Top 10 scary places on the planet. The creepiest places on earth (39 photos)
The Solutions Network for sustainable development» (SDSN), commissioned by the UN, conducted a study, the results of which compiled a rating of the most happy countries. The release of the report was timed to coincide with International Day happiness, which is celebrated on March 20th.
The top six countries whose citizens are considered the happiest in the world include Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Switzerland, Finland, and the Netherlands.
Interestingly, the happiest country of last year did not make it to first place in the new ranking. There are also a number of fairly prosperous countries that have lost their positions, for example the United States. The author of the report, Jeffrey Sachs, linked the country's movement in the ranking from 13th to 14th place with the new policy pursued by the 45th American President Donald Trump.
“Trump's economic measures are aimed at increasing inequality - cutting taxes for highest category income, denial of funding for health care, reduction of appropriations for the program to deliver free meals to the infirm and poor people in order to increase military spending. I think these are all steps in the wrong direction,” says Sachs.
Russia’s performance this year, on the contrary, has improved: it rose in the ranking from 56th to 49th place, overtaking Japan and missing a few points to 48th place, which was taken by Italy.
The authors of the study looked at the lives of people in 155 countries. When compiling the list, six main criteria were taken into account. Economists took data on two of them from publicly available country statistics: GDP per capita and life expectancy. Three more criteria were taken from public survey data: social support of the population in difficult situations, freedom of choice and trust in government. The last aspect taken into account in the ranking was generosity - but here the researchers had to take the respondents' word for it. Each of them was asked how much they had recently donated to charity.
Controversial parameters
The parameters on which the study is based are quite controversial, so the results should be viewed critically, says Andrei Gribanov, a representative of the Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Research Foundation.
“The parameters by which they determined human happiness are quite strange. I have no questions about the parameter about generosity in charity. This is understandable to the average person. But the remaining points are not easy to correlate with the abstract concept of “happiness,” the expert said.
It is difficult to directly link GDP per capita with happiness: after all, you can be economically secure, but at the same time, for example, not have health, notes Gribanov.
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“Life expectancy is also a controversial parameter. After all, statistics are a rather crafty thing. Some people in their immediate circle die quite early, while others have long-lived family members. In Japan, for example, one of the most long durations life, but there are also a lot of stories about how lonely old people commit suicide,” explained Andrei Gribanov, adding that everyone has their own understanding of freedom of choice.
The happiness of the patient in the VIP ward
“The ranking is headed by those countries where there is a very high rate of depression and suicide. How can the people of these countries be happy? Holland is generally the number one country in this sense. These are countries where the climate is quite rainy, not much sunny days(unlike southern countries) plus a certain level of stability and monotonous employment of a person, that is search activity there’s not much demand there.”
The expert compared such happiness with the external well-being of a patient who is in a hospital in comfortable conditions, but at the same time does not cease to be sick.
“You can, for example, wonder whether a person who is lying in a hospital in a VIP ward is happy. He also has good conditions there: he is alone in the room, there is air conditioning. But is he happy alone with his diagnosis? - he urged us to think.
The psychologist also believes that, taking into account all these parameters, the researchers “did not look into the soul,” but only measured external factors. But very often the feeling of happiness is subjective and is assessed by everyone in their own way.
“All research criteria come from external factor, implying that if all six components are present, a person should be happy. But there is not a single subjective criterion here, there is no position that would come from the people. That is, they are supposed to be happy because they are given such conditions,” the expert said.
The elusive prosperity of the United States
Senior researcher at the Institute of the USA and Canada, economist Vladimir Batyuk commented on the decrease in the “happiness rating” in the United States compared to last year. In his assessment, a decrease by one position is a minor deterioration that should not be given much attention. And the comments of the report’s author, Jeffrey Sachs, that there are fewer happy people in the United States due to the policies of the new President Donald Trump have no basis at all.
“Trump took office only two months ago, and it is too early to make any statements about the impact of his policies on the lives of the population. It seems that the author of the report is initially an ill-wisher of Trump,” the expert suggested.
