News: Top 50 most stable and prosperous countries.
A one-year investigation and analysis of 235 countries by Jane's Information Services resulted in a list of the most (and least) stable and prosperous countries. Times Online published an article which got commented upon quite a bit. Some said it took a ride with Jane's the original report.
Here is a summary of the Times Online article:
The scoring is based on the sort of threats existing in the country, the economic pressures, each nation’s political structures, social and economic trends, military and security risks and external relations. (Full)
Here is the Top 10 (in order): Vatican, Sweden, Luxembourg, Monaco, Gibraltar, San Marino, Liechtenstein, UK, Netherlands, Ireland.
Rank 11-20: New Zealand, Denmark, Austria, Andorra, Germany, Iceland, Switzerland, Portugal, Australia, Norway.
Rank 21-30: Malta, France, Canada, USA, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Japan, Finland, Czech Rep.
Rank 31-40: Samoa, Falkland Islands, Singapore, Guam, Slovakia, Anguilla, Cyprus, Qatar, Montserrat, Costa Rica.
Rank 41-50: Greece, St Pierre and Miquelon, UAE, Cayman Islands, American Samoa, Virgin Islands (UK), Poland, St Lucia, Oman, Northern Mariana Islands.
At the bottom we find as the most unstable (score between brackets): Iraq (44), Central African Republic (39), Democratic Republic of Congo (38), Chad (38), Zimbabwe (38), Haiti (38), Ivory Coast (36), Afghanistan (36), Sudan (35), Somalia (29) and Palestinian Territories (27).
My observations:
- According to this list, we should all become a priest and migrate to the Vatican.
- all jokes aside: there are only three Middle-Eastern and two Asian countries in the top 50.
- 7 out of the 10 bottom countries are in Africa. There are no African countries in the top 50. No South American countries either.
- Hmm... I lived and worked in six out of the eleven bottom countries.
- Montserrat?!?! With all its 5,000 people, most of them evacuated.. Could not be the same Montserrat we wanted to sail to this summer, but did not after the charter company strongly recommended to stay away because of the active volcano... Safe, hey?
Update 30-Mar-2008:
The original article I referred to above, has been removed from Times Online. It can still be found through their on-site search, but that gives an invalid link.
Either the article was too loose in interpreting Jane's report (of which I could not find an original - if anyone has it, put it in the comments), or ... too many people complained "THEIR" country had to be the most stable and prosperous.. Or maybe the US government filed an official complaint: After all, no country can be more stable and prosperous than the US. Certainly not after the investments in the economy and expenses for Homeland Security under the Bush administration. Right? Right?
Update: Apparently Times Online got the links back up.
Picture courtesy Jamd.com.
Source: The Road Daily
Peter. Flemish, European, aid worker, expeditioner, sailor, traveller, husband, father, friend, nutcase. Not necessarily in that order.
12 comments:
I would have put Canada in the top 10.
Absolutely.
Marie
Six of those "nations" in the top 10 are non-nations. Come on, Monaco? Or San Marino? We can pretend they are real nations, but they would not qualify under international law as new nations. They are not even sovereign! No army, no foreign relations and not even their own currency.
Also why is Sweden in the top ten? They have serious problems with their immigrant population. I imagine there are other countries with less problems. Oh, well, both the OECD and UN at least produces some realistic ratings.
The article, not taken directly from Jane's but from a totally manipulated version in The Times, does not reflect the original 1 year study in any way.
Jane's published and explained a listing of over two hundred countries classified by highest risk: war, terrorism, destabilization, etc.
The Times took this list and shamelessly inverted it for its own ends. This leads to the grotesque: the Vatican City, last in Jane's list, is probably a very low risk country, protected as it is by the Italian army and with few patent war, destabilization or terrorist threats. But to say it is the "most prosperous country" is simply ridiculous and a total manipulation that has been easily swallowed by agencies and media that haven't bothered to check the source.
I got the source indeed as the Times Online. I went over Jane's website over and over, to find the original report, but did not find it. Would you happen to have the link?
P.
Wth are you talking about Andrew? Serious problems with immigrants? No we dont.
I don't see Russia on this list.
Canada!!! What a joke!!! I would hardly consider Canada to be a first class country. I don't have time to engage in a long discussion. Canada it isn't in the top ten foe sure.
I Think Pakistan is the most stable country in the wold.
lol.!! Thumbs down.!!! Where is India, Brazil, russia.??stop kidding man..!! do some serious post.!! what al this rubbish vatican, matli n some more country.????? We did ask economical stable country.!!!!
Great list! I actually was quite surprised that Poland was so low since I know that the education there is incredibly good. But hey, maybe I was wrong :) Keep it up!
- Szymon
Yeah forget canada haha
Canada might be a top 20, top ten to me would be:(but maybe not in this order) Norway,Sweden,Denmark,Finland,Switzerland,,China,Iceland,Australia,New Zealand and then either Austria,Japan or Cuba.
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