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Ο Richard Layard είναι ένας κορυφαίος οικονομολόγος, ιδρυτής του Κέντρου Οικονομικών Επιδόσεων στο London School of Economics. Τον τελευταίο καιρό έχει στρέψει την προσοχή του στη λεγόμενη «Οικονομία της ευτυχίας». Η θεωρία του εδώ ξεκινάει από τη διαπίστωση ότι το χρήμα είναι κακό μέσον για να προσεγγίσει κάποιος, αποκλειστικά με αυτό, την ευτυχία. Το βιβλίο του «Ευτυχία: Μαθήματα για μια νέα επιστήμη», έχει εγείρει πολλές συζητήσεις. Πιστεύει ότι «το μέγα λάθος της οικονομικής πολιτικής σήμερα είναι ότι μοιάζει να εξισώνει τις αλλαγές που θα επέλθουν στην ευτυχία μιας κοινωνίας με αλλαγές που πρέπει να γίνουν στην αγοραστική της δύναμη». Με απλά λόγια, εάν έχω χρήματα να αγοράσω εκείνα που πιστεύω ότι θα με κάνουν ευτυχισμένο, δεν σημαίνει ότι τελικά θα είμαι κιόλας.
Στο βιβλίο του ο Layard συγκεντρώνει ευρήματα από ένα ευρύ φάσμα ακαδημαϊκών τομέων, όπως: ψυχολογία, νευροεπιστήμη, οικονομία, κοινωνιολογία και φιλοσοφία. Η έρευνα του εξετάζει βαθιά ποιοι παράγοντες μας κάνουν ευτυχισμένους και εξίσου σημαντικούς παράγοντες που προκαλούν δυστυχία και προσπαθεί να παράγει εναλλακτικές λύσεις πολιτικής έχοντας αυτά τα ευρήματα στο μυαλό.
Θα επικεντρωθούμε στους παράγοντες που έχει καθορίσει ο Layard από εκτεταμένες έρευνες που μας κάνουν ευτυχισμένους. Επτά ξεχωρίζουν και έχουν ως εξής:
- Οικογενειακές σχέσεις
- Οικονομική κατάσταση
- Εργασία
- Κοινότητα και φίλοι
- Υγεία
- Προσωπική ελευθερία
- Προσωπικές αξίες
Όπως και στις περισσότερες μελέτες, οι οικογενειακές σχέσεις (συμπεριλαμβανομένης της στενής ιδιωτικής ζωής μας) είναι πιο σημαντικές από οποιονδήποτε άλλο μοναδικό παράγοντα που επηρεάζει την ευτυχία μας.
Για να λάβουμε περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες σε αυτούς τους μεμονωμένους παράγοντες, μπορούμε να χρησιμοποιήσουμε την Έρευνα Παγκόσμιων Αξιών που πραγματοποιήθηκε τέσσερις φορές από το 1981 και τα αποτελέσματά της καλύπτουν 90.000 άτομα σε 46 χώρες.
Στην έρευνα ένα άτομο αναφέρει την ευτυχία του σε κλίμακα από 10 έως 100 και αναφέρει επίσης διάφορα χαρακτηριστικά της ζωής του. (Η κλίμακα είναι στην πραγματικότητα 1-10 αλλά είναι πιο εύκολο να εξηγηθεί εάν όλες οι μονάδες πολλαπλασιαστούν με 10). Μπορούμε λοιπόν να χρησιμοποιήσουμε αυτά τα χαρακτηριστικά για να εξηγήσουμε την ευτυχία του. Για να αποφύγουμε λανθασμένα συμπεράσματα, πρέπει πάντα να εξετάζουμε την επίδραση κάθε χαρακτηριστικού διατηρώντας σταθερά τα άλλα χαρακτηριστικά.
Οικονομική κατάσταση – ας ξεκινήσουμε με το εισόδημα, ώστε να έχουμε κάποια μορφή αναφοράς για να στηρίξουμε την υπόλοιπη ανάλυση. Η πτώση του εισοδήματος κατά το ένα τρίτο προκαλεί πτώση της ευτυχίας κατά 2 μονάδες στην κλίμακα της ευτυχίας (από 10 σε 100).
Οικογενειακές σχέσεις – οι αλλαγές στην οικογενειακή κατάσταση προκαλούν τεράστια διαφορά στην ευτυχία. Εάν κάποιος είναι διαζευγμένος, η ευτυχία αυτού του ατόμου πέφτει κατά 5 μονάδες, αυτό είναι υπερδιπλάσιο από το αποτέλεσμα της απώλειας του ενός τρίτου του εισοδήματος. Και αν κάποιος χωρίσει (αντανακλώντας μια πιο πρόσφατη διάλυση της σχέσης), το αποτέλεσμα είναι ακόμη χειρότερο στην ευτυχία, με πτώση 8 μονάδων. Ωστόσο, πρέπει να θυμόμαστε ότι σε αυτή την ανάλυση, συγκρίνουμε διαφορετικά άτομα και υπάρχει πάντα ο κίνδυνος οι λιγότερο ευτυχισμένοι άνθρωποι να έχουν διαζύγιο και ούτω καθεξής. Περαιτέρω έρευνα σε αυτά τα στοιχεία των οικογενειακών σχέσεων διαπίστωσε ότι γενικά οι άνθρωποι γίνονται πιο ευτυχισμένοι ως αποτέλεσμα του γάμου (ισχύει τόσο για τους άνδρες όσο και για τις γυναίκες) και η απόκτηση παιδιών αυξάνει επίσης την ευτυχία, ωστόσο κατά μέσο όρο σε μικρότερο βαθμό.
Η επίδραση του διαζυγίου στην ευτυχία είναι ενδιαφέρουσα, χρησιμοποιώντας δεδομένα από τη γερμανική κοινωνικοοικονομική επιτροπή μπορούμε να δούμε πώς αλλάζει η ευτυχία με την πάροδο του χρόνου. Πριν από το διαζύγιο, οι άνθρωποι γίνονται όλο και λιγότερο ευτυχισμένοι. Η χρονιά του διαζυγίου είναι η χειρότερη στην ευτυχία. Μετά από εκείνο το έτος, οι άνδρες επιστρέφουν κατά μέσο όρο στο αρχικό επίπεδο ευτυχίας, αλλά οι γυναίκες συνεχίζουν να υποφέρουν. Τα ποσοστά διαζυγίου έχουν σημαντικές επιπτώσεις στην ευτυχία των εθνών – και στο ποσοστό αυτοκτονιών.
