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Best Countries To Be Born In

What are the 20 best countries that will provide the best opportunities for a healthy, safe and prosperous life in the years ahead?
2013 data according to Economist Intelligence Unit. Full List
Scores are out of ten
Does not include small countries such as Luxembourg, Iceland, etc...
Quiz by
Quizzer6794
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Last updated: October 23, 2019
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First submittedFebruary 27, 2016
Times taken45,842
Average score80.0%
Rating3.99
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Score
Country
8.22
Switzerland
8.12
Australia
8.09
Norway
8.02
Sweden
8.01
Denmark
8.00
Singapore
7.95
New Zealand
7.94
Netherlands
7.81
Canada
7.76
Finland
7.74
Ireland
7.73
Austria
7.67
Taiwan
7.51
Belgium
7.38
Germany
7.38
United States
7.33
United Arab Emirates
7.25
South Korea
7.23
Israel
7.21
Italy
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102 Recent Comments
ingriddurden
+12
Level 59
Nov 3, 2017
I would not want to be born in Israel. Not now, not ever !
rhinobaby
+1
Level 73
Jan 11, 2025
Truly. It will not exist in 50 years.
gl3
+1
Level 64
Mar 24, 2026
So will you
aidanzander
+1
Level 31
Nov 3, 2017
Taiwan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lizardstep
+1
Level 14
Nov 3, 2017
OH MY GOSH. TAIWAN'S ACTUALLY ON THERE!!!

WHOOOO HOO!

kiwiquizzer
+4
Level 68
Nov 4, 2017
Living in New Zealand and loving it.
WindsOfGauldron
+2
Level 61
Nov 4, 2017
America is pretty far down the list in the minds of whoever created this list. It's the most guessed answer however, so I think we can see who's winning in the court of public opinion :-)
kalbahamut
+9
Level 79
Nov 4, 2017
it's based on numbers not opinion.
saammmy
+15
Level 43
Dec 5, 2017
Or maybe people guess their own country first and most user are from the US?
camus
+12
Level 80
Jan 25, 2020
People type USA in just about every country quiz, unless it is about a different continent.
NSP
+3
Level 35
Nov 4, 2017
Poeple who do not know much about the UAE need to educate themselves. You will be surprised how good they have it there in the UAE, esp. Dubai. Dubai is like a paradise....15 million tourist every year visit it. They are surely doing something right.
kalbahamut
+3
Level 79
Nov 4, 2017
Social welfare is incredibly strong... probably to the point of being excessive there. The government is very wealthy. It's GDP per capita score is probably the thing that gives it the most points on the above criteria. There are other problems with the UAE, though, and it falls short in most of the other metrics used for the list.
SgtMac
+1
Level 53
Nov 5, 2017
Interesting...USA comes in at 16th, but then why in heck does everybody and their cousins try to get in here by hook or crook, risking their lives in many cases?
divantilya
+2
Level 36
Nov 6, 2017
Because they're not here yet. Or want to come for nefarious purposes.
CaoMaru
+4
Level 49
Feb 15, 2019
Pretty far from "everyone" I have to say. Besides, 16th is still pretty good so perhaps that's why.
FlickerP
+4
Level 79
Oct 18, 2024
And how many of those are from the 15 countries above it in the list?
B1E1Nj
+2
Level 30
Nov 5, 2017
Taiwan isn't even a country
Julotek
+4
Level 65
Nov 6, 2017
So Israël and the USA before Spain or France or even Italy ?

Well, it is done by an US organisation I suppose...

:')

masabi
+10
Level 87
Nov 7, 2017
Israel and UAE on the list. And into the trash it goes.
kalbahamut
+11
Level 79
Nov 10, 2017
best way to deal with any information that contradicts your opinions.
Eric
+3
Level 34
Nov 9, 2017
Interesting quiz! <3 Israel <3
kalbahamut
+6
Level 79
Nov 10, 2017
Both the Americans crying about the USA placing less than 1st, and the Europeans crying about the USA placing at all or above whatever country they happen to be from: you both look pathetic. And most of the people here commenting on the Middle East appear simply ignorant. Not going to reply to every one of you individually so this takes care of all of them...
Uzbekifan
+3
Level 55
Jun 3, 2022
Most Americans here are surprised the U.S. even made it onto this list
TheDutchGod
+2
Level 68
Nov 11, 2017
Netherlands!! :)
saammmy
+4
Level 43
Dec 5, 2017
Most of the countries are pretty obvious except for Israel. It doesn't really seem like a safe country...

