Finland Most Prosperous Nation
Finland is the world’s most prosperous nation according to the latest Prosperity Index, which will be launched this week by Legatum, the London-based think-tank.
The U.S. came in at ninth, beating Britain, Germany and France, which all ranked in the top 20. Eighty-percent of the top 20-ranked countries are in North America and Europe.
Legatum considers factors such as health, freedom, security and political governance as keys to prosperity, instead of just wealth.
The Prosperity Index found a separation between growing prosperity in India and Brazil compared with the progress measured in fellow BRICS, China and Russia, both which lag on issues of governance and political freedom.
Money has a far greater effect on satisfaction on the world's poorest countries than in the wealthier countries.
The Financial Times wrote on September 14, 2009, that according to Nicolas Sarkozy, happiness, long holidays and a sense of well-being should be embraced by the world in a national accounting overhaul.
Last year, Finland was ranked third. Zimbabwe ranks last, just ahead of Sudan and Yemen.
The 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index™ is the world’s only global assessment of wealth and well-being that is now in its third year. The Prosperity Index™ uses a holistic definition of prosperity to include both material wealth and quality of life.