Εργασία – Διαπιστώνεται ότι το να μείνει άνεργος κάποιος μειώνει την ευτυχία κατά 6 μονάδες στην κλίμακα ευτυχίας. Αυτό συμβαίνει γιατί ως άτομα πρέπει να νιώθουμε ότι συνεισφέρουμε στην ευρύτερη κοινωνία. Η εργασία παρέχει όχι μόνο εισόδημα αλλά και ένα επιπλέον νόημα στη ζωή. Αυτός είναι ο λόγος για τον οποίο η ανεργία είναι μια τέτοια καταστροφή: μειώνει το εισόδημα αλλά μειώνει επίσης την ευτυχία άμεσα καταστρέφοντας τον αυτοσεβασμό και τις κοινωνικές σχέσεις που δημιουργούνται από την εργασία. Όταν οι άνθρωποι μένουν άνεργοι, η ευτυχία τους πέφτει πολύ λιγότερο λόγω της απώλειας εισοδήματος παρά λόγω της ίδιας της απώλειας εργασίας. Πολλοί οικονομολόγοι που χρησιμοποιούν ένα απλό ωφελιμιστικό μοντέλο αγνοούν πάντα αυτήν την πραγματικότητα και μερικοί μάλιστα ισχυρίζονται ότι ο επιπλέον ελεύθερος χρόνος πρέπει να προσφέρει κάποιο όφελος για τους ανέργους.
Κοινότητα και φίλοι– οι φιλίες είναι ένα από τα καλύτερα μέρη της ζωής, πολλές από τις πιο στενές φιλίες δημιουργούνται νωρίς στη ζωή, αλλά συνεχίζουμε να κάνουμε φίλους στη δουλειά και στην κοινότητα. Η ποιότητα της κοινότητάς μας είναι ζωτικής σημασίας για το αν κάνουμε φίλους και πόσο ασφαλείς νιώθουμε. Όλα αυτά επηρεάζουν την ευτυχία του ατόμου. Ο John Holliwell από το Πανεπιστήμιο της Βρετανικής Κολομβίας, μετρά την επίδραση στην ευτυχία σε σχέση με την κοινότητα και τους φίλους ρωτώντας τους συμμετέχοντες «Γενικά, θα λέγατε ότι οι περισσότεροι άνθρωποι μπορούν να εμπιστευτούν;». Οι συγκρίσεις μεταξύ χωρών είναι ιδιαίτερα ενδιαφέρουσες. το ποσοστό των ανθρώπων που λένε «ναι, οι περισσότεροι άνθρωποι μπορούν να εμπιστευτούν» κυμαίνεται από 5% στη Βραζιλία έως 64% στη Νορβηγία. Όσον αφορά την ατομική επίδραση αυτής της μεταβλητής, ο Holliwell διαπιστώνει ότι μια πτώση 50 ποσοστιαίων μονάδων στο ποσοστό των ατόμων που λένε «ναι» οδηγεί σε πτώση 1,5 μονάδων στην κλίμακα ευτυχίας.
Υγεία – τα αποτελέσματα δείχνουν ότι νοιαζόμαστε πολύ για την υγεία μας. Τα δεδομένα δείχνουν ότι μια πτώση ενός βαθμού στη δική μας υποκειμενική κλίμακα υγείας (σε κλίμακα 5 βαθμών) μειώνει την ευτυχία κατά 6 μονάδες. Άλλες έρευνες έχουν δείξει ότι τα υγιή μέλη του κοινού γενικά υπερεκτιμούν την απώλεια της ευτυχίας που βιώνουν οι άνθρωποι από πολλές από τις κύριες ιατρικές καταστάσεις. Αυτό οφείλεται εν μέρει επειδή οι άνθρωποι έχουν σημαντική ικανότητα προσαρμογής στους φυσικούς περιορισμούς. Ωστόσο, οι άνθρωποι δεν έχουν την ίδια ικανότητα προσαρμογής όταν πρόκειται για ψυχικές ασθένειες, οι οποίες εκτιμάται ότι έχουν πολύ μεγαλύτερο αντίκτυπο στα επίπεδα ευτυχίας.
Προσωπική ελευθερία – η ευτυχία εξαρτάται επίσης από την ποιότητα της κυβέρνησης. Ο John Holliwell χρησιμοποιεί ένα εξελιγμένο μέτρο για την ποιότητα μιας κυβέρνησης που αντικατοπτρίζει έξι διαφορετικά χαρακτηριστικά: το κράτος δικαίου. την σταθερότητα και την έλλειψη βίας · την ελευθερία της έκφρασης και την λογοδοσία · την αποτελεσματικότητα των κρατικών υπηρεσιών · την απουσία διαφθοράς · και την αποτελεσματικότητα του συστήματος ρύθμισης. Καλύπτει έτσι τις τρεις κύριες διαστάσεις της ελευθερίας: προσωπική, πολιτική και οικονομική. Ο Χόλιγουελ συγκρίνει την κομμουνιστική κυβέρνηση της Λευκορωσίας το 1995 με την πρόσφατα μεταρρυθμισμένη μετα-κομμουνιστική Ουγγαρία και βρήκε το αποτέλεσμα των δύο κυβερνήσεων να δίνουν μια διαφορά 5 μονάδων στην κλίμακα ευτυχίας μεταξύ αυτών των δύο χωρών.
Προσωπικές αξίες – τελικά, η ευτυχία μας εξαρτάται από τον εσωτερικό μας εαυτό και τη φιλοσοφία της ζωής μας. Προφανώς, οι άνθρωποι είναι πιο ευτυχισμένοι αν είναι σε θέση να εκτιμήσουν αυτό που έχουν, όποιο κι αν είναι αυτό. Αν δεν συγκρίνουν τον εαυτό τους πάντα με τους άλλους, και αν μπορούν να δημιουργήσουν σταθερότητα στη δική τους διάθεση. Ο John Holliwell διαπιστώνει ότι οι άνθρωποι που πειθαρχούν το μυαλό και τις διαθέσεις τους με τη χρήση γνωστικής θεραπείας, όπως κάνουν οι βουδιστές ή άλλες πνευματικές ασκήσεις είναι κατά μέσο όρο 3,5 βαθμοί πιο ευτυχισμένοι στην κλίμακα ευτυχίας.