In addition, according to his assessment, based on this report it is hardly possible to judge the real well-being of the countries included in the rating.
Illustration copyright Getty Image caption The Danes turned out to be the happiest people in the world
According to a UN study, Denmark is the happiest country in the world.
This is the fourth study on the level of happiness and life satisfaction in different countries peace.
One of his main findings from the current World Happiness Report is that countries with less social inequality tend to be happier.
The top five, in addition to Denmark, includes Switzerland. Iceland, Norway and Finland. All these countries have a well-developed system social security.
The USA in this list is in 13th place, the UK is in 23rd place, China is in 83rd place, Ukraine is in 123rd place.
Burundi closes the list of 156 countries, where mass unrest continues periodically. It was ranked even lower than Syria, where more than 250 thousand people have died in the civil war over the past five years.
Illustration copyright Getty Image caption Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world and suffers from civil wars, AIDS, corruption and very limited access to educationStudy finds Syrians expect more long duration healthy life and are more generous than the residents of Burundi, as well as Togo, Afghanistan and Benin - the countries that complete the list.
Overall, the happiest regions are North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe.
South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa were the only regions to score below five out of ten well-being scores.
Happiness inequality
The report, compiled by the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), is an analysis of surveys of thousands of people in each country conducted annually by Gallup. The respondents were asked to rate their lives on a ten-point scale.
The researchers identified six main categories that determine the level of well-being: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, personal freedoms, participation in charity and perceptions of the level of corruption.
Illustration copyright RIA Novosti Image caption Russia is in 56th place in the list of 156 countries. Despite the economic crisis, over the year it rose eight places in the rankingsThe study found that people generally live happier lives in societies where there is less inequality in the distribution of happiness.
The greater the gap in happiness between different groups population, however, society as a whole is happy.
The study authors also took into account the level of social support, which was defined as the ability to count on someone during difficult times. Another important factor– the level of corruption in society as it appears to survey participants.
“Human well-being should be developed through a holistic approach that combines economic, social and environmental goals,” Jeffrey Sachs, director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, said in an SDSN press release.
“Instead of narrowly focusing on economic growth, we should stimulate growth that is prosperous, equitable and environmentally sustainable,” the scientist argues.
The top ten happiest countries in the world have not changed, although some have changed places. In particular, Switzerland lost first place to Denmark.
20 happiest countries:
1. Denmark 2. Switzerland 3. Iceland 4. Norway 5. Finland 6. Canada 7. Netherlands 8. New Zealand 9. Australia 10. Sweden 11. Israel 12. Austria 13. USA 14. Costa Rica 15. Puerto Rico 16. Germany 17. Brazil 18. Belgium 19. Ireland 20. Luxembourg
In fact, the happiness index is directly related to the theme of the site, since it reflects the level of satisfaction of the population with their lives, which, in turn, is very closely related to their financial condition.
What is the Happiness Index?
Usually they used and continue to use, let's say, more economic indicators of the standard of living of the population, for example, GDP per capita or something similar. But scientists from the British center scientific research The New Economic Foundation came to the conclusion that this cannot be considered correct, since the person himself has little benefit from the size of the GDP that he accounts for; people have other criteria for satisfaction own life. So in 2006, NEF scientists developed a new indicator that would more accurately show the level of well-being of the population in the country; it received the sonorous name World Happiness Index (or in the original The Happy Planet Index).
World (International) Happiness Index is a combined indicator that reflects the ability of countries, individual areas, regions, cities and other territorial entities to provide their residents with a happy life. This indicator has been calculated since 2006, once every 2-3 years; statistical data from the largest national and international institutions and organizations are used to calculate it.
The exact methodology for calculating the happiness index is not indicated anywhere (perhaps it is kept secret), but it is known that 3 main criteria are taken into account:
- People's satisfaction with life;
- Average life expectancy;
- Ecological situation in the region.
