Under the standard of living in European countries, he understands several cumulative factors that influence and determine the life of citizens of the country. Also, how Europeans live is directly influenced by the economic development of the state. The considered indicator also takes into account non-material factors. For example, such parameters as environmental indicators of the state or the psychological comfort of living in the country are taken into account.

The standard of living in European countries is usually assessed based on the following factors:

• Average life expectancy (taking into account the birth rate, infant mortality and death due to accidents and traffic accidents).
• The number of working citizens (the number of unemployed and existing working conditions are also taken into account).
• Average salary (taking into account per capita income, including children and pensioners).
• The amount of the living wage for the unemployed and incapacitated.
• The coefficient calculated between the subsistence minimum and the average wage.
• The coefficient calculated between the earnings of the 15% richest and 15% of the poorest citizens of the country.
• The ratio of expenses and incomes of citizens of the country.
• Consumer price index.
• Degree of development of infrastructure (in particular, transport, medical institutions and social organizations).
• Sanitary and hygienic living conditions in the state.

This is interesting! In Russia, the indicators also include the cost of the consumer basket, which includes the necessary foodstuffs for a monthly stay.

TOP - 3 states reflecting the standard of living in European countries + video

1. Denmark.

This is one of the richest states not only in Europe, but also in the world as a whole. Denmark's wealth is based on oil and gas produced in the North Sea and sold to Germany and the Netherlands. In addition, a significant place in the country's budget is occupied by mechanical engineering and the production of meat products of the highest quality. Complements the budget developed fishing.

The average salary in Denmark is about 3,500 euros. Moreover, citizens of the country do not work in accordance with established laws, but under labor contracts that are concluded individually between trade unions and each company.

The average life expectancy in Denmark is also the longest in Europe - about 80 years, and the average pension is 2,800 euros, which is more than 10 times higher than in Russia.

At the same time, the gap between the richest and poorest Danes is minimal, and the coefficient between earnings does not exceed 10. That is, a laborer at a metallurgical plant receives 3,000 euros, and the director of this enterprise does not exceed 30,000 euros. In Russia, such a coefficient is measured in tens (and sometimes hundreds) of thousands.

1. Switzerland.

One of the few developed European powers that are not members of the European Union and have not adopted the euro as an internal currency. Switzerland is a living example of the fact that you can have a very high standard of living in European countries and not have huge oil reserves.

The basis of economic well-being is high-quality chemical and pharmaceutical products. Medicines from Switzerland are considered the best in the world and practically have no analogues. The budget is also supplemented by the export of watches and jewelry, famous all over the world. Swiss cheese and chocolate are very popular.

Despite the fact that 85% of the state's area is located in highlands, Switzerland has a very developed chemical production and advanced agriculture, and is among the top ten industrial states.

The average salary in Switzerland is about 4,000 francs. Given that the Swiss franc is more expensive than the euro (the rate of 1 franc is 0.94 euros), the salary of the country's citizens is more than decent. The gap between the richest and poorest Swiss is minimal. The coefficient is 8.3 units.

The amount of the pension starts from 7,500 francs and ends at 45,000 francs. Moreover, 7500 francs is a pension provided by the state and it is received by any citizen of the country who has reached the age of 65.

1. Sweden.

Perhaps the most peaceful country in Europe, ideal for living. It has the most developed economy in the region. Companies such as Oriflamme, Saab, Volvo, TELE2, Ericsson were created in Sweden. Everything is produced in the state with equal success, from household chemicals and cosmetics to cars and aircraft.

Every Swedish citizen is guaranteed an education, the highest level of health care and a job. The average salary in - 2500 euros. Of particular note is the fact that the incomes of the richest exceed those of the poorest by only 4.5 times. But the average pension is not so large - about 1000 euros per month.

After reviewing and evaluating the important factors that affect life in a particular state, you need to turn to the topic of obtaining an EU passport. How to do this and what is required for this, the video will tell.

Standard of living in European countries: rating of Eastern Europe

It should be said that the standard of living in Eastern Europe is much lower than in Western Europe. This is due to the fact that for many years Eastern Europe was under the influence of the Soviet Union. With the collapse of the USSR, these countries had to re-create their economies, which threw them back in industrial development for decades. Despite this, Eastern European countries are rapidly increasing their rate and in a few years it will be quite comparable with Italian or Spanish.

1. Czech Republic.

Among all the states of Eastern Europe, the highest standard of living is in the Czech Republic. The foundations of the economy are metallurgy (including black metal, a legacy of the USSR), mechanical engineering, the chemical and food industries. In addition, tourism brings good income to the treasury.

The average monthly salary is about 900 euros. This is several times less than in Northern and Western Europe, but much higher than in Russia and the post-Soviet space. The gap between the incomes of the poorest and richest people is about 25 times.

The average pension in the Czech Republic is about 500 euros, which is not much by European standards, but a lot for Russian pensioners.

1. Poland.

In the last ten years, the situation in Poland has changed dramatically. And if the standard of living in European countries has grown by a few percent, then in Poland it has grown significantly. In many respects this happened thanks to a reasonable economic policy, but the help of the US and the European Union has also borne fruit.

Polish prosperity is provided by mechanical engineering, shipbuilding, machine tool building, clothing and technical industries. The agricultural complex in Poland is also one of the most developed in the world.

The average salary in Poland is 800 euros (4800 złoty), while the minimum wage is only 200 euros. Of course, these are not large sums and are quite comparable with Russian wages. For this reason, many Poles leave to work in the UK, Denmark or Sweden. Citizens of Ukraine are very often hired to work (especially in the sphere of production). The gap between the incomes of the poorest and the richest people is about 40 times. The average pension in Poland is 300 euros, which is also not too much even by Russian standards.

We offer you to watch an interesting video that tells about the assistance of the state in the acquisition of real estate.

Standard of living in European countries 2018: table

The standard of living of Europeans is undoubtedly high, but the gap between some states is still very large. Actually, this is precisely what explains the fact that the euro as a monetary unit is not introduced in the countries of Eastern Europe. This would devalue the currency and cause crashes in the currency markets.

However, the indicator of living standards has gradually leveled off in recent years. But it will not be possible to finally overcome the barrier soon. Economic experts set aside at least 30 years for the standard of living in European countries (Western and Eastern Europe) to level off completely.

Standard of living in European countries 2018, the table is as follows:

A country	Quality of life index	Purchasing power index	Safety index	healthcare	Cost of living index	climate index
Denmark
Switzerland
Sweden
Czech
Poland
Russia

As can be seen from the table, the standard of living in European countries (Western and Eastern Europe) surpasses Russia in almost all indicators. Moreover, Western European states benefit both in terms of wages and the level of security.

