Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest
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The popular Abba single, "Money, money, money...must be funny in a rich man's world" seems true for people from these countries. At least that is what one can deduce from New Economics Foundation's Happy Planet Index (HPI).
The latest HPI results show how these countries produce long, happy and sustainable lives for their people. The overall index scores rates countries based on their efficiency, how many long and happy lives each produces per unit of environmental output.
Each of the three component measures – life expectancy, experienced well-being and ecological footprint. Also, the overall ranking is not based on GNP and growth figures, but purely on environmental factors.
Thus, NEF's list of happiest countries does not feature the usual suspects.
Source: Happy Planet Index
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Photographs: Reuters
Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest
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Costa Rica
Ranking: 1
Happy Planet Index score: 60.4
2009 HPI Rank: 5
Experienced Well-Being: 5.8
Life Expectancy: 75.2
Ecological Footprint: 1.4
GDP Per Capita: $3,205
Population: 86.9 million
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Image: A boy jumps into the Llanos del Cortes waterfall in Bagaces, Costa Rica
Photographs: Juan Carlos Ulate/Reuters
Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest
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Vietnam
Ranking: 2
Happy Planet Index score: 60.4
2009 HPI Rank: 5
Experienced Well-Being: 5.8
Life Expectancy: 75.2
Ecological Footprint: 1.4
GDP Per Capita: $3,205
Population: 86.9 million
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Image: A Hmong woman displays traditional costumes for sale at the Vietnamese cultural village of Dong Mo, outside Hanoi
Photographs: Kham/Reuters
Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest
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Colombia
Ranking: 3
Happy Planet Index score: 59.8
2009 HPI Rank: 6
Experienced Well-Being: 6.4
Life Expectancy: 73.7
Ecological Footprint: 1.8
GDP Per Capita: $9,453
Population: 46.3 million
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Image: Flamingos fly over a reserve near the town of Manaure, Guajira province, Colombia
Photographs: Reuters
Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest
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Belize
Ranking: 4
Happy Planet Index score: 59.3
2009 HPI Rank: 27
Experienced Well-Being: 6.5
Life Expectancy: 76.1
Ecological Footprint: 2.1
GDP Per Capita: $6,670
Population: 345,000
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Image: Britain's Prince Harry dances at a street party in Belmopan, Belize
Photographs: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters
Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest
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El Salvador
Ranking: 5
Happy Planet Index score: 58.9
2009 HPI Rank: 8
Experienced Well-Being: 6.7
Life Expectancy: 72.2
Ecological Footprint: 2
GDP Per Capita: $6,668
Population: 6.2 million
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Photographs: Reuters
Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest
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Jamaica
Ranking: 6
Happy Planet Index score: 58.5
2009 HPI Rank: 3
Experienced Well-Being: 6.2
Life Expectancy: 73.1
Ecological Footprint: 1.7
GDP Per Capita: $7,673
Population: 2.7 million
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Image: A Jamaican child plays at Hellshire beach in Kingston
Photographs: Daniel Aguilar/Reuters
Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest
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Panama
Ranking: 7
Happy Planet Index score: 57.8
2009 HPI Rank: 18
Experienced Well-Being: 7.3
Life Expectancy: 76.1
Ecological Footprint: 3
GDP Per Capita: $13,608
Population: 3.5 million
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Photographs: Alberto Lowe/Reuters
Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest
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Nicaragua
Ranking: 8
Happy Planet Index score: 57.1
2009 HPI Rank: 11
Experienced Well-Being: 5.7
Life Expectancy: 74
Ecological Footprint: 1.6
GDP Per Capita: $2,913
Population: 5.8 million
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Image: Managua's Tiscapa Lagoon in Nicaragua
Photographs: Oswaldo Rivas/Reuters
Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest
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Venezuela
Ranking: 9
Happy Planet Index score: 56.9
2009 HPI Rank: 36
Experienced Well-Being: 7.5
Life Expectancy: 74.4
Ecological Footprint: 3.0
GDP Per Capita: $12,233
Population: 28.8 million
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Image: Venezuelan soccer fans
Photographs: Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters
Why these 10 countries are the world's happiest
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Guatemala
Ranking: 10
Happy Planet Index score: 56.9
2009 HPI Rank: 4
Experienced Well-Being: 6.3
Life Expectancy: 71.2
Ecological Footprint: 1.8
GDP Per Capita: $4,785
Population: 14.4 million
Image: Calle Santander tourist street in Panajachel, Guatemala
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikimedia Commons
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