It is these 3 points, according to the developers of the happiness index, that have a primary impact on how happy a person feels. Please note that the happiness index does not use any country's economic indicators. That is, no matter how strong and dynamically developing it is, this does not have a direct impact on the happiness index.
Thus, we can say that the happiness index shows how competently a country uses its economic potential And natural resources to create good conditions life to the population. And to put it quite simply, how much the state cares about its citizens, how satisfied the citizens are with it.
Now let’s see which countries’ residents feel the most and least happy, and what places our countries occupy in the international happiness rankings.
Rating of countries by happiness index.
So, according to the latest data, the country with the highest happiness index was Denmark, which was also noted as the country with the lowest level of social inequality. In addition to it, the TOP 5 leaders included Switzerland (previously ranked 1st), Iceland, Norway and Finland. That is, it can be stated that the most happy people live in European countries.
The unluckiest countries this time are Burundi (last, 156th place in the ranking), Syria, Togo, Afghanistan, Benin.
The countries with the most positive dynamics of the happiness index during the study period include Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, Ecuador, Moldova, Latvia, China, Slovakia, Uruguay, Uzbekistan and Russia. And to the countries with the most negative dynamics - Venezuela, Botswana, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Greece.
If we take it from a regional perspective, then in the best possible way feel the countries of the European continent, Northern and Latin America, as well as Caribbean countries.
This time Russia took 56th position in the ranking, significantly improving its indicator. What’s interesting is that previously the country was even below the 100 mark, but in recent years The happiness index in Russia has increased significantly, despite the real decline in living standards and... Paradoxical but true.
Kazakhstan is located slightly higher - at 54 positions, Moldova too - at 55. This time Uzbekistan became the happiest country in the CIS - it ranks 49 in the ranking. Belarus is in 61st position, Turkmenistan is in 65th position, Kyrgyzstan is in 85th position.
And Ukraine lags behind the leaders in the CIS by more than 2 times and is in 123rd place in the ranking of countries by the happiness index, showing negative dynamics. The position of Georgia turned out to be worse (126th place), Armenia was not far away (121st place). Next in the ranking are African countries with low level development.
In conclusion, I would like to note that every year everyone adds to the international happiness index higher value, more and more attention is being paid to it. For many countries, the happiness index has already become a key indicator of the standard of living of the population, taken as a basis, and the number of such countries is growing every year.
Now you know what the World Happiness Index is. All that remains is to wish you all to feel happy and make your modest contribution to the calculation of the happiness index of your state, raising it in the world rankings.
See you again! See you on the pages of the site!
It is much more difficult to rank the happiest countries than, say, the richest countries in the world. In the second case, the level of GDP per capita is used as the main criterion, and today the list of the richest includes regions with extensive oil and gas reserves - Qatar, Brunei, Kuwait, and the UAE. However, the level of happiness of ordinary residents does not always correspond to the national wealth.
To determine the happiest countries in the world, research agencies and international organizations conduct public opinion polls and analyze various indicators, including average incomes, civil liberties, life expectancy, social protection, level of corruption and crime, access to medicine, trust in authorities and some others. In recent years, the list of the 10 happiest countries has remained virtually unchanged.
The highest positions are invariably occupied by Scandinavia, whose representatives in in full force also included in the list of the richest countries in Europe. That is, Finns, Norwegians, Danes, Icelanders and Swedes are mostly satisfied with their living conditions. Based on the official UN report of March 20 - World Happiness Report, which collected data on 156 countries of the planet, we will highlight the happiest countries in the world in 2019.
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RANKING TOP 10 HAPPIEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD
FINLAND
The happiest country in the world in 2019 is Finland (for the second year in a row). Despite the specific weather conditions, comfortable living conditions have been created here for both local residents and numerous immigrants. Find a job in Finland, open own business or get a diploma from a Finnish university, thousands of foreigners from different parts of the world strive. The country has a strong economy, low crime rates, beautiful nature and helpful citizens who are active and healthy image life.
