UNITED NATIONS: Canada, the United States and Japan boast the world’s highest living standards, according to a new U.N. Development Programme study that bases its rankings on health, education and purchasing power. The Human Development Report, which aims to demonstrate that quality of life does not depend on gross national product alone, singles out life expectancy, adult literacy, education and per capita income as keys to a high standard of living.
In its latest report, Canada led the pack with the most advanced overall human development, followed by the United States, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, France, Iceland, Sweden and Spain. Next in ranking among the top 20 were Australia, Belgium, Austria, New Zealand, Switzerland, Britain, Denmark, Germany, Ireland and Italy. Other placements include Russia at 57th, China at 108th Pakistan 134th and India at 135th. Among developing states the basic list is dominated by Latin American and Caribbean states. It is headed by Hong Kong, followed by Cyprus, Barbados, Bahamas, South Korea, Argentina, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Chile, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Trinidad and Tobago, Bahrain, Antigua and Barbuda, United Arab Emirates, Panama, Vene2uela, St Kitts and Nevis, Fiji and Mexico.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 24, 1996
