, for example.
Dr Wang, who has pursued this technology since 2007, notes that “although these are early steps, we are looking forward to seeing the future realisation of these structures in a wide range of applications.”
The NFB is involved in international collaborations with biomaterial groups investigating the use of biomaterials in the body.
The research is funded by Science Foundation Ireland, the Health Research Board, DEBRA-Ireland and –Austria, and is published today in Nature Communications .
Europe’s New Dismal Jobless Numbers
The euro zone has registered yet another record high unemployment rate of 12.2%, European statistics agency Eurostat reports on Friday.
Earlier in the day, Italy, the third-largest economy in the currency bloc, reported a first quarter jobless rate of 12.8%, the highest in the 36 years this data has been collected, Meanwhile youth unemployment rose to a staggering 40.5%, also an all-time record high, reports Il Sole 24 Ore.
Here is a breakdown of the alarming numbers:
-More than 26 million people unemployed in the 27-member European Union.
-More than 19 million unemployed in the 17-country euro zone.
-Euro zone average: 12.2%
-European Union average: 11%
Highest rates:
Greece: 27% in February 2013
Spain: 26.8%
Portugal: 17.8%
Lowest rates:
Austria: 4.9%
Germany: 5.4%
Luxemburg: 5.6%
In comparison, the United States was 7.5% down from 7.6% in the previous month and 8.1% in April 2012.
Youth unemployment:
-Euro zone youth unemployment: 24.4% up from 24.2% in January 2013.
-European Union under-25 unemployment: 23.5% down from 23.6% in January 2013.
Euro area inflation expected to be on the rise:
via Europe’s New Dismal Jobless Numbers – All News Is Global |.
Record Unemployment Figures Spell Doom For Europe – All News Is Global |
PARIS – On Friday, the European statistics agency Eurostat, released new European Union and euro zone unemployment figures from January, showing record highs.
Here is a breakdown of the alarming numbers:
– More than 26 million people unemployed in the 27-member European Union.
– Almost 19 million unemployed in the 17-country euro zone.
– Euro zone average: 11.9% unemployment
– European Union average: 10.8% unemployment
– Highest rates:
Greece: 27%
Spain 26.2%
Portugal: 17.6%
– Lowest rates:
Austria: 4.9%
Germany and Luxemburg: 5.3%
In comparison:
– The U.S.: 7.9% unemployment in Jan. 2013.
– Australia: 5.4%
– Japan: 4.2%
Not surprisingly, youth unemployment was also up:
– Euro zone youth unemployment: 24.2%, up from 21.9 in Jan. 2012.
– European Union under-25 unemployment: 23.6%, up from 22.4% in Jan. 2012.
The worst European countries for youths:
– Greece: 59.4% youth unemployment rate.
– Spain: 55.5% youth unemployment rate.
via Record Unemployment Figures Spell Doom For Europe – All News Is Global |.
via Record Unemployment Figures Spell Doom For Europe – All News Is Global |.
