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Canada ranks No. 5 on an international prosperity index produced by the Legatum Institute of London that combines measures of economic progress, health, opportunity and personal freedom.
The highest ranking country for a second year was Norway followed by Switzerland, New Zealand and Denmark. Canada is still ranked ahead of Australia, the U.S., U.K. and Germany. The prosperity index ranks 142 countries, with Chad and Central African Republic at the bottom of the list.
Canada has slipped one position from the fourth place ranking it achieved last year, after receiving lower marks in social capital, a measure of civic engagement including how many people have volunteered, donated to charity or helped a stranger.
The U.S. ranked No. 10 on the index, with a big improvement in 2014 on its economic prosperity as unemployment fell and business optimism improved. But it fell five places on the personal freedom index after revelations of internet and phone tracking by the government and a chill among immigrants trying to get a start in the U.S.
Among the biggest losers on the index was Russia, which at No. 68 is the lowest-ranking country in Europe, after invading Ukraine. Syria fell in the rankings because of its civil war and Venezuela dropped because of rampant inflation.
The prosperity index includes 89 variables for each country, based on the world Gallup poll, standard measures of GDP per capita and OECD and World Bank measures of well-being.
Prosperity Index Ranking | |
1. Norway | 11. Iceland |
2. Switzerland | 12. Ireland |
3. New Zealand | 13. United Kingdom |
4. Denmark | 14. Germany |
5. Canada | 15. Austria |
6. Sweden | 16. Luxembourg |
7. Australia | 17. Belgium |
8. Finland | 18. Singapore |
9. Netherlands | 19. Japan |
10. United States | 20. Hong Kong |
Source: CBC News