Conclusion

In fairness, it must be said that the standard of living in European countries has not changed for quite a long time. The indicators are stable, these states are at the peak of their development. But the states of Eastern Europe and Russia are progressing and their performance is improving every year, albeit not as fast as we would like.

This year 149 countries entered. The authors compare countries according to 9 criteria: the level of economic development, the business environment, the effectiveness of public administration, the level of education, healthcare, security and personal freedom, as well as the criteria for the development of social capital and the ecological environment.

Despite such a modest place (96th), compared to previous years, Russia's position has improved. So, in 2017, the country took 99th place in the ranking, and 10 years ago, in 2007 - 108th place. Russia was overtaken this time by such countries as India, Turkey, El Salvador, Jordan, Nepal, Belarus and Guatemala. At the same time, Russia was ahead of, for example, Ukraine, Egypt and Tunisia in the ranking. Russia's immediate neighbors in the ranking are Rwanda (95th) and Kenya (97th). Norway tops the rankings, followed by New Zealand and Finland. The rating is closed by the Central African Republic (CAR) and Afghanistan.

Russia occupies the best position in terms of education - here it is in 22nd place. The biggest weakness is the system of state administration, in which Russia is already in 124th place, and the level of personal freedom - the country is six steps from the bottom of the ranking, in 143rd place. Worse than in Russia, the situation with personal freedom is only in Mauritania, Algeria, Yemen, Sudan, Afghanistan and Egypt.

The leader in economic development this year was Iceland, the leader in terms of the development of the business environment - the United States. Finland took the first place in terms of the level of education and the system of public administration, and Singapore in terms of the level of healthcare development. Norway is recognized as the safest country, and Slovenia is recognized as the most environmentally friendly. The highest levels of personal freedom and human capital are recorded in Canada and New Zealand, respectively.

A place in any rating depends on the evaluation criteria, so it is necessary to say that Russia is worse or better than someone with reservations, says Oleg Shibanov, professor of finance at NES. “In some ratings, for example, the rating of developed countries, which was done by Bloomberg, the emphasis is on the freedom of economic activity. In others - on the level of education and freedom of expression. According to them, the level of development can be very different, this must be borne in mind,” he explains.

So, for example, in the Doing Business rating, Russia ranks 31st, while in the Legatum Institute sub-rating, according to the business environment development criterion, it ranks 60th. And in the Freedom in the World rating, which assesses the level of political and civil freedoms, Russia took 180th place in 2017.

“We need to take into account the effect of a low base. In previous years, there were gigantic geopolitical risks, it was scary that a war would break out. And after the meeting between Putin and Trump this year, there is still a feeling that it won’t get worse,” Vladimir Rozhankovsky, an expert at the International Financial Center, says to LIFA.

According to him, Jordan and India are worthy countries, but the fact that Russia is lagging behind Guatemala is "a little shameful." “India, of course, is less developed than Russia, but it does not conflict with the West and there are no sanctions on it. Any business owner wants to calculate the risks. And the current risks are impossible to calculate. So, apparently, the non-conflict of the country in this rating is more important,” he concludes.

How to identify countries with a strong economy among the huge number of countries in the world? To identify highly developed countries, let's pay attention to the ratings - the results of comparative studies made by international experts and organizations to rank countries according to various indicators. Every year, studies are published showing which country has risen to the TOP, which has fallen. Consider the main indicators that determine which countries in 2019 became the most influential in the economic field, have the highest standard of living, prosperity and freedom.

Level of economic development

The level of economic development assesses the efficiency and maturity of the country's economy. It is not for nothing that only countries with a high level of economic development are included in the group of developed countries, while the rest are called developing. This level is determined by various ratings.

Country ranking by GDP

The key indicator is the level of gross domestic product (GDP). This is the name of the total value of goods, services and other results of the activities of enterprises, firms, companies, institutions, organizations, individuals. This is the result of the work of all residents of the country in question during the year. It is calculated in two ways. The first is when all the income received during the year is added up: interest, profit, salary, and so on. The second is when expenses are summed up (government purchases, investments, consumption, export minus imports). The official source of such information is the World Bank database. The statistics are updated every year and published in autumn. The indicator is also kept by the International Monetary Fund and the UN.

The backbone of the world's GDP is produced by only a few countries, mostly large in territory and population.

If all goods and services produced in monetary terms (GDP) is an absolute value, then by comparing the gross domestic product with the population, we get a relative indicator indicating the well-being of citizens.

According to the World Bank and the IMF, the United States of America has the best GDP indicators. Based on countries, the first places in this indicator are occupied by:

№	A country	2016	2017
1	USA	18624	19391
2	China	11222	12015
3	Japan	4949	4872
4	Germany	3479	3685
5	Great Britain	2661	2625
6	India	2274	2611
7	France	2466	2584
8	Brazil	1793	2055
9	Italy	1860	1938
10	Canada	1536	1652
11	Russia	1285	1578
12	The Republic of Korea	1411	1538
13	Australia	1265	1380
14	Spain	1238	1314
15	Mexico	1077	1149
16	Indonesia	864	932
17	Türkiye	859	857
18	Netherlands	751	771
19	Switzerland	671	660
20	Saudi Arabia	652	640

The presented table with indicators is an actual value that does not take into account the difference in prices for homogeneous goods and services. As a consequence of this omission, the GDP of developed countries is often overstated, while that of developing countries is lower.

Since purchasing power parity is more important, as it gives an idea of ​​the quality of life in the countries of the world, another rating based on PPP is more credible.

According to the International Bank, the level of GDP at PPP for the countries of the world is:

№	A country	2017	2018	2018
1	China	23190	25270	18,69
2	USA	19485	20494	15,16
3	India	9597	10505	7,77
4	Japan	5427	5594	4,14
5	Germany	4199	4356	3,22
6	Russia	4027	4213	3,12
7	Indonesia	3250	3495	2,59
8	Brazil	3255	3365	2,49
9	Great Britain	2930	3038	2,25
10	France	2854	2963	2,19
11	Mexico	2464	2570	1,90
12	Italy	2324	2397	1,77
13	Türkiye	2186	2293	1,70
14	The Republic of Korea	2035	2136	1,58
15	Spain	1778	1864	1,38
16	Saudi Arabia	1777	1858	1,37
17	Canada	1764	1837	1,36
18	Iran	1640	1611	1,19
19	Thailand	1240	1320	0,98
20	Australia	1254	1318	0,98

The International Bank evaluates all the economies of the world with the exception of Syria (due to active hostilities), Somalia (since the state actually broke up into several separate parts) and Venezuela (domestic politics is extremely closed, it is impossible to accurately assess the level of GDP by PPP).

economic freedom

The most important indicator of a country's development is the level (or index) of economic freedom. Since 1995, it has been defined by the American research center "Heritage Foundation" and published annually on its website and in the Wall Street Journal.

