The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) earnestly attempts to measure which country will provide the best opportunities for a healthy, safe and prosperous life in the years ahead. Its quality-of-life index 1 the results of subjective life-satisfaction surveys how happy people say they are—to 2 determinants of the quality of life across countries. Being rich helps more than 3 else, but it is not all that 4 ; things like crime, trust in public institutions and the health of family life matter too. 5 , the index takes 11 statistically significant indicators into 6 They are a mixed bunch: some are 7 factors, Such as geography; others change only very slowly 8 time; and some factors depend on policies and the state of the world 9 .
Despite the global economic crisis, times have in certain respects 10 been so good. Output growth rates have been 11 across the world, but income levels are at or near 12 highs. Life expectancy continues to 13 steadily and political freedoms have spread across the 14 . In other ways, however, the crisis has 15 a deep imprint on unemployment and personal 16 .
After crunching its numbers, the EIU has Switzerland comfortably in the top spot, with Australia second. Small economies 17 the top ten, half of which are European. The Nordic countries shine, 18 the crisis-ridden south of Europe (Greece, Portugal and Spain) lags behind. The 19 European economies (Germany, France and Britain) do not do particularly well. America 20 back in 16th place. Despite their economic dynamism, none of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) scores impressively. Among the 80 countries covered, Nigeria comes last: it is the worst place for a baby to enter the world in 2013.