Norway world's best place to live, Niger worst

One thing that is always omitted in such studies is the fact that in a climate such as that of any of the Nordic countries or Russia or Canada the average working man spends more than 25% OF HIS TAKE HOME PAY ON JUST KEEPING WARM.Give me warm sunny climes any time.

These figures are overhyped. How do they measure 'literacy'? Is English the prerequisite for being literate?

Taking Joe's comment one step further: in that case Australia must be the most desirable place to live. It's mentioned as one of the top three AND it has warm and sunny weather.

But they can AFFORD it Joe - thats the difference...

The UNDP report is the Human Development Index, which doesn't actually declare a "best place to live" but statistically looks at social conditions and factors in each country to rank each in terms of human social advancement/development. The index is comprised of education levels, access to healthcare, income levels, housing, gender equality and more indicators.
South Africa is #129, below such luminaries as the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Vietnam, and Tajikistan - and a full 20 positions ahead of Haiti. http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/
The top 5 (Norway, Australia, Iceland, Canada, Ireland) aren't necessarily the best places to live, but more the most civilised countries in which to live.

Well, Joe, let's have the source for your statistic. At the same time, what does an average SA family spend on home and personal security?

SA sits at 129 out of 182 on the UNDP Index, below the Occupied Palestinian territories at 110! While I would not take anything from the UN as Gospel, this table says something to me about SA that is definitely not encouraging; and a great climate does not make up for it.

actually, leon, the russians [most of them] don't really afford it -- hence the vodka and the shrinking population. poles, either, which is why there are so many of them elsewhere in europe. there's not much difference between, say, rural romania and rural kzn. seriously. skin color is a powerful thing to get into the eu; there's no way that romania, which is in the eu, is in better financial shape than morocco, which wants in but isn't allowed. i'd rather live in a warm third world country than a cold one -- and i would bet money that a lot of wintertime highveld crime is entirely related to needing money to keep warm.

Being an Ancient Brit, looking back there may be some truth in the fact that in Europe you need to work to keep warm! The biproduct of which has been the creation of wealth. Not that now being a South African, I now just sit in the sun. However, I would have been wealthier if I had stayed in the UK! Who needs money anyway when you can exchange it for Sunshine, Blue Skyes and a Chevrolet !

Oh lighten up Leon and Duncan or should I say Dununcan't. Joe, I like your positive attitude, the world needs more yay and less naysayers.

Apart from other issues, Norway takes care of its artists. Has one of the highest per capita number of young composers. My son, a classical violist now living in London, is doing a trial their and has been offered a very good salary. And isn't medical care free?
They've used their oil riches well...

I have just checked the list and Zimbabwe seems to have fallen off completely...
Or have I just missed something?

Poor Joe has no idea what he is waffling about. I'm a Coloured academic living in Norway. I can testify to everything stated about Norway in this report. We're talking here about HIGH QUALITY LIVING.

I grew up in the Coloured townships. I know what hardship is. Sadly the hardship continue while working as an academic in South Africa. Believe it or not, my winters here are warmer than the winters I experienced in South Africa, because the houses are built accordingly. Even my Norwegian wife complained about South Africa's cold winters.

As a lecturer in South Africa, I used to fret about my food, electricity, phone bills, etc, etc. Those days are like a distant memory. I actually I feel so stupid thinking I had to live such an insulting life for so long. Electricity in Norway is the cheapest in the world. Now, I can even afford to take my family on a Greek island vacation paid in cash.

The reason why your average South African mouths off about other countries, because they haven't got money to travel abroad. I say, get a life.

Hang on Dylan, I'll be there in a sec to pull your head out of a certain part of your anatomy. You can say 'yea' as much as you like, but that ain't gonna change the fact that SA is more than halfway down the list. Get a reality check.

Canada as well as Australia is ranked under the first four. No wonder so many South Africans, spurned at home, found a new life there. "A better life for all!"

Joe, even at minus 30°C, it's not as cold in Canada as winter on the Highveld. Our homes are warm enough to wear T-shirts inside all through the year. And we're not being held hostage by an incompetent Escom. Power is very affordable.

I am a citizen of Norway and I am traveling alot and experiencing cultures of the countries close to us on the list of countries best to live in, but we CAN afford heat in the winter that is why we are so high up, the fact that russia don't afford it is probably a reason why they are low on the list in addition to poverty of course. When you have a baby the mother gets a year of work PAYED and the man even gets of a few weeks whenever he wants the first year. We also have great health care and even if you are unemplyed you get paied. An amount significant enough to live out of and support a family. When all factors add up as has been done on lists like this one, we are the best country in the world to live in.