Based on the theories of Adam Smith, experts at the Heritage Foundation define economic freedom as the level of non-intervention by the state in the process of production, distribution and consumption, except in situations where it is necessary to protect citizens.

The index is calculated according to the arithmetic mean of ten criteria of freedom - property, absence of corruption, the government's share in regulating the economy, freedom of trade, investment, labor, entrepreneurship, monetary, fiscal, financial. For each of them, an evaluation scale is developed from 0 to 100 points, which are summed up as a result. The higher the score, the higher the level of economic freedom.

free
1.	Hong Kong	90,2
2.	Singapore	89,4
3.	New Zealand	84,4
4.	Switzerland	81,9
5.	Australia	80,9
6	Ireland	80,5
Mostly free
7.	Great Britain	78,9
8.	Canada	77,7
9.	UAE	77,6
10.	Republic of China	77,3
11.	Iceland	77,1
12.	USA	76,8
13.	Netherlands	76,8
14.	Denmark	76,7
15.	Estonia	76,6
16.	Georgia	75,9
17.	Luxembourg	75,9
18.	Chile	75,4
19.	Sweden	75,2
20.	Finland	74,9
21.	Lithuania	74,2
22.	Malaysia	74,0
23.	Czech	73,7
24.	Germany	73,5
25.	Mauritius	73,0
26.	Norway	73,0
27.	Israel	72,8
28.	Qatar	72,6
29.	The Republic of Korea	72,3
30.	Japan	72,1
31.	Austria	72,0
32.	Rwanda	71,1
33.	North Macedonia	71,1
34.	Macau	71,0
35.	Latvia	70,4

Thus, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and Switzerland are considered countries with a free economy (from 80 points and above) in 2019.

As for the countries of the former USSR, in most cases the level of economic freedom in them is weak. Most states are characterized by the active influence of the state on all spheres of life, which often creates some inconvenience and hinders the free development of the economy.

As an example, here are data from 2 studies conducted in 2016 and 2019 for comparison:

2016 Countries with predominantly free economy 9. Estonia 77,2 14. Lithuania 75,2 23. Georgia 72,6 36. Latvia 70,4 Countries with moderate free economy 54. Armenia 67 68. Kazakhstan 63,3 91. Azerbaijan 60,2 Countries with predominantly not free economy 96. Kyrgyzstan 59,6 117. Moldova 57,4 149. Tajikistan 51,3 153. Russia 50,6 Countries with non-free economies 157. Belarus 48,8 162. Ukraine 46,8 166. Uzbekistan 46,0

2019 Countries with predominantly free economy 15. Estonia 76,6 16. Georgia 75,9 21. Lithuania 74,2 35. Latvia 70,4 Countries with moderate free economy 47. Armenia 67,7 59. Kazakhstan 65,4 60. Azerbaijan 65,4 79. Kyrgyzstan 62,3 Countries with predominantly not free economy 97. Moldova 59,1 98. Russia 58,9 104. Belarus 57,9 122. Tajikistan 55,6 140. Uzbekistan 53,3 147. Ukraine 52,3

Prosperity Rating

The economic achievements of the countries of the world are also measured by the level of prosperity. This indicator is offered by the English analytical center Legatum Institute. He has been calculating it since 2006. This index is determined by the level of social well-being of countries in the field of economic development, entrepreneurship, governance, health, security, education, personal freedoms and social capital. Each of the eight criteria is calculated on the basis of statistical research by the United Nations, the World Bank, sociological data from the Gallup Institute and other authoritative centers. According to the results of comparative studies, a rating of states is published annually. In 2019, such results were published for 142 countries of the world.

RATING	A COUNTRY	INDEX
1	Norway	80.98
2	New Zealand	80.90
3	Finland	80.58
4	Switzerland	79.71
5	Denmark	79.33
6	Sweden	79.15
7	UK	79.12
8	Canada	79.02
9	Netherlands	78.99
10	Ireland	78.95
11	Iceland	78.47
12	Luxembourg	78.15
13	Australia	78.10
14	Germany	77.72
15	Austria	76.64
16	Belgium	76.00
17	United States of America	76.00
18	Slovenia	74.65
19	Malta	74.10
20	France	74.06
21	Singapore	73.73
22	Hong Kong	72.93
23	Japan	72.79
24	Portugal	72.61
25	Spain	72.49
26	Estonia	72.44
27	Czech	72.08
28	Cyprus	70.53
29	Mauritius	69.76
30	Uruguay	69.72
31	Costa Rica	69.33
32	Slovakia	68.84
33	Poland	68.33
34	Italy	68.27
35	South Korea	67.82
36	Lithuania	67.72
37	Israel	67.66
38	Chile	67.59
39	United Arab Emirates	67.01
40	Latvia	66.71

Norway, Switzerland, Denmark, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada, Australia, and the Netherlands have the best indicators on the prosperity index.

Other indicators

There are other indicators by which the rating of a country's economic development is measured. This is the level of GDP per capita. It is not considered a strict characteristic, but is considered an important indicator.

Recent studies of the level of GDP per capita (nominal) according to World Bank estimates show the following results:

№	A country	$
1	Luxembourg	104103
-	Macau	80893
2	Switzerland	80190
3	Norway	75505
4	Iceland	70057
5	Ireland	69331
6	Qatar	63506
7	USA	59532
8	Singapore	57714
9	Denmark	56307
10	Australia	53800
11	Sweden	53442
12	San Marino	49664
13	Netherlands	48223
14	Austria	47291
-	Hong Kong	46194
15	Finland	46703
16	Canada	45032
17	Germany	44470
18	Belgium	43324
19	New Zealand	42941
20	UAE	40699
60	Russia	10743
-	World	10714

A more accurate characteristic is the level of the same indicator in terms of parity (the ratio of several currencies) per capita purchasing power to a certain set of services or goods.