Συνοψίζοντας, είναι πιθανό να υπάρχουν λάθη σε αυτούς τους αριθμούς που φτιάχτηκαν από τον Holliwell και δεν πρέπει να ληφθούν ως πολύ ακριβείς, ωστόσο είναι σαφές ότι πολλά από αυτά τα αποτελέσματα είναι διαισθητικά από μόνα τους, υποδηλώνοντας ένα επίπεδο ευρωστίας. Παρέχουν μια εικόνα για τους πιο σημαντικούς παράγοντες στη ζωή ενός ατόμου και τη σχετική τους σημασία που μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν ως μια ισχυρή βάση για να προχωρήσουμε.
Richard Layard
Ο Richard Layard, Βρετανός οικονομολόγος, ιδρυτής του Κέντρου Οικονομικών Επιδόσεων στο London School of Economics, τον τελευταίο καιρό έχει στρέψει την προσοχή του στη λεγόμενη «Οικονομία της ευτυχίας». Η θεωρία του εδώ ξεκινάει από τη διαπίστωση ότι το χρήμα είναι κακό μέσον για να προσεγγίσει κάποιος, αποκλειστικά με αυτό, την ευτυχία. Πιστεύει ότι «το μέγα λάθος της οικονομικής πολιτικής σήμερα είναι ότι μοιάζει να εξισώνει τις αλλαγές που θα επέλθουν στην ευτυχία μιας κοινωνίας με αλλαγές που πρέπει να γίνουν στην αγοραστική της δύναμη». Με απλά λόγια, εάν έχω χρήματα να αγοράσω εκείνα που πιστεύω ότι θα με κάνουν ευτυχισμένο, δεν σημαίνει ότι τελικά θα είμαι κιόλας.
Αυτό, βεβαίως, αφορά τις δικές μας, πιο εύπορες κοινωνίες της Δύσης. Για τις κοινωνίες που βιώνουν διαρκή φτώχεια, η αύξηση του εισοδήματος ασφαλώς και μπορεί να παίξει σημαντικό ρόλο στην προώθηση της ευτυχίας και στην ανακούφιση της αβάσταχτης δυστυχίας και απόγνωσης που η φτώχεια προκαλεί. Όμως, όπως λέει ο Λέιγιαρντ, έρευνες που έχουν γίνει τα τελευταία 60 χρόνια έδειξαν ότι στις δυτικές κοινωνίες, τις κοινωνίες της αφθονίας, οι άνθρωποι δεν έχουν γίνει πιο ευτυχισμένοι παρά την τεράστια αύξηση του εισοδήματός τους, των αγαθών που μπορούν να απολαμβάνουν και των κοσμογονικών αλλαγών στην τεχνολογία.
Κάνει μια έκκληση προς τους πολιτικούς ο Λέιγιαρντ: τα οικονομικά είναι σημαντικά, αλλά η κοινωνική πολιτική δεν πρέπει να αρχίζει από αυτά και να τελειώνει σε αυτά. Η λεγόμενη «νέα ψυχολογία», η «επιστήμη του εγκεφάλου», η κοινωνιολογία και η φιλοσοφία, είναι επιστημονικά πεδία που πρέπει να «παντρευτούν» με την οικονομία και από αυτόν τον γάμο να αναζητηθεί η χρυσή, εάν υπάρχει, συνταγή της ευτυχίας. Σε άπειρες έρευνες των τελευταίων χρόνων, εκείνα που ξεχωρίζουν οι άνθρωποι ως «στοιχεία της ευτυχίας» που τους λείπουν, είναι: πιο δεμένη οικογενειακή ζωή, ασφάλεια, καθαρή ατμόσφαιρα και περισσότερος ελεύθερος, ποιοτικός χρόνος. «Στοιχεία» που είναι σαφές ότι δεν εμπίπτουν, ασφαλώς, σε αυτό που αυστηρά θα ονομάζαμε «οικονομικό πεδίο».
Επίσης, στο βιβλίο του τόνισε τη σημασία των μη εισοδηματικών μεταβλητών στη συνολική ευτυχία. Συγκεκριμένα τόνισε τον ρόλο της ψυχικής υγείας και υποστήριξε ότι οι ψυχολογικές θεραπείες θα έπρεπε να είναι πολύ ευρύτερα διαθέσιμες.
Άρα, όπως λέει ο Λέιγιαρντ, όταν καταστρώνουμε κοινωνική πολιτική, μαζί με τα οικονομικά μεγέθη καλό είναι να κοιτάζουμε εκείνα τα «πεδία» απ’ όπου, με ολοένα και αυξανόμενους ρυθμούς ξεπετάγονται εκείνα τα αρνητικά «στοιχεία», που κάνουν τους ανθρώπους σήμερα πιο δυστυχισμένους (εγκληματικότητα, διαζύγια, ψυχικές παθήσεις, περιβαλλοντική ρύπανση κ.λπ.) και σ’ αυτά να επικεντρώσουμε την προσοχή μας.
«Οι κοινωνίες μας σήμερα δεν έχουν κοινωνικότητα. Δεν γνωριζόμαστε μεταξύ μας. Ο γείτονας με τον γείτονα. Ο δάσκαλος με τους γονείς. Ο καταστηματάρχης με τον πελάτη. Ο δήμαρχος με τον ψηφοφόρο του. Ακόμα κι ο πατέρας με τον γιο ή την κόρη. Δεν τρώμε πια γύρω από το ίδιο τραπέζι. Ξεχάσαμε πώς είναι να συζητάς γύρω από ένα τραπέζι. Ξεχάσαμε τα μεσημεριανά φαγοπότια της Κυριακής. Στην τηλεόραση σπάνια καθόμαστε μαζί. Ο καθένας βλέπει σε διαφορετική συσκευή αυτό που θέλει. Άρα, δεν υπάρχει εδώ η υπέροχη έννοια της υποχωρητικότητας – όλοι απαιτούν να είναι ευχαριστημένοι κατ’ ιδίαν. Δεν βρισκόμαστε σε κοινές εκδηλώσεις. Δεν διεκδικούμε τα ίδια πράγματα», λέει ο συγγραφέας.
Οι Καλύτερες χώρες για ποιότητα ζωής
#1 in Quality of Life Rankings
No Change in Rank from 2020
Canada takes up about two-fifths of the North American continent, making it the second-largest country in the world after Russia. The country is sparsely populated, with most of its 35.5 million residents living within 125 miles of the U.S. border. Canada’s expansive wilderness to the north plays a large role in Canadian identity, as does the country’s reputation of welcoming immigrants.