DENMARK
The capital of Denmark, Copenhagen, is constantly included in the ranking of the best cities to live in the world. In general, the state provides the population high level income, quality medical care, prestigious education and comfortable working conditions. The average salary in Denmark before taxes exceeds 5 thousand euros per month, which is one of the highest high performance in Europe. Numerous surveys show that Danes are very happy people.
NORWAY
Norway was the happiest country in the world in 2017. Today this northern state ranks third, but Norwegians are not at all worried about this, since they live in one of the most beautiful places in Europe with numerous mountains, waterfalls, green hills and fjords. Huge natural resources, high salaries, a reliable social security system and rapid economic development provide Norwegian citizens with a happy life.
ICELAND
According to many authoritative publications, Iceland is considered the safest country in the world. Of course, this indicator increases the level of happiness of local residents. Even the last European Football Championship in France showed the unity and sense of pride of the Icelanders, when the fans of this country, after the victory over the England team, demonstrated an incredible storm of emotions and joy. Iceland is a small but very prosperous European state.
NETHERLANDS
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is included in the list of the happiest countries in the world, largely due to its large economy, liberal laws and high standard of living. For example, only the official minimum wage in Holland in 2019 is 1635.6 euros per month. For most Dutch people, daily cycling is not only an opportunity to improve their health and protect the environment, but also effective way feel a little happier.
SWITZERLAND
The average life expectancy in Switzerland is 83 years. The country has a powerful economy and stunning nature, ideal infrastructure and clean air. Switzerland is not a member of the European Union, but maintains active trade relations with all members of this association. Swiss universities offer quality education and produce well-trained specialists. Polite, responsible and happy people live in this country.
SWEDEN
Sweden closes the top five Scandinavian countries with the happiest populations. The country offers high quality life and an excellent social security system known throughout the world. Health care and education are also at the highest level. Located in Sweden huge amount forests and everywhere there is access to the purest drinking water. Working in Stockholm provides net income, on average exceeding 3 thousand euros per month.
NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand is an excellent example of the fact that even at such a distant distance from other continents, people live very happily and comfortably. This is one of the most picturesque places on the planet. Official employment in New Zealand under the professional immigration program will provide a foreigner with a very decent income and will give a chance to live in a calm, economically developed country, where there is practically no corruption and street crime.
CANADA
The happiest country in North America is Canada. One of the most popular immigration destinations on the planet. This place is especially suitable for hockey fans and winter species sport in general. According to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Canadian citizens are most satisfied with their level of income, housing conditions, environmental conditions and medical care.
AUSTRIA
The tenth position in the ranking of the happiest countries in the world is occupied by Austria, which in 2019 supplanted last year’s TOP 10 participant Australia. Largely thanks to its beautiful capital - Vienna. According to many authoritative publications, this city is the most comfortable to live in the world. The average life expectancy of Austrians is 82 years. Immigration to Austria will allow you to live in safe country with a developed economy, excellent infrastructure, friendly and happy residents.
In conclusion, we note that the last places in the ranking of happiest countries belong to the poorest countries in the world, located mainly on the African continent, in particular, South Sudan and the Central African Republic. Unfortunately, many regions of the post-Soviet space also do not occupy the highest positions. For example, Russia is in 68th place, the Republic of Belarus is in 81st place, and Ukraine is in 133rd place.
Surely some of us have thought about the question of what a person needs to happy life in your own country. It’s not difficult to answer, because all you need is a high and high-quality level of education, good system healthcare, growth wages, trust in government and cleanliness environment. It is these factors that determine the happiest country. Let's see which one comes out on top.
The happiest countries 2017
More recently, as well as individual studies, Sweden and Switzerland were named among the first on this list. But today the situation in the world has changed dramatically, and these countries no longer occupy leading positions. It would be interesting to know who has supplanted the more recent favorites? The top three will look like this: Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Now let’s try to figure out why these countries are ranked this way in the ranking of the happiest countries in the world and what other states are among the leaders.