Here the first places are occupied by:

№	A country	2017	2018
1	Qatar	127755	130475
-	Macau (PRC)	110592	116808
2	Luxembourg	103298	106705
3	Singapore	95508	10345
4	Brunei	78971	79530
5	Ireland	73215	78785
6	Norway	72170	74356
7	UAE	68639	69382
8	Kuwait	66197	67000
9	Switzerland	62131	64649
-	Hong Kong (PRC)	61529	64216
10	USA	59895	62606
11	San Marino	68624	60313
12	Netherlands	53933	56383
13	Saudi Arabia	54595	55944
14	Iceland	53834	55917
-	Taiwan (PRC)	50593	53023
15	Sweden	51180	52984
16	Germany	50804	52559
17	Australia	50609	52373
18	Austria	50035	52137
19	Denmark	50643	52121
20	Bahrain	49035	50057
49	Russia	27964	29267

The Human Development Index, which has been published in the reports of the United Nations Development Program since 1990, is another traditional comparative indicator of living standards and the economy. Norway, Australia, Switzerland, Netherlands, USA, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Singapore, Denmark have a very high human development rating, according to the latest 2014 report.

Based on all these indicators, the world's strongest and most efficient economies for 2019 are:

2. Hong Kong

3. Australia

4. Germany

5. Switzerland

7. Netherlands

8. New Zealand

9. Singapore

10. Japan

Corruption Perceptions Index

Since 1996, the rating of the level of corruption has been recognized as the most important indicator of the state of the country's economy. The official name is the Corruption Perceptions Index. It was introduced by the international non-governmental organization Transparency International. It takes into account how widespread corruption is in the public sector. This ranking is calculated by analyzing surveys and statistical data. Corruption in the framework of the study refers to any extraction of personal gain through abuse of office.

Interestingly, the study is not based on the statistics of criminal cases or sentences, but on the opinion of those who suffer from corruption or study this phenomenon.

To determine this index, we developed a scale from zero to one hundred, where 0 means the maximum level of corruption, and 100 - its absence. Although the methodology by which the rating is determined is the object of criticism, in general it is recognized by experts as relatively reliable.

2018	A country	2018	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013
№		№	№	№	№	№	№	№
1	Denmark	89	90	91	91	91	90
2	New Zealand	88	90	91	92	91	90
3	Finland	85	89	90	89	89	90
4	Sweden	85	85	87	86	86	85
5	Switzerland	85	86	86	86	85	86
6	Singapore	84	88	89	87	89	88
7	Norway	84	84	85	84	86	87
8	Netherlands	82	83	87	83	83	84
9	Canada	82	82	83	81	81	84
10	Luxembourg	82	81	81	79	78	79
11	Germany	82	81	81	78	76	74
12	Great Britain	81	81	81	82	80	80
13	Australia	77	77	75	74	75	77
14	Iceland	75	78	79	79	78	82
15	Hong Kong	75	77	77	76	75	75
16	Austria	75	79	79	80	81	85
17	Belgium	75	75	76	72	69	69
18	Ireland	75	74	76	74	73	73
19	Japan	74	73	75	74	72	69
20	Estonia	73	72	75	76	74	74

The most difficult situation with corruption is observed in the following countries:

170	Sudan	17	18	18	18	20	25
171	Yemen	17	16	17	19	19	25
172	North Korea	17
173	Syria	17	14	16	18	15	21
174	South Sudan	17	12	8	8	8	8
175	Somalia	16	14	12	11	11	13
176	Yemen	16	14	18	19	18	23
177	Afghanistan	15	15	11	12	8	8
178	Syria	14	13	18	20	17	26
179	South Sudan	12	11	15	15	14
180	Somalia	9	10	8	8	8	8

Credit ratings

The economic "health" of the country is also assessed by financial or credit ratings. They are calculated taking into account the financial history of the state, the size of its property and the ability and desire to pay debts. Such an index is needed in order to make it clear to potential creditors or investors how safe it is to deal with the country. Financial ratings are assessed by international agencies. Moody's, Standard and Poor's and Fitch have the most serious reputation. They work all over the world and help to distinguish reliable partners from unreliable ones. Each of them has its own naming system, but in general, countries with a high degree of obligation are designated by the letter A, medium and lower - Ba, risky - B, high risk and close to default - C.

№	A country	Long-term rating	Short term rating
1	USA	AAA	F1+
2	Great Britain	AA	F1+
3	Germany	AAA	F1+
4	France	AA	F1+
5	Japan	A	F1
6	Spain	A-	F1
7	Italy	BBB	F2
8	Portugal	BBB	F2
9	Greece	bb-	B
10	Ireland	A+	F1+
11	Andorra	BBB+	F2
12	UAE	AA	F1+
13	Armenia	B+	B
14	Angola	B	B
15	Argentina	B	B
16	Austria	AA+	F1+
17	Australia	AAA	F1+
18	Azerbaijan	BB+	B
19	Bangladesh	bb-	B
20	Belgium	AA-	F1+
21	Bulgaria	BBB	F2
22	Bahrain	bb-	B
23	Benin	B	B
24	Bolivia	bb-	B
25	Brazil	bb-	B
26	Belarus	B	B
27	Canada	AAA	F1+
28	Congo	CC	C
29	Switzerland	AAA	F1+
30	Ivory Coast	B+	B
31	Chile	A	F1
32	Cameroon	B	B
33	China	A+	F1+
34	Colombia	BBB	F2
35	Costa Rica	BB	B
36	Cape Verde	B	B
37	Cyprus	BB+	B
38	Czech	AA-	F1+
39	Denmark	AAA	F1+
40	Dominican Republic	bb-	B
41	Ecuador	B	B
42	Estonia	A+	F1+
43	Egypt	B	B
44	Ethiopia	B	B
45	Finland	AA+	F1+
46	Gabon	B	B
47	Georgia	bb-	B
48	Ghana	B	B
49	Gambia	CCC	C
50	Guatemala	BB	B
51	Hong Kong	AA+	F1+
52	Croatia	BB+	B
53	Hungary	BBB-	F3
54	Indonesia	BBB	F2
55	Israel	A+	F1+
56	India	BBB-	F3
57	Iraq	B-	B
58	Iran	B+	B
59	Iceland	A	F1
60	Jamaica	B	B
61	Kenya	B+	B
62	South Korea	AA-	F1+
63	Kuwait	AA	F1+
64	Kazakhstan	BBB	F2
65	Lebanon	B-	B
66	Sri Lanka	B+	B
67	Lesotho	B+	B
68	Lithuania	A-	F1
69	Luxembourg	AAA	F1+
70	Latvia	A-	F1
71	Libya	B	B
72	Morocco	BBB-	F3
73	Moldova	B-	B
74	Macedonia	BB	B
75	Mali	B-	B
76	Mongolia	B	B
77	Malta	A+	F1+
78	Maldives	B+	B
79	Malawi	B-	B
80	Mexico	BBB+	F2
81	Malaysia	A-	F1
82	Mozambique	RD	C
83	Namibia	BB+	B
84	Nigeria	B+	B
85	Nicaragua	B	B
86	Netherlands	AAA	F1+
87	Norway	AAA	F1+
88	New Zealand	AA	F1+
89	Oman	BBB-	F3
90	Panama	BBB	F2
91	Peru	BBB+	F2
92	Papua New Guinea	B+	B
93	Philippines	BBB	F2
94	Pakistan	B	B
95	Poland	A-	F2
96	Paraguay	BB	B
97	Qatar	AA-	F1+
98	Romania	BBB-	F3
99	Serbia	BB	B
100	Russia	BBB-	F3
101	Rwanda	B+	B
102	Saudi Arabia	A+	F1+
103	Seychelles	bb-	B
104	Sweden	AAA	F1+
105	Singapore	AAA	F1+
106	Slovenia	A-	F1
107	Slovakia	A+	F1+
108	San Marino	BBB-	F3
109	Suriname	B-	B
110	Salvador	B-	B
111	Thailand	BBB+	F2
112	Turkmenistan	CCC-	C
113	Tunisia	B+	B
114	Türkiye	BB	B
115	Taiwan	AA-	F1+
116	Ukraine	B-	B
117	Uganda	B+	B
118	Uruguay	BBB-	F3
119	Venezuela	RD	C
120	Vietnam	BB	B
121	South Africa	BB+	B
122	Zambia	B	B