#2 in Quality of Life Rankings
No Change in Rank from 2020
The Kingdom of Denmark emerged in the 10th century and includes two North Atlantic island nations, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Along with Sweden and Norway, it forms Scandinavia, a cultural region in Northern Europe.
#3 in Quality of Life Rankings
No Change in Rank from 2020
The Kingdom of Sweden, flanked by Norway to the west and the Baltic Sea to the east, expands across much of the Scandinavian Peninsula and is one of the largest countries in the European Union by land mass. Capital city Stockholm was claimed in the 16th century, and border disputes through the Middle Ages established the modern-day nation.
#4 in Quality of Life Rankings
No Change in Rank from 2020
The Kingdom of Norway is the westernmost country in the Scandinavian peninsula, made up mostly of mountainous terrain. Nearly all of its population lives in the south, surrounding the capital, Oslo. Norway’s coastline is made up of thousands of miles of fjords, bays and island shores. The Norwegians developed a maritime culture, and were active throughout the Viking era, establishing settlements in Iceland and Greenland.
#5 in Quality of Life Rankings
#7 out of 73 in 2020
Switzerland, officially called the Swiss Federation, is a small country in Central Europe made up of 16,000 square miles of glacier-carved Alps, lakes and valleys. It’s one of the world’s wealthiest countries, and has been well-known for centuries for its neutrality.
#6 in Quality of Life Rankings
#5 out of 73 in 2020
The Commonwealth of Australia occupies the Australian continent. The country also includes some islands, most notably Tasmania. Indigenous people occupied the land for at least 40,000 years before the first British settlements of the 18th century.
#7 in Quality of Life Rankings
#6 out of 73 in 2020
Situated along the fringes of Western Europe, the Netherlands is a coastal lowland freckled with windmills characteristic of its development around the water. Three major European rivers - the Rhine, Meuse and Schelde - run through neighbors Germany and Belgium into the nation’s busy ports.
#8 in Quality of Life Rankings
#9 out of 73 in 2020
Geography defines the history and culture of Nordic Finland, one of the most northern-reaching countries in the world. Bordered by Scandinavia, Russia, the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Bothnia, Finland and its vast stretches of heavily forested open land acts as a northern gate between West and East.
#9 in Quality of Life Rankings
#10 out of 73 in 2020
Germany, the most populous nation in the European Union, possesses one of the largest economies in the world and has seen its role in the international community grow steadily since reunification. The Central European country borders nine nations, and its landscape varies, from the northern plains that reach to the North and Baltic seas to the Bavarian Alps in the south.
#10 in Quality of Life Rankings
#8 out of 73 in 2020
British and Polynesian influences course through picturesque New Zealand, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean southeast of Australia. Early Maori settlers ceded sovereignty to British invaders with the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, and European settlers flooded in. Today, 70 percent of Kiwis, a common term for the people of New Zealand after a native flightless bird, are of European descent. A sense of pride has surged among the Maori, the country’s first settlers who now account for about 14 percent, as homeland grievances become more openly addressed.
#11 in Quality of Life Rankings
No Change in Rank from 2020
Austria a culturally rich, high-income parliamentary democracy that hosts several key international organizations. Located in the heart of Central Europe, the modern Austrian state was shaped by the two world wars of the 20th century.
#12 in Quality of Life Rankings
Not Ranked in 2020
The Kingdom of Belgium is a small, highly developed and urbanized country in Western Europe bordered by the Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France and the North Sea. The nation known for beer, chocolate and castles features Dutch, French and German as official languages.
#13 in Quality of Life Rankings
#14 out of 73 in 2020
Japan, one of the world’s most literate and technically advanced nations, is an East Asian country made up of four main islands. While most of Japan is covered by mountains and heavily wooded areas, the country’s roughly 126 million people lead a distinctly urban lifestyle. Long culturally influenced by its neighbors, today the country blends its ancient traditions with aspects of Western life.
#14 in Quality of Life Rankings
#12 out of 73 in 2020
The United Kingdom is a highly developed nation that exerts considerable international economic, political, scientific and cultural influence. Located off the northwest corner of Europe, the country includes the island of Great Britain – which contains England, Scotland and Wales – and the northern portion of the island of Ireland. The country’s role on the global stage faces new questions as the nation withdrew from the European Union. , as well as the policies supporting the eurozone.
#15 in Quality of Life Rankings
Not Ranked in 2020
The Republic of Ireland is an island nation in the Atlantic Ocean, separated from Britain on the east by the Irish Sea. Nicknamed the Emerald Isle for its well-watered grasslands, the country is known for its rich cultural traditions, lively pub scene and its struggles for independence. The country comprises five-sixths of the island of Ireland – the remaining sixth is Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom. After a bloody fight for independence and civil war in the early 20th century, Ireland became a republic in 1949.
#16 in Quality of Life Rankings
#20 out of 73 in 2020
Founded as a British trading colony in the 19th century, Singapore is a bustling metropolis in Southeast Asia and home to one of the world’s busiest ports. The vast majority of its 5.7 million citizens live on the eponymous capital island, and dozens of surrounding islands complete the city state. Gross domestic product per capita is high and unemployment is low, making Singapore one of the wealthiest nations in the world.
#17 in Quality of Life Rankings
#16 out of 73 in 2020
It is difficult to overstate the influence France has on the world, both in the past and today. Located in Western Europe, France is one of the world’s oldest countries, and its reach extends around the globe through science, politics, economics and perhaps above all, culture. Starting in the Middle Ages, France evolved through kingdom, empire and finally, into a republic. It was one of the first nations to champion the rights of the individual.
#18 in Quality of Life Rankings
#23 out of 73 in 2020
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, is a nation in eastern Asia with a long history of conflict that occupies the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. Liberated from Japan in 1945 at the end of World War II, South Korea was invaded by communist forces in North Korea a few years later. Aid requested by the United Nations helped end the three-year war and support the south on its way to democracy. A critical divide between the two nations along the center of the peninsula remains.
#19 in Quality of Life Rankings
#18 out of 73 in 2020
A number of independent kingdoms united in 1492 to form the Kingdom of Spain, a cultural patchwork that continues to shape the modern nation’s dynamic identity. Spain comprises much of the Iberian Peninsula, which it shares with Portugal on the southwestern edge of Europe. It also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and two enclaves in North Africa.