And it might be a good idea to clarify that "small" country refers to population not area and maybe add the exact cutoff point. Otherwise excluding Iceland for being too small but including Singapore doesn't make any sense.

kalbahamut
+6
Level 79
Jan 31, 2018
It's an extremely safe country. Beautiful. Vibrant. Full of friendly people. Well developed. Clean. Rich in history and culture. I lived there for a while. Have you ever been?
rhinobaby
+6
Level 73
Jan 11, 2025
Rich in Palestinian history.
pauleking
+5
Level 38
Mar 5, 2018
What? The US is guessed most? There are way more countries where you live better.
kalbahamut
+3
Level 79
Aug 31, 2018
All much smaller, less populous, less influential, and less obvious answers, though.
Jorissie
+7
Level 94
May 14, 2018
The absence of Japan surprised me. In my opinion it's definately better to be born in Japan than (most of) The US
kalbahamut
+1
Level 79
Aug 31, 2018
If by "most of" you're speaking purely in terms of geographic area I think I probably agree with you. If by "most you" you're talking about the urban and suburban areas where the majority of Americans are born, then I think you're probably wrong. However, I would much rather be born in Japan than in the United Arab Emirates. If this list were based on opinion and not a simple calculation then I would find this odd.
Caroline14
+7
Level 33
Aug 31, 2018
I don't even know why The United States is on this list? And, yes. I'm American
kalbahamut
+4
Level 79
Aug 31, 2018
See my post above about the criteria. It's objective and based on numbers, not opinion. You've been brainwashed into hating your own country or falsely believing that the grass is greener elsewhere.
GeoDude
+6
Level 46
Feb 2, 2019
Someone is brainwashed here, that's for sure.
kalbahamut
+3
Level 79
Feb 10, 2019
Thanks for having the courage to admit that, Geo. You've taken the first step toward recovery. Looking at the world with an open mind in an objective and properly skeptical way is an exciting thing when you do it for the first time so I envy you. Good luck!
Boris2307
+3
Level 49
Aug 31, 2018
What about UK
kalbahamut
+1
Level 79
Aug 31, 2018
Based on the criteria I detailed above if I had to guess I would say 1. high divorce rate 2. lower GDP per capita than many other countries on the list (using Purchasing Power Parity, due to the high cost of living in the UK) 3. higher crime rates than many Western European countries (though the difference is even more negligible than the difference between the US and those same Western European countries) 4. and they were probably docked points for climate due to all the rain.
martay
+5
Level 69
Aug 31, 2018
Wikipedia should never be used as a source because it's always citing another source itself. In this case, it's citing an Economist article from 2012 making predictions about the best places to be born in 2013. The data was already kinda stale when this quiz was made in 2017. Beyond that, there was highly subjective primary research done and even the objective secondary research is rife with cultural biases. But what it does do really, really well is start conversations about these sorts of ideas and what we should be valuing, and that is important.
Malbaby
+1
Level 70
Sep 1, 2018
This quiz should be in 2 parts: 1) Which country is it best to be Born Rich in? ....... 2) Which country is it best to be Born Poor in? ........ Many so called poor countries have the richest people living the life of Gods ..... and some 'Rich countries' have plenty of poverty.
undeadwarrior
+6
Level 66
Sep 1, 2018
UAE? Not if you're gay!
GeoDude
+1
Level 46
Feb 2, 2019
Why not just say "Does not include small POPULATION countries"? So people know to include Ireland and Singapore and not Iceland
Sifhraven
+1
Level 76
Nov 9, 2025
And South Korea and Austria and UAE and Denmark and the Netherlands and Switzerland and Taiwan and Belgium and Israel..
dsaved
+3
Level 71
Feb 10, 2019
Apparently, this list (not the quiz) is limited to "best" conditions for "western-lifestyle males who happen to practice the dominant religion imposed in their country or that are so rich that religion is not an issue"
stayc0tt
+2
Level 44
Feb 10, 2019
If the USA is losing ground as the best place to live, you can blame that on those flaming liberals. Back in the 50's, the US would be #1 hands down.
kalbahamut
+5
Level 79
Feb 10, 2019
yeah... back after stalwart Republican and noted conservative Franklin Roosevelt and his famous Same Old Deal did nothing to change the country, right? Back when the highest marginal tax rate on the wealthy was 90%, just like Grover Norquist always advocates for.
FinlandForever19
+5
Level 87
Feb 11, 2019
Oh the 50s. When taxes were the highest ever, government spending was through the roof, the social safety net was being expanded, the GI Bill was sending thousands of young men to college, and the government was pursuing vast infrastructure projects. On the economic side of things, the 50s were a liberals dream. What we've been living in since the 80s is a conservative dream.
CaoMaru
+1
Level 49
Feb 15, 2019
Well, the 50s sound awesome.
kalbahamut
+3
Level 79
Jun 1, 2019
I think most conservatives looking back at the 50s have some Ozzie and Harriet fantasy of how things actually were. They ignore the prevailing politics and economics of the age and instead look to things like the socially conservative culture, and perhaps racial and gender inequality (though that's not most of them), as the things that made the 50s great. But mostly it's just nostalgia and rose-colored glasses.
EmilyWatson
+3
Level 33
Feb 11, 2019
I think they need to clarify 'small country'... Iceland is a small country but UAE isn't? Doesn't make much sense at all.
IrisIris
+4
Level 59
Jun 1, 2019
this data is dumb and biased
kalbahamut
+3
Level 79
Oct 23, 2019
The data is what it is. You could say the criteria is dumb (such as claiming the ideal climate is 14 C, that's pretty dumb), but there's nothing wrong with the data.
WindsOfGauldron
+1
Level 61
Jun 1, 2019
Only guessed the USA. In other words, I got 100%
topazstar
+1
Level 43
Aug 14, 2019
I didn't read the 'not including small countries' until after I finished and I spent like 20 seconds trying to work out how Israel made it in where as Luxembourg didn't
Geoguessin
+2
Level 74
Aug 14, 2019
Luxembourg is not a small country :/
takmike
+6
Level 50
Aug 16, 2019
I am astonished, Japan and UK is not included!!

