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16 August 2025
How Countries Measure the Quality of Life of Residents
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, many of us are paying closer attention to our well-being. One of the most important factors is our place of residence. Researchers have therefore analyzed the quality of life of residents in various countries.
The presented data is based on the UN’s Human Development Index (HDI) report, which, after GDP, is the second most commonly used measure of development. The report shows that a staggering ninety-seven percent of the wealthiest countries have recovered from the pandemic and are back on a growth trajectory, securing their top positions in the ranking. The poorest countries are in the worst situation, as sixty percent of them still haven’t caught up to their pre-2020 levels. So, how does the situation look in individual countries?
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Scandinavian Countries on Top. A New Leader Emerges
According to the latest data, Iceland has dethroned Switzerland, which held the top spot for the past two years. An Icelander is expected to live for over 82 years and receive an average of 18 years of education. The average income per person is nearly 70,000 dollars per year. Just behind Iceland, Norway and the aforementioned Switzerland tied for an equally high quality of life of residents. Both of these countries scored only slightly lower than the winner.
The next positions were held by:
- Denmark – fourth place,
- Germany and Sweden – tied for fifth place,
- Australia – seventh place,
- The Netherlands and Hong Kong – tied for eighth place,
- The Netherlands – tenth place.
The mentioned study does not take into account the differences in the quality of life of residents within a given country. This means that the living standards of wealthy and poor citizens can differ drastically within the same nation.
The USA, which ranks 17th, is an example of this. Researchers at Brown University conducted a study showing that wealthy Americans have a similar mortality rate to poor residents of Northern and Western Europe.
The Quality of Life of Residents in Poor Countries Is Steadily Worsening
South Sudan ranked last. Its citizens live for an average of less than 58 years and receive an average of less than six years of education. The average gross income per person there was around 662 dollars.
The worst part is that the differences between the wealthiest and poorest countries have been growing for the past four years. Since 2015, the poverty level has been almost unchanged, and since 2020, funding for healthcare has decreased.
It is also significant that the authorities of European countries and the USA have announced cuts to financial aid for the poorest nations. Because of this, according to the HDI, Arab countries, Latin America, and the Caribbean are the slowest to improve the quality of life of their citizens after the pandemic.
If this situation continues, a high and equal quality of life of residents for all countries will only be achieved decades from now.
Read the original article: Zapomnij o Szwajcarii. To tu żyje się najlepiej i zarabia krocie
