Finland Best Country in the World . . . Again . . . For a Few Hours?
Yet another organisation has concluded that Finland is the best country in the world in which to live.
In October last year, the British-based think-tank Legatum claimed that, overall, Finland was the most favourable country on earth to live in. Now it’s the USA tabloid newspaper Newsweek.
With an overall score of 89 percent, the tabloid ranked Finland first, ahead of its nearest rival Switzerland. Finland’s literacy rate was recorded as 99 percent, its overall health (including an average life expectancy of 75) placed it behind only Japan. Finland was ranked fourth in terms of quality of life, let down by a combination of high unemployment and a relatively high rate of murders.
Economic dynamism saw Finland down in 7th place, let down by various problems including the bureaucracy involved in starting a new business. Political Environment found it as low as in 11th place, out of 100 countries, scoring only average on political freedom and political participation, though above average for political stability.
The poll has led to fevered complaints by Finns in the international press. Writing in the British broadsheet The Guardian, broadcaster Timo Harakka complains:
“But what about suicides, depression, alcoholism and our cold, dark winters?” many Finns protested yesterday, after Newsweek named Finland “the best country in the world”.
He is also pointed out that it may also be a lot of fuss about nothing based on little more than a mistake that Newsweek failed to notice.
‘In a matter of hours, though, Finland’s leading tabloid newspaper, Ilta–Sanomat, exposed an error in Newsweek’s survey: it seems the magazine may have mixed up the top two scores, and Switzerland should win by a whisker!’
However, Newsweek has since confirmed that Finland won, due to its superb scores in education.
Finland was historically a part of Sweden and from 1809 on, an autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian Empire. Finland’s Declaration of independence from Russia in 1917 was followed by a civil war, wars against the Soviet Union and **** Germany, and a period of official neutrality during the Cold War. Finland joined the United Nations in 1955, the OECD in 1969, the European Union in 1995, and the eurozone since its inception.
Finland was a relative latecomer to industrialization, remaining a largely agrarian country until the 1950s. Thereafter, economic development was rapid, Finland built an extensive welfare state and balanced between the East and the West in global economics and politics.
Finland tops continuously the international comparisons of national performance.Finland ranks the best country in the world in the 2010 Newsweek survey based on health, economic dynamism, education, political environment and quality of life. Finland has also been ranked the second most stable country in the world and the first in the 2009 Legatum Prosperity rating.
Finland was historically a part of Sweden and from 1809 on, an autonomous Grand Duchy within the Russian Empire. Finland’s Declaration of independence from Russia in 1917 was followed by a civil war, wars against the Soviet Union and **** Germany, and a period of official neutrality during the Cold War. Finland joined the United Nations in 1955, the OECD in 1969, the European Union in 1995, and the eurozone since its inception.
Finland was a relative latecomer to industrialization, remaining a largely agrarian country until the 1950s. Thereafter, economic development was rapid, Finland built an extensive welfare state and balanced between the East and the West in global economics and politics.
Finland tops continuously the international comparisons of national performance.Finland ranks the best country in the world in the 2010 Newsweek survey based on health, economic dynamism, education, political environment and quality of life. Finland has also been ranked the second most stable country in the world and the first in the 2009 Legatum Prosperity rating.