Australia
It is one of the highly developed economic powers in the world. The majority, namely 70-80 percent of the working-age population, have permanent job. And the average income can hardly be called small, since Australians earn about $32,000 per year. Many of them work in their specialty, and foreigners often move to live here due to the high level of education. In addition, Australia has a large number architectural heritage, which attracts many tourists here. Australians trust their government, which is why they are actively civil position. And the average life expectancy can only be envied, because it is approximately 82 years.
Sweden
More recently, namely 2 years ago, Sweden ranked second in the ranking of the happiest countries, and now it is only ninth. Why did this happen? Let's try to figure it out. The majority of voters trust their government, as evidenced by a recent opinion poll. But less than 50% of the working-age population has a paid job. Moreover, the literacy rate in this country reaches almost 100%. The Swedes are also very lucky with the environment. And life expectancy here is the same as in Australia.
New Zealand
For many years now, this country has been confidently included in the list of the happiest countries. There is a very high level of personal freedom here, but, unfortunately, there are problems with healthcare. And the unemployment rate is so low that it is no more than 7 percent. And New Zealanders are confident that the state will support them if they suddenly lose their jobs.
Canada
This is one of the most livable countries North America. Of course, because the average annual income here is very high. This is why the crime rate is low. In addition, the country has almost 100 percent, and high-quality and almost free education attracts many migrants here. Canadians are also not afraid of being left without work, because the government is developing all kinds of programs to support the unemployed population. This country has very clean air due to the abundance of trees. Canada has many nature reserves and parks.
Netherlands
About 80 percent of the working population have a regular job, and the average annual income can reach $26,000. This is approximately the amount the Dutch retain after paying taxes. This country has a high level of education and literacy. The government also provides good social support citizens and provides high-quality and affordable healthcare. And the nature here is simply amazing, which attracts many tourists. That is why the life expectancy of the Dutch on average reaches 81 years. For these reasons, the Netherlands is included in the list of the happiest countries in the world.
Finland
This year the Finns managed to rise to 5th place. What helped them do this was a high-quality education system, affordable medicine and improved working conditions. In Finland, primary and higher education completely free not only for Finns, but also for EU citizens. This country has a very friendly atmosphere, as residents love to communicate and help people, which has been proven more than once by social surveys. The health of pregnant women and women with children is very carefully monitored here, as evidenced by the low maternal mortality rate. The average life expectancy of Finns is the same as that of the Dutch.
Switzerland
Unfortunately, it has lost its first place in the ranking of the happiest countries and dropped to 4. Although it maintains an efficient economy and unconditional trust in the government, and the unemployment rate does not exceed 3 percent. The country has cheap education, but experts have questions about its quality. Despite this, the local residents themselves are happy with it and show almost no complaints about it. Besides being beautiful and tidy, Swiss cities have low crime rates at any time of the day. Citizens receive quality medical services, paying for them through insurance.
Iceland
In the country unique nature, traditions and culture. Employment of the working-age population reaches 80 percent. And it is much easier for a woman to get a job here than in many European cities. High quality and accessible education raises the country's literacy rate by almost 100 percent. The Irish are not afraid of being robbed, because there is a very low crime rate here, and they treat criminals completely differently here. People receive support not only from law-abiding citizens, but also from the government, which does not prevent them from getting a normally paid job. This country has a fairly high level of medicine, which makes it very low average duration life reaches 82 years.
Denmark
She ranks second on the list of the happiest people who get here thanks to indicators such as the healthcare and education systems. It is rightfully considered a country with a high level of gender equality and political activity of citizens. Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, is considered one of the cleanest cities in the world. Despite the fact that taxes are very high here, the system of free medical care and education is considered the best in the world.
Norway
It is she who leads among the happiest countries in the world. Norway attracts not only its high level of income, but also its low unemployment rate. The country's government is trying to protect all segments of society and provide quality education to all citizens. And most hospitals are public, thanks to which Norwegians receive medical services for free. In addition, the nature of Norway captivates with its genuine beauty; there are many lakes and you can even see the northern lights.
