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Travel + Fun

17th May 2018

These are the five most advanced, healthiest and happiest countries in the world

Made travel plans for 2018 yet?

Trine Jensen-Burke

Thinking about emigrating…?

Or, you know, just planning where you want to see and travel in 2018?

Either way you might be interested to see the results of the Legatum Institute’s 11th annual Global Prosperity Index – a mammoth survey which ranks the best – AKA most prosperous, happiest, healthiest, safest etc. countires the world.

How the survey comes to its conclusion? Well, the amount of money a country has is one factor of prosperity, but the Legatum Institute considers much more than money in its ranking. In fact, countries are ranked on a whole varity of factors, such as business environment, governance, personal freedom, social capital, safety and security, education, health, and natural environment.

Business Insider has revealed the top 28 lucky countries (where Ireland, impressively, came in 12th). Fancy a peak at the top five? Here goes:

5. Sweden
Climbing three places from last year’s index, this Scandinavian nation has the number-one ranking for economic quality.

4. Switzerland
Boasting state-of-the-art healthcare and top-notch education, it’s easy to undertand how this little country ranked so high.

3. Finland
Finland is the safest nation on earth, according to this survey. As well as this, this Nordic nation is number one in the world when it comes to governance.

2. New Zealand
Last year New Zealand came out on top, but although they have slipped down one place in 2017, the kiwis are still the world’s best when it comes to personal freedom.

1. Norway
This stunning Scandi nation (which was the inspiration behind Disney’s Frozen, of course) has the best natural environment (all those mountains, fjords and the gorgeous Northern Lights up north!) in the world, the second best governance, and the third best safety and security.