If you came into the world today and could pick your nationality, there are at least 15 better choices than to be born American, according to a study by the Economist Intelligence Unit. The firm looked at 80 countries, scoring them across 11 variables to determine “which country will provide the best opportunities for a healthy, safe and prosperous life in the years ahead.” The results, mapped out above, are both surprising and not.
The study incorporates hard data on facets such as economic opportunity, health standards, and political freedoms; subjective “quality of life” surveys; and economic forecasts for 2030, when an infant born today would be entering adulthood. Even gender equality, job security (as measured by unemployment data), violent crime rates, and climate are taken into account.
If you look at the map, you’ll see that the world’s richest countries score highly, but not in the top category. The United States and Germany, two of the world’s economic powerhouses, tied for 16th place; Japan ranks way down at 25th. Britain and France score even worse.
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