#20 in Quality of Life Rankings
#15 out of 73 in 2020
The United States of America is a North American nation that is the world’s most dominant economic and military power. Likewise, its cultural imprint spans the world, led in large part by its popular culture expressed in music, movies and television. In November 2020 the country elected Joe Biden as its 46th president, removing Donald Trump after one term. The country is still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing deep economic recession. And calls for greater social justice reignited in the country following the death of Black American George Floyd at the hands of police in May 2020. Public demands to address racial inequality in the country, expressed in institutions such as the criminal justice system and health care, spurred similar movements in countries around the world.
#21 in Quality of Life Rankings
#17 out of 73 in 2020
Jutting into the Atlantic Ocean on the edge of the Iberian Peninsula and flanked by Spain to the east, Portugal is a nation with its gaze turned outward. Its history is steeped in discovery and exploration, beginning with early leaders that, after ousting Celtic and Moorish settlers in the 12th century, focused on building their kingdom beyond continental borders.
#22 in Quality of Life Rankings
#21 out of 73 in 2020
Italy is a south-central European country, whose boot-shaped borders extend into the Mediterranean Sea. The country’s historical cities, world-renowned cuisine and geographic beauty make it a popular destination for more than 40 million tourists each year. The nation is home to Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest and most active volcano, and houses two countries within its borders – the Vatican and San Marino.
#23 in Quality of Life Rankings
#19 out of 73 in 2020
Home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations, China has been ruled by the Communist Party since 1949, when the nation was established as the People’s Republic of China. The country is the world’s most populous and is considered the second-largest by land mass.
#24 in Quality of Life Rankings
#25 out of 73 in 2020
The United Arab Emirates, or UAE, is a federation of seven emirates on the southeast end of the Arabian Peninsula. The country, wedged between between Oman and Saudi Arabia, has rocky desert, wetlands, waterless mountains and coastlines that stretch along the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. The emirates that currently comprise the UAE were known as the Trucial States in the 19th century as a result of a series of agreements with Great Britain. In 1971, six of these states merged to form the UAE; a seventh joined in 1972.
#25 in Quality of Life Rankings
#22 out of 73 in 2020
Poland is a medium-sized nation located in central Europe with a history and culture shaped by a millennium of conflict across the European continent. The Christian Kingdom of Poland was formally created in 1025 and by the mid-16th century the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth was one of the largest countries on the continent. Partitioned by neighboring countries in the late 18th century, Poland briefly regained its independence following World War I. Nazi Germany and the former Soviet Union invaded the country in 1939, marking the beginning of World War II.
#26 in Quality of Life Rankings
No Change in Rank from 2020
Located in southeastern Europe, Greece as an independent nation is young, existing since the 19th century. Its civilization, however, is one of history’s oldest and most influential, credited with creating the concept of democracy as well as the ancient Olympic Games, and laying Western foundations in science, the arts and philosophy.
#27 in Quality of Life Rankings
#24 out of 73 in 2020
The Czech Republic may have been born in 1993, but the nation’s history goes back more than 1,000 years. Its location in the heart of Central Europe has nurtured a rich culture yet provided its people with a reserve born from interference and invasions from larger powers. Perhaps due to the country’s history, the people are among the least religious in the world.
#28 in Quality of Life Rankings
#27 out of 73 in 2020
Located in two separate regions in the South China Sea, Malaysia is a small country with a fast-growing economy. Once a British colony, the country is home to about 29 million people, many of whom live in or near the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. Located on an ocean trade route, Malaysia came under the influence of China, India, the Middle East and eventually Great Britain in the late 18th century. The Federation of Malaysia was formed in 1948 by the unification of former British-ruled territories along the Malay Peninsula. In 1963, the former British colonies of Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak, joined the Federation, thereafter known simply as Malaysia.
#29 in Quality of Life Rankings
#28 out of 73 in 2020
Thailand, which translates to “land of the free,” is the only Southeast Asian nation that did not encounter European colonization. Located just above the equator, the nation is wedged into the Indochina peninsula with neighbors Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia and has an arm that extends out to Malaysia.
#30 in Quality of Life Rankings
Not Ranked in 2020
#31 in Quality of Life Rankings
#34 out of 73 in 2020
The scale of Russia is difficult to imagine. It is the world’s largest country by land mass – nearly twice as big as Canada, the world’s second-largest nation – and covers all of northern Asia and much of Eastern Europe. It shares land borders with more than a dozen countries, and shares sea borders with Japan and the United States.
#32 in Quality of Life Rankings
#33 out of 73 in 2020
Curving along the eastern edge of the Indochina Peninsula, Vietnam shares long stretches of its borders with Cambodia, Laos and the South China Sea. Occupied by the French until 1954, a communist state emerged in 1975 after the People’s Army of the north and Viet Cong guerilla fighters defeated the anti-communist south. The bitter war garnered international attention and participation, especially from the United States, at a critical juncture in the Cold War era in which communism was gaining ground on the global stage. “Doi moi” economic policy reforms beginning in 1986 have helped The Socialist Republic of Vietnam transition to a more modern, competitive nation.
#33 in Quality of Life Rankings
#42 out of 73 in 2020
Saudi Arabia is the giant of the Middle East, with both the vast majority of land and wealth of the Arabian Peninsula falling within its borders. Millions of devout Muslims from around the world participate in a pilgrimage to Mecca each year, believed to be the birthplace of the Muslim prophet Mohammed and the cradle of Islam. A fierce religious identity dominates the Sunni-majority nation, with principles of the Koran, conservative Sunni teachings known as Wahhabism and strict Islamic Shariah law present in all aspects of life.
#34 in Quality of Life Rankings
#36 out of 73 in 2020
Qatar is located on a small desert peninsula that extends northward into the Persian Gulf from the Arabian Peninsula. Qatar became subject to the Islamic caliphate after the rise of Islam in 628 A.D. and was subsequently ruled by a number of local and foreign powers. Once a poor British protectorate, the small nation became an independent state in 1971. Now rich in oil and natural gas, Qatar is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Just over half of the country’s gross domestic product is comprised of manufacturing, construction and financial services, which has helped the country weather the global decline in oil prices in recent years.
#35 in Quality of Life Rankings
#32 out of 73 in 2020
Made up of a chain of thousands of islands between Asia and Australia, Indonesia is the world's largest archipelagic state and the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation. Indonesia’s people are diverse, speaking more than 300 languages and ranging from cosmopolitan urbanites to rural villagers. There are hundreds of volcanoes in Indonesia, the most famous of which is Krakatoa, whose explosion in 1883 was one of the most catastrophic in history. Hindu-Buddhist and Muslim kingdoms existed before the arrival of the Dutch, who colonized the archipelago but ceded independence to the country after an occasionally violent struggle in 1949. From 1967 until 1988, President Suharto ruled Indonesia with an iron hand. Free and fair elections took place in 1999, after rioting toppled his dictatorship.
