Thread: Worlds Best Countries

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...4059&tid=ss_fb

"The votes are in, America, and the best country in the world is ...

(Drum roll, please.)

It's Germany. Sorry, United States, you're fourth — right behind third-ranked Britain and second-ranked Canada. But, hey, America beat Sweden!

That's according to the inaugural "Best Countries" ranking from U.S. News & World Report, the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and global brand consultants BAV Consulting. The ranking was officially unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday.

“Just as we have done with universities, hospitals and other institutions, our Best Countries portal will be a global homepage for stories and data to help citizens, business leaders and governments evaluate performance in a rapidly changing world,” Mortimer B. Zuckerman, chairman and editor-in-chief of U.S. News, said in a statement. The publication is known the world over for many of its rankings.

Germany secured its top spot for a number of reasons, its economy key among them. The country is also, as U.S. News notes in a country profile, home to low unemployment, popular around the world, known for its high-quality brands and adept at using soft power abroad. And U.S. News credits Germany's leadership for its global rise.

"Germany's ascendance as a world leader comes largely from the work of [Chancellor Angela] Merkel," Drew writes. "Only the third German since World War II to hold the chancellorship for a decade or more, Merkel has shown decisive leadership on several issues. That is a change. Traditionally, Germans are consensus seekers who have chosen multilateral strategies over acting in a singularized manner."

See link for rest of article and graphs.

Barstards won the World Cup, too...

Good onya, lads...

Sigh...Let's try to focus on why these countries are good...There's an idea...

Originally Posted by BaitongBoy

Let's try to focus on why these countries are good

Lots of countries have benefited from basically not having to pump much money into defense since WWII while relying on the US to be their Robocop. The repercussion for the US being we never really got to enjoy the post WWII peace dividends that countries like Germany and Japan were able to use to invest/reinvest in their countries.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I thought Germany was having a serious immigration problem, as is the US.

No-Go Zones: German Police Admit To Losing Control Of Immigrant 'Problem Neighbourhoods'

I'm sorry folks but I just can't seem to take this too seriously. The best under what circumstances? All a numbers game. As if to say if you are among the target group of the average then you are better off than the average of another target group under a similar set of statistics. And with that some people love to live stacked up tight with all their kin and others prefer to have more space for example.

I like clean air and fresh water, I can live without the anal Vodka enema or the Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse with yeast.

Damn how I do miss that Hacker-Pschorr with yeast. As a teen it was a buck a bottle.

I lived near the liquor store and that was good enough for me. See the point.

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Not surprised Canada is #2 they always rank high in most of these types of surveys.

I was surprised to learn upon looking it up that Canada's population is only around 30 million. So half of the UK and around a third of Germany.

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Not surprised Canada is #2 they always rank high in most of these types of surveys.

I was surprised to learn upon looking it up that Canada's population is only around 30 million. So half of the UK and around a third of Germany.

You did not know Canada's population was 30 million?

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

The repercussion for the US being we never really got to enjoy the post WWII peace dividends that countries like Germany and Japan were able to use to invest/reinvest in their countries.

Interesting that they invested wisely in general, partly because their post war obligations were made quite clear as part of their surrender.
Did the US really need to inflate the hollow threat of the USSR and leave itself beholden to the MIC? Just asking because I'm curious like.

Surprised (and happy) to see Japan beat NZ... my missus will be delighted when she gets home.

Yep...About 35 million...And second largest country in the world...

These articles are bolicles.

If it was a straight up democratic vote - Each member of the whole population of the world gets to pick one country that they can immediately have citizenship for then Australia would win every time.

The pundits try to use convoluted cobblers metrics and miserable soggy krautland comes tops

Yeah right!


Australia's population hits 24 million people, ABS clock shows

The number of people in Australia has surpassed 24 million for the first time, according to the Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) population clock.

