To help people understand how countries are perceived globally, US News & World Report surveyed 21,000 respondents from around the world. They were asked to rate 80 countries on a number of criteria: from political influence, educational level and openness to business to the beauty of nature, social development and quality of life.
For the first time, respondents were asked what they think of the world's leading politicians. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Angela Merkel turned out to be the most respected leaders of the countries, while the actions of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin caused disapproval from the majority of respondents. At the same time, the level of disapproval of Trump (60%) was higher than that of Putin (44%).
Based on the results of the study, a ranking of countries by living standards was compiled. The table contains a complete list, we will dwell on the leaders in more detail.
Top states for quality of life 2018
But which countries of the world entered the top 10 in terms of living standards in 2018.
10. Netherlands
This small country, according to the respondents, is one of the most modern states in the world. It has all the conditions for entrepreneurship, parenting and traveling alone. In addition, it is one of the greenest countries in the world and it is gender equality.
9. France
It is among the top ten countries in terms of cultural influence, weight in the international arena, rich traditions and education.
8. USA
America is down one rank from its 2017 rankings. She can be proud of a high level of education and is a leader in political influence and military strength.
At the same time, the United States lost its traditional status of a politically stable and democratic country. Perhaps the reason for this is the election of Donald Trump, which is associated with numerous scandals, as well as the US policy in Syria and the position regarding Jerusalem. In a US News & World Report, Trump has become more unpopular "than any other head of state or company CEO" during the year as US leader.
7. Australia
The country to which convicts were once exiled is now one of the most advanced in the world. It has created favorable conditions for life, education, raising children and traveling alone. In addition, Australia is among the top 3 most comfortable countries in the world to retire.
6. Sweden
The Scandinavian state ranks first in the top 10 in terms of ecology. According to the respondents, women are comfortable living in it. However, in the future, due to the influx of migrants, this situation may change.
5. Japan
The Land of the Rising Sun received high marks for the level of development of entrepreneurship, economy and rich traditions. Its competitors - Singapore and China - are ranked 16th and 20th respectively, and are leading among the countries with the highest living standards in Asia. All three countries have strong potential for economic growth.
4. United Kingdom
The UK's plunge down one rank from 2017 signals a growing lack of confidence in the country's economic strength after Brexit. On the other hand, the respondents highly rated the level of English education.
3. Germany
Germany climbed one spot on the 2018 list, replacing Great Britain, which moved up to fourth. This was facilitated by Germany's reputation as an open country with transparent government action and strong gender equality. And also Germany is number one in the field of entrepreneurship.
2. Canada
The countries with the most progressive social and environmental policies dominate the overall ranking. This can be seen in the examples of Canada and Switzerland. Moreover, the "maple country" is the world leader in quality of life.
The report mentions such important Canadian assets as Celine Dion and Sarah McLachlan, the national policy of multiculturalism, peacekeeping efforts and Canadian oil reserves.
1. Switzerland
This is the second time that the Swiss lead the "Best Countries in the World". This alpine land was voted the best corporate headquarters by respondents. In addition, it was ranked second in the “Citizenship” subsection, which takes into account how much a country cares about human rights, the environment, gender equality, freedom of religion, property rights and the right distribution of political power.
Switzerland's success is due in part to its stable, thriving economy and reputation for being a country that is open to business. It is one of the top 3 best retirement destinations in the world.
What about the situation with the standard of living in Russia?
Our country was on the 26th place in the rating, ahead of Thailand, but behind India. On such criteria as "military strength" and "political influence" Russia is second only to the United States. It is in the top 5 countries with the largest military budget in the world. However, respondents do not consider the Russian Federation a country open for business.
Russia is 50th and Ukraine is 100th.
why is russia in 26th place
There is no difference between the standard of living in Russia and the countries of the West, Canada, and the USA. Under Putin, everything became equal.
It's strange that Ty was ahead ...