#36 in Quality of Life Rankings
#46 out of 73 in 2020
Israel, the only Jewish nation in the world, is a small country on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. For its relatively small size, the country has played a large role in global affairs. The country has a strong economy, landmarks of significance to several religions and strained relationships with many of its Arab neighbors.
#37 in Quality of Life Rankings
#29 out of 73 in 2020
Croatia has found itself at the crossroads of major historical movements, both East and West. These political shifts have uniquely shaped its present-day borders, which curve around Bosnia and Herzegovina in central Europe and stretch along the Adriatic Sea opposite Italy. The nation’s stunning Mediterranean coastline eases into the rugged Dinaric Alps and, continuing northeast, the fertile plains of the Danube River.
#38 in Quality of Life Rankings
#30 out of 73 in 2020
Located in Southeast Asia, India sits on a peninsula that extends between the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The country, the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, is the world’s second most-populous nation after China, and has roughly one-sixth of the world’s population. After years of nonviolent struggle against British rule, India gained its independence in 1947.
#39 in Quality of Life Rankings
#31 out of 73 in 2020
Thousands of islands in the South China Sea comprise the tropical nation of the Philippines. The land of beautiful beaches and abundant biodiversity has long been plagued by political instability, but its resilient economy continues to improve and push ahead of others in the region. The Republic of the Philippines claimed independence from Japan after World War II in 1946 with assistance from the United States, which had exercised colonial rule over the nation earlier in the century. American influence and ties remain prevalent in the Filipino society, although the relationship has become more strained since the 2016 election of President Rodrigo Duterte.
#40 in Quality of Life Rankings
#37 out of 73 in 2020
Founded in 1923, Turkey is home to a unique intersection of culture as the nation bridges Asia with Europe. The country is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim, though influences of bygone Roman and Byzantine rule pepper the streets and skyline. Extravagant mosques and cathedrals can both be found within blocks of the Grand Bazaar in the city of Istanbul, home to 14 million people. Religious identity is an important part of Turkey’s evolution. For more than a decade, power struggles between a military-backed secular government and an increasingly popular religious movement have raised concerns about government stability.
#41 in Quality of Life Rankings
#39 out of 73 in 2020
Bordered by the Pacific Ocean on its West and the Gulf of Mexico to its East, Mexico is the third-largest country in Latin America and has the second-largest economy. The nation is one of contrasts, with terrain encompassing arid lands and Caribbean coastlines and a society that has extremes of wealth and poverty. Once home of the Maya, Aztec and other ancient civilizations, Mexico was ruled by Spain starting in the early 16th century. Administered by Spain for three centuries, the country achieved independence early in the 19th century, first as a short-lived empire and then as a republic in 1824.
#42 in Quality of Life Rankings
#35 out of 73 in 2020
Located in the southeastern corner of the Balkans, Bulgaria sits at the junction of Europe and Asia. Its location has made it susceptible to invasions in the past, but it also has provided a rich culture – the country is the birthplace of the Cyrillic script.
#43 in Quality of Life Rankings
#41 out of 73 in 2020
Distance is one way to define Chile, a long, narrow country on South America’s western coastline whose dramatic landscapes may play a part in the country’s history of producing great poets. A trip from the country’s northern border with Peru to its southern tip at Cape Horn covers 2,700 miles. Chile is narrow – its widest point is just 150 miles – as its eastern border with Argentina backs up against the Andes, the longest continental mountain range in the world.
#44 in Quality of Life Rankings
#38 out of 73 in 2020
Romania is the largest of the Balkan nations, tucked between Bulgaria and Ukraine in southeastern Europe along the Black Sea. It is a jigsaw of distinct regions, each with their own history and influence. In the 1860s the principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia united to form Romania and in 1877 it gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire. Transylvania, which was ruled by Austria and Hungary, was later acquired by Romania after fighting for the Allies in World War I.
#45 in Quality of Life Rankings
#43 out of 73 in 2020
Located in the heart of Central America, Costa Rica has been one of the most politically and economically stable countries in Central America since its birth in the 19th century The nation compares favorably to its regional neighbors in areas of human development, and it has used its landscapes of jungles, forests and coastlines to develop an international reputation for ecotourism. Costa Rica’s constitution was adopted in 1949, and has since been amended to declare the nation as multicultural and multiethnic.
#46 in Quality of Life Rankings
#40 out of 73 in 2020
Slovakia is a landlocked country in Central Europe with dramatic landscapes dominated by mountains, valleys and caves that form part of the Western Carpathians.
#47 in Quality of Life Rankings
#50 out of 73 in 2020
The Kingdom of Morocco is a Muslim country in western North Africa, with coastlines on the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Just an hour ferry ride from Spain, the country has a unique mix of Arab, Berber, African and European cultural influences. Unlike many of its neighbors, Morocco remained independent for much of its history. Once part of the Roman Empire, the country was ruled by a series of kingdoms after the Arab conquest of the late seventh century. Morocco thwarted attempts at Turkish and European control until the country became a French protectorate from 1912 to 1956, when it gained independence.
#48 in Quality of Life Rankings
#45 out of 73 in 2020
Estonia is a small country in Northern Europe bordered by giant Russia to the east, Latvia to the south, the Baltic Sea to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the north. The country’s territory includes a mainland and more than 2,000 islands.
#49 in Quality of Life Rankings
Not Ranked in 2020
Cambodia is the smallest country by landmass on the Indochina Peninsula. Officially named the Kingdom of Cambodia, and affectionately called the Kingdom of Wonder, the country has a rich cultural history, with roots in both Buddhism and Hinduism, and is home to the largest religious monument on earth: Angkor Wat, a temple complex built in the 12th century spanning approximately 400 acres.
#50 in Quality of Life Rankings
#49 out of 73 in 2020
On the edge of eastern Europe, Latvia sits nestled between Estonia and Lithuania. The trio form the Baltic states and share roots in early tribal settlers as well as similarly strategic locations along the Baltic Sea that have led to various coinciding conquests of their land throughout history. Latvia is among the larger European countries in terms of landmass, but low population density has allowed more than half of the country’s geography to remain as natural ecosystems. There is great geographic diversity within the country’s borders, too, from Ventas Rumba, Europe’s widest waterfall, to the towering pines of Gauja National Park and the crystalline Baltic waters along the resort town of Jurmala.