Rating	Rating value
AAA	lowest risk, highest creditworthiness
AA+	moderate risk, very high creditworthiness, first level
AA	moderate risk, very high creditworthiness, second tier
AA-	moderate risk, very high creditworthiness, tier three
A	moderate risk, high creditworthiness, second level
A-	moderate risk, high creditworthiness, third level
VVV+	moderate risk, sufficient creditworthiness, first level
VVV	moderate risk, sufficient creditworthiness, second level
VVV-	moderate risk, sufficient creditworthiness, third level
CCC	high risk and threat of default, significant credit risk

Index with a "human face"

The last few years have demonstrated the importance of such an indicator of economic development as social progress. The previous indicators corresponded to economic theories, but they did not show how the growth of the economy affects people's lives. Therefore, in 2013, the Social Progress Index was developed as an alternative to economic indicators. Its author is Harvard University professor Michael Porter. This rating is calculated based on the analysis of sociological survey data, expert opinions and statistical information from international organizations. Determining the achievements of each country in this area, the researchers took into account more than fifty factors.

1. This is the satisfaction of basic needs - food, water and medical care, housing, a degree.
2. Then the fundamental foundations of well-being are taken into account - access to education and information, the level of literacy and communication.
3. And, finally, development opportunities are analyzed - the level of protection of civil and political rights and self-realization is determined.

RATING	A COUNTRY	INDEX
1	Norway	90.26
2	Iceland	90.24
3	Switzerland	89.97
4	Denmark	89.96
5	Finland	89.77
6	Japan	89.74
7	Netherlands	89.34
8	Luxembourg	89.27
9	Germany	89.21
10	New Zealand	89.12
11	Sweden	88.99
12	Ireland	88.82
13	UK	88.74
14	Canada	88.62
15	Australia	88.32
16	France	87.88
17	Belgium	87.39
18	South Korea	87.13
19	Spain	87.11
20	Austria	86.76
21	Italy	86.04
22	Slovenia	85.50
23	Singapore	85.42
24	Portugal	85.36
25	United States of America	84.78
26	Czech	84.66
27	Estonia	83.49
28	Cyprus	82.85
29	Greece	82.59
30	Israel	82.47
60	Russia	70.16

From the results of the studies we analyzed, it is clear that there is a direct relationship between economic freedom, financial security, standard of living, and social progress. Countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Norway, the Netherlands are leading among those who provide their citizens with dignity and at the same time respect civil and political rights, and also pay their bills honestly. Little Asian "tigers": Singapore or Hong Kong, as well as oil "millionaires" (UAE, Qatar) are "ahead of the rest" in terms of economic freedom and per capita income. But countries with a strong and efficient economy - the USA, China, Japan, Great Britain, Germany - are distributed in different positions in the ranking, because. far from always being able to provide the people living there with a high level of income and opportunities for development.

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In which countries do people live better? Where is the best education, medicine? In which countries do people feel safe on the streets? If someone wants to choose another place of permanent residence (permanent residence) for themselves, think about whether it will be better to live there? Take advantage of the Prosperity Index, a popular ranking of countries in terms of living standards, compiled by The Legatum Institute researchers - this is the only ranking in the world that evaluates not only GDP per capita, but also the overall satisfaction with a person's life in a country.

What is ranked?

Traditionally, the standard of living is based solely on macroeconomic indicators such as GDP, or the average level of income per capita (GDP per capita) is taken. However, most people would agree that the standard of living is much more than just the accumulation of material wealth. Above all, a person's standard of living is a sense of security, the joy of everyday life and the prospect of being able to build an even better life in the future, not only for themselves but also for their children. This is what is taken into account in this rating (the methods are described in detail on the Institute's website - see the link above).

A total of 142 countries are represented in the ranking. The rating is compiled annually based on the results of the previous year, i.е. The 2016 rating was compiled based on the results of 2015. Let me remind you once again that the rating evaluates not economic indicators, but how satisfied a person is with his life, living in this country.

Criteria for ranking the standard of living:
- income per capita (including whether a person is satisfied with his income);
- ease of entrepreneurship;
- the effectiveness of state administration (according to citizens);
– the quality of medical care;
– the quality of education in different countries;
– safety (for example, how safe does a person feel when walking the streets at night);
- freedom of expression;
- social capital as an indicator of the culture of society in the field of relationships between people (in countries with a high social indicator, people can rely on the support of fellow citizens, even strangers; they respect other people's opinions and tolerate the shortcomings of others; people can calmly negotiate and improve their lives together).

Where is the best place to live?

According to this rating, the happiest people live in. Life is worst in the Central African Republic. Most of all, people are satisfied with their income in. It is easiest to do business in Sweden. Australians are the most satisfied with the quality of education in their country. Quality of medical services - in the USA. People feel most secure. Freedom of expression is highest in Canada. And the most sympathetic people live in New Zealand.

