UN: Israel 18th best country to live

Tel Aviv University station
Tel Aviv University station

Israel was ranked above Luxembourg and Japan in the UN Human Development Index.

The United Nations yesterday published its Human Development Index. The index measures development in countries throughout the world, and assigns them a mark, based on three main parameters: life expectancy, education, and income. Israel is among the 20 countries giving its people the best life.

Norway placed first on the list for the 12th straight year. Even though this Scandinavian country's life expectancy is a not-particularly-high 81.6 years, its annual per capita gross national product is the highest in the world at almost $65,000. Australia was in second place, followed by Switzerland in third. Germany was in sixth place, and the US in eighth place. Israel was in 18th place, ahead of Luxembourg and Japan, but behind the UK and South Korea.

New Zealand and Canada, two countries known for their high standard of living, were rated in ninth place this year with 0.913 points. Life expectancy in these two countries averaged 81.8 years, while their annual per capita gross national product was $32,000.

Countries whose rating fell significantly this year include Libya, which dropped 27 places, and Syria, which went down 15 places. At the same time, even though these two countries are subject to murderous terrorism from the Islamic State, they do not have the lowest rating among the 188 countries rated. The five lowest countries on the scale are Nigeria (last place with a 0.348 mark), Central African Republic (0.350), Eritrea (0.391), Chad (0.392), and Burundi (0.410).

"This new global Human Development Report is an urgent call to tackle one of the world’s great development challenges - providing enough decent work and livelihoods for all," wrote United Nations Development Programme administrator and United Nations Development Group chair Helen Clark.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 17, 2015

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2015

Tel Aviv University station
Tel Aviv University station
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