#51 in Quality of Life Rankings
#54 out of 73 in 2020
Egypt, with vast swaths of desert in its east and west and the rich Nile River Valley at its heart, is site to one of the world’s earliest and greatest civilizations. Its location at the northeast corner of Africa bordering the Mediterranean Sea has made it a cultural and trading center. But its location has also made it a prize to claim by empires and put it at the center of social and religious movements.
#52 in Quality of Life Rankings
No Change in Rank from 2020
Occupying half of South America’s land mass, Brazil is the giant of the continent – both in size and in population. Brazil’s history is filled with economic turmoil, veering from boom to bust, and its culture is a melting pot that has traditionally welcomed the world. Brazil is one of the world’s top tourist destinations. However, the country in the 21st century confronts serious questions touching on poverty, inequality, governance and the environment.
#53 in Quality of Life Rankings
#48 out of 73 in 2020
The Dominican Republic, the land of merengue and baseball, occupies two-thirds of the island Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea. It was the site of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas, as well the first toehold for European settlement. The country’s history reflects many of the historical challenges that the rest of Latin America has faced: civil disorder, ethnic tensions, authoritarian rule and economic upheaval. The Dominican Republic is a representative democracy, with a multi-party political system and traditional separations of government power falling on executive, legislative and judicial branches.
#54 in Quality of Life Rankings
#44 out of 73 in 2020
Slovenia is a small country located in southern Central Europe, bordered by Croatia, Hungary, Austria, Italy and the Adriatic Sea. Slovenia had been ruled by many larger states dating to the Roman Empire and later the Habsburgs of Austria. Following World War I and the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Slovenia achieved self-determination, eventually merging with Croatia and Serbia to first form a Kingdom of Yugoslavia. After World War II, Slovenia was part of a reformed socialist Republic of Yugoslavia. It declared independence in 1991 from the former Yugoslavia and today the country has a parliamentary democracy form of government.
#55 in Quality of Life Rankings
Not Ranked in 2020
Uruguay spent much of the 20th century under military rule before emerging as a democratic country in 1984. The country’s origins date to the 16th century, when it was discovered by the Portuguese in 1512, but it remained in contention between Spain and Portugal until it gained independence in the 1811 Battle of Las Piedras. A series of civil wars and internal strife occupied most of the 19th century.
#56 in Quality of Life Rankings
#47 out of 73 in 2020
The largest and most populous of the three Baltic nations, Lithuania is located along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia, Belarus, Poland and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
#57 in Quality of Life Rankings
#51 out of 73 in 2020
Peru is a nation whose history is as diverse as the peaks and valleys of its terrain. A strip of the Andes mountains separates a stretch of coastal plains from the dense Amazon jungle that covers more than half of the country. It is the third-largest country in South America, linking Ecuador and Chile along the west coast and bordering Colombia, Brazil and Bolivia inland. The ancient empire of the Incas was centered in Peru, leaving remnants of an expansive kingdom in its wake. A bite of the indigenous coca leaf can help to settle altitude sickness for those who climb the majestic Incan citadel of Machu Picchu.
#58 in Quality of Life Rankings
#55 out of 73 in 2020
Referred to as the teardrop of India, Sri Lanka sits just off the southeast coast in the Indian Ocean. Scars of a bitter civil war are fading, and an island nation rich with resources and ripe for adventure is shining through. The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, previously known as Ceylon, is governed by an elected president and legislature. The young nation was born in 1948, when the early Sinhalese settlers claimed independence from the British, putting an end to a string of colonization by many countries, including Portugal, the Netherlands and India.
#59 in Quality of Life Rankings
No Change in Rank from 2020
Argentina, the birthplace of tango, has experienced its share of tragedy and hardship since it became an independent nation in the early 19th century. During the 20th century, Argentina tilted between democracy and authoritarian rule, marked by the 1976-1983 “Dirty War” launched against political opponents of the country’s military government. Democracy returned to Argentina in 1983. The overwhelming majority of its citizens are ethnically European or partially European, reflecting the country’s 16th-century Spanish colonization and the waves of 19th and early 20th century immigration that flowed from Europe – particularly Spain and Italy.
#60 in Quality of Life Rankings
#53 out of 73 in 2020
Colombia is located in the northwest corner of South America and is the continent’s most populous Spanish-speaking nation. Roughly twice the geographic size of France, Colombia is bordered by both the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, as well as Panama, Venezuela, Brazil, Peru and Ecuador. Colombia won independence from Spain in the early 19th century, and was one of three countries that formed out of the 19th-century collapse of Gran Colombia – the other two nations being Ecuador and Venezuela. Today the country is a democratic republic with universal suffrage, with separate executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal government.
#61 in Quality of Life Rankings
#71 out of 73 in 2020
Ukraine, a nation whose history has experienced long periods of occupation from other countries, today wrestles between war and peace, as well as between corruption and reform. The nation borders the Black and Azov seas to the south and abuts several Eastern European nations, including Russia. Ukraine declared independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991. Its president is directly elected by voters. The prime minister is the head of the central government, which is separated along executive, legislative and judicial branches.
#62 in Quality of Life Rankings
#58 out of 73 in 2020
Panama is a Central American nation that connects Costa Rica and South America by way of Colombia. Much of the country’s narrative is tied to a connector of another kind: the Panama Canal, a hub of global trade and transportation that joins the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Caribbean Sea. Construction of the canal began immediately after Panama’s secession from Colombia at the turn of the 20th century. The two nations, along with Ecuador and Venezuela initially, claimed joint independence from Spain in 1821. The massive project was financed and built by the United States in return for a claim to sovereignty over land on either side of it, effectively splitting Panama in half.
#63 in Quality of Life Rankings
#56 out of 73 in 2020
South Africa is located on the southern tip of Africa, with coastlines on both the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Africa’s third-largest economy behind Nigeria and Egypt, South Africa draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year eager to see its impressive terrain, wildlife and cultural diversity. Although South Africa has come a long way since the end of apartheid in 1994, it remains a country of vast inequality and high crime. While the country is dotted with world-class dining, trendy shops, sprawling vineyards and upscale safari lodges, townships lacking basic infrastructure are often only a short distance away.