Rating of the countries of the world where it is best to live. TOP-15

Russia and other countries in the ranking by standard of living

Russia in the ranking of countries in terms of living standards takes 58th place. In general, the level of satisfaction with life in Russia has increased (from 68th to 58th place). According to polls, citizens have more confidence in the government. Despite the fact that, according to statistics, the level of income has fallen sharply, the Russians believe that their economic life has become no worse than in the last 3 years. Most of all, Russians are satisfied with the quality of education in the country (29th place).

Ukraine is in 70th place. Ukrainians are most dissatisfied with their income and how the country is run, and also consider the standard of living to be insufficient in all respects.

How do people live in other countries? India - 99th place China - 52nd place, Thailand - 48th place, Spain - 24th place, Germany - 14th place, USA - 11th place.

See full list.

Everything is known in comparison - probably, this idea was adopted by the compilers of the first ratings. And they began to compose them in the United States as early as the middle of the 19th century. According to historians, businessman Lewis Tappan, who went bankrupt after the economic crisis, decided to create an agency to identify the reliability of companies and banks. Based on financial documents, interviews with employees, government officials and even local residents, experts made a conclusion about the solvency of a particular company. The rating was sold to interested parties. The idea was picked up by other agencies. A century later, world rankings appeared. At first they were only economic, later sociological. Now countries are evaluated on a variety of indicators. For example, according to the index of happiness or human development.

What is the role of country ratings in modern times and what do they reflect

“They say that numbers rule the world. No, they only show how the world is ruled,” the statement of Johann Wolfgang Goethe may well become the motto of a reputable rating agency. Its specialists compare digital series reflecting different indicators in order to ultimately find out which country is the leader and which is the outsider of the world economy and politics.

Rating is an assessment (from the English word rate - evaluate), which shows the place of a country (or other object) according to some criterion. When it comes to territory, population, most economic indicators, the basis of the assessment is the exact numbers. If the rating affects sociological aspects, for example, happiness or well-being of people, special formulas are used for calculation, including several criteria.

Economic ratings of countries help to assess how profitable cooperation with foreign partners will be, whether it is worth making investments, which business will develop better. Social ratings most often answer one question, formulated in different ways: in which country is life better.

Rankings that are based on several indicators, such as the happiness index, are often biased

However, not all methods of compiling world rankings provide reliable information. It turned out that data can be manipulated in the interests of some companies and even countries, and estimates do not keep up with changes in the economy. According to experts, mistakes have especially become more frequent in connection with the latest crisis in the economy. For example, rating agencies failed to predict the collapse of the US real estate market and the bankruptcy of some international corporations.

Depending on where the information was received from, the ratings can be conditionally divided into three groups:

based on data from official bodies (in Russia - Rosstat, Rospotrebnadzor, labor inspectorate, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs and others);

information from unofficial sources;

targeted surveys of citizens.

Ratings commissioned by the UN, WHO and other international organizations show what problems exist in a particular country

The most respected international rating agencies are Moody's, Standard & Poor's (S&P) and Fitch. In Russia, among the first to master this type of activity, the weekly "Expert" created a special service there. Later it was joined by the National Rating Agency, Rosbusinessconsulting, AK&M, Rus-Rating. However, so far Russian ratings have not gained confidence at the international level.

The world-famous American writer Mark Twain said: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." Rating is also a product of statistics. Therefore, when looking at country estimates, it is important to know what information they were based on and what factors were taken into account. However, agencies do not always disclose their sources and honestly talk about calculation methods. And this raises doubts about the reliability of the rating. In addition, recently the position of the country in the list is influenced by politics. Sometimes surprising results are obtained, which, even if desired, are difficult to believe. In some cases, it is impossible to make an objective assessment, because there is no complete information picture. So ratings, especially complex, multi-component ones, should be treated with some skepticism.

Video: Israelis disagree with their country's place in the US magazine rankings

Current country rankings

Global rankings are often compiled at the initiative of international organizations. From the company or agency that fulfill the order, it depends on what place this or that country will be. In one-component ratings, discrepancies are rare. Although there are. For example, in the international ranking of states by the size of the territory, the accession of Crimea to Russia is not taken into account. There are especially many discrepancies in ratings based on several criteria. There is no single assessment methodology. The most striking examples are the determination of the standard of living or the index of happiness.

Recently, ratings that evaluate not economic, but social and even emotional indicators have become popular.

By standard of living

This ranking is based on a number of economic and social indicators. The main ones are the development of the economy, education, health care, citizens' incomes and prices for goods and services, security, and ensuring freedoms. Often, compilers consider such concepts as standard of living, well-being and prosperity to be synonymous. A high position in the ranking does not mean at all that everyone in the country lives equally well without exception. And low - does not always show that the country is unsuitable for life.

New Zealand ranked as the most prosperous country in 2017 by the Legatum Prosperity Index

The Legatum Prosperity Index agency compiled a ranking of the well-being of countries in 2016-2017. The prosperity index is calculated according to 9 criteria:

the state of the economy;

business conditions;

public administration;

quality and accessibility of education;

development of medicine;

criminal situation;

individual freedom;

social potential;

ecological situation.

There are 149 countries in the Agency's Legatum Prosperity Index rating. The twenty leaders in terms of living standards have not changed significantly for several years. They just move from position to position. In the latest ranking, New Zealand has the highest prosperity index. Great Britain improved its score by 5 points. The US and Denmark lost 6 lines each. And Finland has also strengthened its position.

The prosperity index is not only the economy and public administration, but also the freedom of the individual

The top 20 prosperous countries include New Zealand, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain, Germany, Luxembourg, Ireland, Iceland, Austria, Belgium, USA, France, Singapore, Slovenia. Spain and Japan were a little short of the top twenty.

Most of the countries of the former socialist bloc are in the middle of the list and towards the end. Russia and Ukraine, compared to the previous year, fell by 37 points, they occupy 95 and 107 positions in the rating.

Russia in the Legatum Prosperity Index was lower than Cambodia and Honduras

Outsiders of the prosperity scale are Asian and African countries with an unstable political and economic situation: Pakistan, Burundi, Angola, Mauritania, Iraq, Chad, Congo, Sudan, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, Yemen.

Realization of a person or his potential is one of the criteria in assessing the level of prosperity of a country

Henley & Partners proposes to evaluate countries according to the Quality of Nationality Index (QNI). It is derived from internal (stability and development of the economy, social security, education, business conditions, the presence of military conflicts) and external indicators (attitude towards migrants, visa-free entry for citizens to other countries). In the latest ranking, 159 countries received an assessment. The best country in 2017, according to Henley & Partners, is Germany. France, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Spain also received the highest scores. The United States is not even in the top twenty of the most advanced citizenships, but occupies the 28th line. Russia is located on the 63rd position, having gone down by 3 points, compared with the previous ranking.

