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Old 10-09-2009, 01:26 AM
 
42 posts, read 261,483 times
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The recent release of the United Nation's HDI (Human Development Index) compares a range of statistical data to determine the places in the world with the highest standard of living...

1. Norway
2. AUSTRALIA
3. Iceland
4. Canada
5. Ireland
6. Netherlands
7. Sweden
8. France
9. Switzerland
10. Japan
13. UNITED STATES
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Old 10-09-2009, 08:16 AM
 
Location: MichOhioigan
1,595 posts, read 2,972,293 times
Reputation: 1598
I was surprised that they each ranked as high as they did. I would have thought Australia would have been in the 7th-12th range and the U.S. in the high teens.
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Old 10-09-2009, 05:49 PM
 
Location: Greater PDX
1,018 posts, read 4,094,270 times
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I thought Australia's would be a lot lower, what with the dingos eating everyone's babies.
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Old 10-10-2009, 10:13 AM
 
Location: Sarasota, Florida
15,395 posts, read 22,432,455 times
Reputation: 11134
I thought the US would be ranked even lower.
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Old 10-10-2009, 11:54 AM
 
11,289 posts, read 26,048,610 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Shaft View Post
I thought Australia's would be a lot lower, what with the dingos eating everyone's babies.
hahahaha, love it
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Old 11-05-2011, 08:48 PM
 
Location: 30-40°N 90-100°W
13,809 posts, read 26,445,585 times
Reputation: 6783
They've since changed their method anyway. In the new methodology the top ten is

1. Norway
2. Australia
3. The Netherlands
4. USA
5. New Zealand
6. Canada
7. Ireland
8. Liechtenstein
9. Germany
10. Sweden

International Human Development Indicators - UNDP

The change in methodology aided the US as it factors years of "schooling of adults." American adults tend to have more years of schooling than many nations. Some felt the change was unjustified and I'm not sure how I even feel on it. When you remove "mean years of schooling of adults" the US falls to 16th and Australia stays second. So we drop below New Zealand, Finland, Switzerland, Denmark, South Korea, Spain, France, and some others. Although when you drop the "adult schooling" factor the US is still listed as above Sweden, Britain, Germany, Japan, and Austria.

If you want an index where the US looks worse there's the "Inequality Adjusted HDI." Norway and Australia are still top-2 on that, but Sweden jumps to third. The US drops to something like 23rd which is below not just Britain, Germany, Austria, and Sweden but also below Italy and Slovakia to be barely above Estonia. Also the Inequality-Adjusted HDI places us below the average for "Very High Human Development."

International Human Development Indicators - UNDP
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Old 11-05-2011, 11:04 PM
 
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,606 posts, read 55,756,157 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Shaft View Post
I thought Australia's would be a lot lower, what with the dingos eating everyone's babies.
Yeah and with all those dangerous critters .

The sheer number of homeless people in the US and the dog-eat-dog attitude really left an impression on me. Australia is an easier place to live.
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Old 11-06-2011, 10:13 AM
 
Location: Los Altos Hills, CA
36,625 posts, read 67,123,456 times
Reputation: 21154
Quote:
Originally Posted by levendis View Post
The recent release of the United Nation's HDI (Human Development Index) compares a range of statistical data to determine the places in the world with the highest standard of living...

1. Norway
2. AUSTRALIA
3. Iceland
4. Canada
5. Ireland
6. Netherlands
7. Sweden
8. France
9. Switzerland
10. Japan
13. UNITED STATES
Very large nation with lots of natural resources and a relatively small population.

That's an easy recipe for high quality of life. Canada is much the same way.

The US has 312 Million people. That would overwhelm Australia's resources very quickly.
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Old 11-06-2011, 09:29 PM
 
Location: Brisbane
5,021 posts, read 7,426,595 times
Reputation: 4476
Quote:
Originally Posted by John Shaft View Post
I thought Australia's would be a lot lower, what with the dingos eating everyone's babies.
Its the sharks that are eating everyone at the moment, sharks are more high society than Dingos
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Old 11-06-2011, 09:41 PM
 
Location: Brisbane
5,021 posts, read 7,426,595 times
Reputation: 4476
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas R. View Post
They've since changed their method anyway. In the new methodology the top ten is

1. Norway
2. Australia
3. The Netherlands
4. USA
5. New Zealand
6. Canada
7. Ireland
8. Liechtenstein
9. Germany
10. Sweden

International Human Development Indicators - UNDP

The change in methodology aided the US as it factors years of "schooling of adults." American adults tend to have more years of schooling than many nations. Some felt the change was unjustified and I'm not sure how I even feel on it. When you remove "mean years of schooling of adults" the US falls to 16th and Australia stays second. So we drop below New Zealand, Finland, Switzerland, Denmark, South Korea, Spain, France, and some others. Although when you drop the "adult schooling" factor the US is still listed as above Sweden, Britain, Germany, Japan, and Austria.

If you want an index where the US looks worse there's the "Inequality Adjusted HDI." Norway and Australia are still top-2 on that, but Sweden jumps to third. The US drops to something like 23rd which is below not just Britain, Germany, Austria, and Sweden but also below Italy and Slovakia to be barely above Estonia. Also the Inequality-Adjusted HDI places us below the average for "Very High Human Development."

International Human Development Indicators - UNDP
Seems to be big problem in the USA, read a credit suisse report the other day that said the average $US wealth per adult in the USA and Australia are very similar. The median wealth of adults in the USA however, was only about 1/4 of what is was in Australia, Switzerland and a few other countries.

Last edited by danielsa1775; 11-06-2011 at 09:58 PM..
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