Australia by the numbers:

• When will the population reach 24 million? According to the ABS population clock, it will reach 24 million about 12:50am (AEDT) on February 16, 2016.
• Who will the 24 millionth person be? There is no official 24 millionth person. It could be a newborn baby or a person moving to Australia for work.
• How long has it been since we reached 23 million? It has been about three years since Australia reached 23 million (in the March quarter of 2013).
• When will the population reach 25 million? It is projected that Australia will reach 25 million in 2018 and will keep increasing by a million persons every two to three years.
• And what happens beyond 25 million? According to the ABS, it will take Australia 66 years to double its population from 24 million to 48 million. Australia is projected to reach 50 million in 2089.

Australia's population hits 24 million people, ABS clock shows

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics fact sheet

The milestone is predicted to have taken place about 12:50am (AEDT) on Tuesday.
The population clock is an indication of the current population based on a projection calculated using births and deaths data from the ABS, and migration figures from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

The ABS said it was unclear whether the 24 millionth Australian was a newborn or a migrant.

Demographer Andrew Howe said the population in every state and territory was growing, with Victoria overtaking Western Australia, and expanding the fastest.

"Three, four, five years ago Western Australia was the fastest growing state," Mr Howe said.

"There has been a slow down in Western Australia and consequently Victoria has taken over as the fastest growing state."
Mr Howe said traditionally births have been the biggest driver of population growth.

But, he said, in the past 10 years it has been migration that has led the nation's population growth.

"The past seven, eight, nine years we've had record numbers of overseas migrants entering the country," Mr Howe said.
"And that's reflected in our higher than expected population growth rates in recent years."

The population milestone comes ahead of the 17th census, which will take place on August 9.

It is expected 10 million dwellings will be counted by the ABS during the census.

Australia's population is expected to reach 30 million by 2030.

Australia's population hits 24 million people, ABS clock shows - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Originally Posted by Storekeeper

Lots of countries have benefited from basically not having to pump much money into defense since WWII while relying on the US to be their Robocop

Nothing to do with it and saying other countries don't pump much into their military is simply silly, but often used.
NO-ONE pumps even a fraction into it as the US because no-one wants to play world-cop, no-one else believes that should play world-cop, no-one thinks a world-cop should invade countries on a whim etc....

Originally Posted by chassamui

Interesting that they invested wisely in general, partly because their post war obligations were made quite clear as part of their surrender.

Quite correct. Germany and Japan had spending limits imposed upon them and restrictions in their respective constitution

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

The US didn't do that for the benefit of those countries.

Of course not, it was control, pure and simple

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Germans for the most part work hard, value craftsmanship as related to workers jobs, have a reasonably ordered society, etc.

Yea, that sounds about right - add to it a worker and business friendly society as a whole and you have the result

Originally Posted by panama hat

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

The US didn't do that for the benefit of those countries.

Of course not, it was control, pure and simple

The nazi nuts needed controlling. Someone had to.

Originally Posted by panama hat

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Germans for the most part work hard, value craftsmanship as related to workers jobs, have a reasonably ordered society, etc.

Yea, that sounds about right - add to it a worker and business friendly society as a whole and you have the result

The Germans have an excellent welfare system and protection of workers rights. What many fail to realise is, they pay a much higher proportion of their salary in tax and welfare charges to support it.

Originally Posted by chassamui

Originally Posted by panama hat

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

Germans for the most part work hard, value craftsmanship as related to workers jobs, have a reasonably ordered society, etc.

Yea, that sounds about right - add to it a worker and business friendly society as a whole and you have the result

The Germans have an excellent welfare system and protection of workers rights. What many fail to realise is, they pay a much higher proportion of their salary in tax and welfare charges to support it.

That simply makes sense - in an emergency your taxes keep you safe and healthy.

So what is the best EU country to live in right now and why?

Originally Posted by rickschoppers

So what is the best EU country to live in right now and why?

To be honest you could pick any one of a dozen countries and call it the best. Mostly the northern countries are well organised, democratic and economically viable. I like parts of France, Germany and most of the scandinavian countries. You might prefer southern climates where the locals are sometimes friendly and sometimes not.
As a generalisation you might want to try Portugal.
Hope this helps

Emotionally i would say Italy, at least in the south. Sunshine, good food, happy people.

Ha Vocal, you picked my favorite European country. It would be nice to spend a summer there and look around.

PH now lives in Kiwi land, but I believe the winters are a bit chilly and I am talking about July, August and September.