Rounding out the list are the same countries that have become outsiders in the prosperity ranking from the Legatum Prosperity Index, plus the Syrian Republic and Ethiopia.

By GDP

The level of gross domestic product (GDP) or Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a more “solid” indicator when compared with the prosperity index.

GDP is the most important economic criterion, it is equal to the final value of everything that is produced in the country during the year. The authoritative source of data on the level of GDP is the World Bank World Development Indicators, which receives data from national statistical authorities. It is customary to calculate the GDP indicator in US dollars at official exchange rates.

The level of GDP is one of the main indicators in the global economy

In 2017, the United States became the leader in terms of GDP, their figure was $19,284.99 billion. In second place is China (12,263.43 billion), in third place is Japan (4,513.75 billion). The top ten included Germany, Great Britain, France, India, Italy, Brazil, Canada. Russia with a significant increase of 134 billion rose to 12th place, overtaking Australia.

GDP per capita

The level of GDP is compared without taking into account the number of population. But there is a rating of countries in which both indicators are taken into account. By dividing the resulting GDP by all the inhabitants of the country, the welfare of citizens is calculated. This means that the state can invest more in social programs, improvement, and the environment. However, one should not think that the standard of living of a particular person depends on the size of the gross domestic product.

Luxembourg is the richest country in the world

In 2017, Luxembourg holds the palm in terms of GDP per capita. This tiny country earned $108,000 for every inhabitant. Not far behind the leader are Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Macau. The top ten richest countries include Qatar, USA, Ireland, Denmark, Australia.

Russia occupies only 67th place in this indicator, leaving behind Grenada, Romania, Turkey and Lebanon.

The laggards are predominantly African states.

Outsiders in the ranking of GDP per capita - African countries

Inflation

The inflation rate rating is compiled annually according to the International Monetary Fund and national statistical services. The top lines in it are occupied by countries where prices have risen the most. In 2017, the leader of the inflationary race is Venezuela. There is an unbridled and fantastic increase in prices, they have added more than 2,000 percent in a year.

In Venezuela, inflation has devalued money so much that they began to weigh it

The top five also includes Yemen, Argentina, Angola, and Nigeria. But in these countries, inflation is kept at the level of 12-20%. The Republic of Belarus is slightly behind them, its indicator is 11%.

In 2017, Russia managed to moderate its pricing policy. According to official figures, inflation was only 6%. And in the world ranking, the country is in 39th place.

The list is closed by prosperous and economically stable states - Spain and Switzerland. Zero inflation was shown by Brunei and Ecuador, and life in Senegal, according to these data, even fell in price.

Unemployment rate

The International Labor Organization defines the concept of "unemployed". He is considered a person who is not working at the moment, but can and would like to work. The level for this indicator is calculated as a percentage based on the ratio of the number of able-bodied population and those who are looking for work. The countries with the highest number of unemployed top the list. For example, in South Africa, the leader of the 2017 ranking, 28 people out of 100 cannot find a job. In Venezuela, 26 people out of every hundred want, but cannot find a job.

Unemployment is high even in relatively prosperous countries

Russia, with a score of 5.5, occupies a position in the middle of the ranking. The same unemployment rate in Panama, the Dominican Republic and Fiji. And in prosperous Spain, every tenth able-bodied person cannot find a job.

Minimum unemployment rate in Thailand and Belarus

By area

The ranking, which reflects the area of ​​countries, has hardly changed in recent years. There were many changes at the end of the last century. After the parade of sovereignties, the collapse of the socialist republics, the political map of the world became different. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union did not affect the primacy of the Russian Federation in the ranking of the size of the territory. Previously, it was 1/6th of the land, now it is a quarter. But Russia remains the largest country on Earth, significantly surpassing its closest neighbors in the rating - China, the USA, Canada and Brazil. At the opposite end of the list is Monaco.

By population

Another rating, which is distinguished by consistency, compares countries by population. According to this indicator, no one manages to overtake China and India. Despite the restrictive demographic policy, in these countries several million people are added to more than a billion every year. By the way, the third populous power is the United States. But only 325 million live there. Russia is only ninth in this ranking, and Mexico is in 10th place.

The most populous country is China

Rounding out the list are tiny, small, but well-known countries - Monaco, Liechtenstein and San Marino - with their 30-40 thousand people. And at the very end, exotic and little-known Palau, Nauru, Tuvalu, where 10-20 thousand people live.

By population density

Population density is derived from two indicators. This is the number of inhabitants of the country, divided by the area of ​​the state. By performing a simple arithmetic operation, you can find out how many people live in one square kilometer. Of course, this figure will be conditional. In different regions of the same country, the population density differs several times. For example, compare the European part of Russia and the Far East.

The smaller the country, the more people per square kilometer

The most densely populated countries in the world are Macau and Monaco, with 20,000 people per square kilometer. And in Mongolia, which is on the bottom line of the ranking, only 2 people share a kilometer. Russia can be classified as a sparsely populated country, its indicator is 9 people per 100 hectares.

Countries where they like to drink

The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report on alcohol consumption in 2017. Particular emphasis was placed on a dozen countries whose population drinks the maximum amount of alcohol per year. The leader of this group has changed. A year earlier, Belarus started the list, and now Lithuania, whose inhabitants drink 16 liters of alcohol a year. Moreover, the entire population over 15 years old is taken into account. Belarus, where they consume 15 liters of alcohol, moved to second place. The third was Latvia, whose residents have enough for 13 liters of alcohol per year.

In 2016, Russia ranked 4th in the ranking of the most drinking countries in the world

The Russian Federation, contrary to our common opinion, is far from being the most “using” country. She and Poland were only in fourth place. The Russians slightly lowered the “drinking” rating, while the Poles raised it. Both those and others drink an average of 12 liters of alcohol during the year.

Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Australia entered the top ten alcohol lovers. In this club and South Korea, she became the most drinking Asian country.

South Koreans do not indulge in alcohol

And the least popular alcoholic beverages in countries where the population professes Islam. The biggest teetotalers are residents of Pakistan and Kuwait. They drink about 100 ml of alcohol per year, which is about a bottle of weak wine.

By level of corruption

Assessing the level of corruption in different countries is not easy. There are no official data on this indicator. Therefore, analysts build a rating based on the opinions of businessmen, independent experts and ordinary people.