#64 in Quality of Life Rankings
No Change in Rank from 2020
Home to much of Mayan civilization, Guatemala is the most populous country in Central America, touching Mexico’s southern border and possessing coastlines on the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Guatemalans have traveled a painful road to present-day democracy. The country won independence from Spain in the early 19th century, but civil discord and authoritarian rule has marked much of the country’s history.
#65 in Quality of Life Rankings
#63 out of 73 in 2020
Named for its proximity to the Earth’s equator, the South American nation of Ecuador is home to a more dynamic society than its straightforward name may suggest. Tremendous culture is packed within a nation a quarter the size of its neighbors, Colombia and Peru. Once part of the Inca Empire, Ecuador won independence from Spain in the early 1800s and was one of three countries that emerged from the 19th-century collapse of Gran Colombia. Its current population -- largely of mixed indigenous and European descent -- is a clear manifestation of these distinctive roots. Spanish is the official language, and Incan Quechua is used in formal intercultural relations.
#66 in Quality of Life Rankings
#61 out of 73 in 2020
Tunisia is a small Arab country in North Africa that represents both the aspirations of freedom and struggles against terrorism that roil the region. Along with neighbors Algeria and Libya, it lines the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, a strategic location that has attracted Romans, Arabs, Ottoman Turks and others over the years. At the end of 2010, rising inflation and a lack of political freedom combined with high unemployment - particularly among college graduates - ignited public protests that set off the “Arab Spring” wave of demonstrations across much of the Arab World that called for greater freedoms.
#67 in Quality of Life Rankings
#62 out of 73 in 2020
The history of Myanmar, also known as Burma, is marked by ethnic violence and widespread impoverishment as it has convulsed between democratic freedom and brutal authoritarian rule. The country, a medium-sized nation in Southeast Asia that borders Bangladesh, India, China, Laos and Thailand, is populated by several ethnic groups, with the Burmese dominating the population, politics, economy and society.
#68 in Quality of Life Rankings
#72 out of 73 in 2020
The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a small, young country located on land of ancient biblical significance. The country is one of the most liberal in the region and also has one of the smallest economies, as it lacks the natural resources enjoyed by many of its neighbors. Under the rule of the Ottoman Empire until 1918 and later a mandate of the United Kingdom, Jordan became an independent kingdom in 1946. The country lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem to Israel in the war of 1967. Years later the country joined Egypt in becoming one of the two Arab nations to make peace with Israel.
#69 in Quality of Life Rankings
#57 out of 73 in 2020
When Kenya claimed its independence from the U.K. in 1963, leaders of the newly formed republic promoted a sense of national unity using the motto “harambee,” Swahili for ‘pulling together.’ The sentiment holds true today in a country that blends the rich culture and traditions of dozens of varied groups that call it home. Scientists have called the East African nation, situated along the equator, the cradle of humankind. Some of the oldest and most complete human remains have been found along the Great Rift Valley, a volcano-lined trench that runs through western Kenya.
#70 in Quality of Life Rankings
#66 out of 73 in 2020
The oldest independent state in the Arab world, Oman is located on the southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula at the confluence of the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea. The country was always of interest to foreign powers due to its strategic position for Indian Ocean trade. Controlled by the Portuguese in the 1500s and later the Persians, the country eventually formed close ties with Britain in the late 19th century, though it never became a colony. During the 1800s, Oman profited greatly from the slave trade, cultivating colonies in modern-day Kenya, Tanzania and Pakistan.
#71 in Quality of Life Rankings
#67 out of 73 in 2020
Kazakhstan, the world's largest landlocked country, is located mostly in Central Asia, with a small section in easternmost Europe. The country has the largest economy in the region, fueled mostly by its vast natural resources. Present day Kazakhstan was part of various empires throughout the centuries, including the Mongols in the 13th and 14th centuries. The area came under Russian control in the 18th century and became a Soviet Republic in 1936. In 1991, it was the last of the Soviet republics to declare independence after the fall of the Soviet Union.
#72 in Quality of Life Rankings
#68 out of 73 in 2020
Carved out of Russia’s east border, Belarus sits among a group of post-Soviet states in East Europe to the north of Ukraine. The nation claimed its independence in 1991 after seven decades under the USSR. Though landlocked, more than 11,000 lakes and ancient, enchanting woodlands cover the flat landscape. Despite operating under an autonomous government, Belarus maintains extremely close political and economic ties with Russia. Isolationist trade policies are fueled by priority access to cheap oil from Russia, a relationship that has been called into question more than once in the last decade.
#73 in Quality of Life Rankings
#69 out of 73 in 2020
Azerbaijan is a small nation located in the Caucasus region, straddling Europe and Asia. Situated at a geographic crossroads, the land was ruled by many empires before it first became a democratic republic in 1918, following World War I. Just two years later, however, it was absorbed into the Soviet Union. In 1991 Azerbaijan emerged as an independent republic following the Soviet collapse.
#74 in Quality of Life Rankings
#70 out of 73 in 2020
Serbia is a small country in central-southeast Europe whose history is a timeline of European wars dating to the Middle Ages. Contemporary Serbia reflects the ambiguities and contradictions of modern Europe – culturally rich, comparatively developed economically yet driven by regional rivalries and ethnic tensions.
#75 in Quality of Life Rankings
Not Ranked in 2020
El Salvador is the smallest and most densely populated country in Central America, with more than 6.4 million inhabitants as of 2019, according to estimates from the World Bank. The country is bordered by Guatemala to the northwest, Honduras to the northeast, and faces the Pacific Ocean to the south.
#76 in Quality of Life Rankings
Not Ranked in 2020
Uzbekistan is the geographic center of Central Asia, sandwiched between five countries and featuring a mostly desert climate. The country has been independent since the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991 and has since developed a diverse economy built upon agricultural production and a growing mineral and petroleum export capacity. Its government is a presidential republic that is described as “highly authoritarian,” according to Western governments including the U.S., as well as international rights groups.
#77 in Quality of Life Rankings
#73 out of 73 in 2020
Lebanon is a Levantine country in the northern Arabian Peninsula, located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and bordered by Syria to its north and east, and Israel to its south. Its location at the crossroads of Asia and Europe gave birth to early kingdoms and has put it in the center of political and religious upheavals throughout history.
#78 in Quality of Life Rankings
Not Ranked in 2020
Occupying land that was once home to one of the world’s first known civilizations, Iraq is located in southwestern Asia and struggles today to throw off decades of war and sectarian violence to achieve lasting peace.