Statistical services do not measure the level of corruption

There is no 100% absence of corruption anywhere. At the beginning of the list are countries where there are few corrupt officials, at the end are the most "bribery-intensive" states. New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland are recognized as the cleanest from this scourge. The Russian Federation is in 132nd place out of 175, the closest neighbors are Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Most of all corrupt officials are in North Korea, South Sudan and Somalia. There, judging by the rating, you can't take a step without a bribe.

Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine are recognized as one of the most corrupt countries

Happiness Rating

Since 2012, at the initiative of the United Nations, a study has been carried out on achievements aimed at creating conditions for universal happiness. The country's position in the international ranking of happiness is determined by a number of statistical criteria: the size of the gross product per capita, life expectancy, respect for rights and freedoms, stability and confidence in the future, unemployment and corruption. In addition, data from surveys to identify the degree of trust and generosity of citizens are taken into account. Respondents are also asked to evaluate their feeling of happiness according to a certain gradation.

Sociologists and statisticians have learned to measure the level of happiness

The 2017 Happiness Index includes 155 countries. Norwegians are recognized as the happiest people on the planet. Denmark, last year's leader, took 2nd place. Following are Iceland, Switzerland, Finland. Residents of the Netherlands, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Sweden also entered the TOP-10 lucky ones. But the citizens of many large and economically wealthy states enjoy life not so actively.

The happiness of each person does not depend on ratings

The USA took only 14th place, Germany - 16th. The British were on the index of happiness 19th, the Brazilians - 22nd, the cheerful French only on the 31st line. Emotional Italians became 48th. Behind them are the Russians, then Belize and Japan. China is in the middle of the ranking - at 79th position.

Video: The happiest country - Norway

Lifespan

The Life Expectancy Index is one of the main criteria for world statistics. It shows the socio-demographic situation in the states and the world. This is not an easy age at which, on average, people die. Scientists consider the index as the number of years that a person of a certain generation will conditionally live if the death rate remains unchanged.

Average life expectancy in Russia approached world indicators

This indicator characterizes not only demography, but also many other aspects that affect life expectancy: the development of the economy, the level of health care, the degree of education and sanitary culture of the population. The prospects for the development of society depend on the growth or decrease in the life expectancy index.

The Life Expectancy Index, calculated according to the UN methodology, is derived from the data of national statistical agencies. The rating is published annually, but the report uses information from previous years. The current rating is based on data for 2016. The leaders in this indicator are Hong Kong (life expectancy index - 84), Japan (83.5), Italy (83.1), Singapore (83.0), Switzerland (83.0). In the top ten countries of centenarians are Iceland and Spain, where the index is 82.6, Australia and Israel (82.4), France - 82.2.

The Japanese are recognized centenarians, they are friends with physical education even in retirement

African countries are at the bottom of the list. There, life expectancy ranges from 55 to 49 years.

Russia has been consistently improving its position in the ranking lately. Now it is in 116th place with an index of 70.1.

World average life expectancy - 71 years

But in the ranking of average life expectancy, which was presented by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Russians rose even higher, to 110th position, approaching the global indicator. And the group of ten leading countries, according to WHO, looks a little different. The first place is occupied by Japan. And instead of Hong Kong and Singapore - Germany and Sweden. But the company of outsiders looks almost the same.

The quality of the roads

The report, prepared for the World Economic Forum, provides a ranking of countries that assesses the quality of roads in 2017. The list includes 138 states. The roads of the United Arab Emirates open it, the second place went to the highways of Singapore, the third - to Hong Kong. In the top ten autobahns of the Netherlands, Japan, France, Switzerland, Austria, Portugal, Denmark. The US and Germany are a little short of the leading positions, they are in 13th and 16th positions, respectively.

Japan's highways are some of the best in the world

The former Soviet republics - Lithuania, Estonia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Georgia, Armenia, Latvia - are in the middle of the rating, they entered the first hundred. Kazakhstan is already outside of it. Yes, and Russian off-road, according to experts, is not the worst, but close to it. Russian broken roads, according to experts, deserve 123 places out of 138.

Even more pits and potholes are driven around by motorists in Moldova and Ukraine, they took 132 and 133 places. And the roads in Madagascar are very bad, only a little better in the Congo. These countries are located on the final lines of the road rating.

Madagascar has the worst roads in the world

By gold and foreign exchange reserves

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) released fresh data on international reserves. This rating reflects the value of state assets in securities, currency and gold (bars and coins). The size of the gold and foreign exchange reserve is usually determined in US dollars.

The largest gold reserves are concentrated in China

As of May 2017, the People's Republic of China has the largest reserve in the world, its capital was estimated at $3,344.7 billion. Japan has 1,318.3 billion. Switzerland has accumulated 765.0 billion, Saudi Arabia - 514. Taiwan closes the top five richest countries, its reserve is 433.0 billion. Russia, with a capital of 405.1, ranks 7th in the ranking, between Hong Kong and South Korea. India closes the top ten richest countries.

The United States only 21 positions. The gold and foreign exchange reserves of the EU countries are often assessed in aggregate. In the piggy bank of a united Europe, 745.9 billion dollars. And the most prosperous country is Germany.

Human Development Index

The Human Development Index is a multi-component indicator developed by the United Nations in 1990. According to researchers, it most fully shows the quality of life in different countries and the dynamics of development of their citizens. The index takes into account the well-being of society, respect for human rights and social justice. The calculation is carried out in three directions:

health and longevity;

accessibility of education;

gross national income and purchasing power.

Based on official data provided by government departments. New criteria are being introduced to refine the human potential index. For example, indices of gender inequality and multidimensional poverty.

Countries are ranked according to the Human Development Index, and then divided into 4 groups according to the value of the indicator. The latest rating was compiled in 2016, it includes 190 states and territories.

There are 49 countries in the group with the highest human development index. Norway opens the rating, Australia, Switzerland, Denmark and the Netherlands are also in the top five. USA is in 8th place. In the same group, almost all members of the European Union, including the Baltic trio of immigrants from the USSR.

Norway is not only the happiest country, it also received the highest score in human development

The second group - countries with a high level of human potential. The first position is occupied by Russia and Belarus. Here are some former Soviet republics, China, Bulgaria, Romania, Turkey.

In the third group of states with an average index. At the top of the list are Botswana, Moldova, Egypt, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan. In the same company India, Honduras, Vietnam, Cambodia and Syria.

Pakistan has received the lowest score in the Human Development Index as its government is doing next to nothing to make the life of children in the country successful.

In the group with a low human potential index, mainly African countries, as well as Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan.

I am a philologist by education. My hobbies are reading, traveling, caring for the garden and pets. Therefore, much of what I write about is not a theory at all, but a practice that I have personally gone through.