especially Japan should be high on all the criterias plus alpha.

UAE!! It is an absolute monarchy country, you cant be a politician, you dont have bar on the streets, no horse racing betting, and the food was the worst ever etc.

Ive lived in all 3 countries plus US of course.

maxlefol
+5
Level 88
Nov 25, 2019
Very disputable ranking indeed. Being born in the UAE will not be a walk in the park for women for decades. Whereas even in relatively "macho" countries such as Italy, France or Spain, not only was their situation better in the first place, but it is improving significantly, thanks to a small thing called "democratic debate" and "freedom of the press". Unless it doesn't count, of course.
RKS
+4
Level 67
Nov 28, 2019
Israel? Seriously? This place has been at war forever and is bordered by one of the most war torn country in the last decade. No thanks
kalbahamut
+1
Level 79
Feb 2, 2020
What difference does it make what borders it? Israel itself is nice.
Sifhraven
+2
Level 76
Apr 4, 2020
"Does not include small countries such as iceland" I would not call iceland a small country, it being 100.250km² !! yet singapore is included with 687km² . (And israel, taiwan, belgium, netherlands, south korea, austria, ireland, denmark, switzerland and UAE are all smaller countries)

to me it is like asking which person is taller, but excluding some people because they are poorer. Followed by something like; yea but people with more money are "bigger" because they are more important.

If you are talking about small population say small population, not the size of the country.

anotts
+1
Level 27
Jun 27, 2020
I'm laughing at the comments, btw I live in Brazil.
y4r4
+1
Level 40
Mar 8, 2021
também
AlfredBenjamin
+6
Level 73
Aug 26, 2020
I would much more prefer to be born in Spain or Portugal than the UAE, since I'm gay. Wouldn't even want to visit that country before they have equal rights!
y4r4
+3
Level 40
Mar 8, 2021
The fact that SK is there but no japan... bruh
carrow
+1
Level 50
Mar 12, 2021
South Korea overtook Japan on the human development index a while ago, mostly because Japan's economy has been stagnating for decades.
y4r4
+1
Level 40
Mar 25, 2021
You're right.
gamergeo
+1
Level 50
Aug 5, 2021
LMAO people who didn't put Singapore.. idc what the quiz says you should put it lmao.

By small country they prolly meant the seychelles

WannabeSwede
+1
Level 27
Sep 25, 2021
just had to make sure sweden was here xD
Gebb
+6
Level 65
Feb 17, 2022
Wtf is this source. How can USA even make the list, and not france, spain, uk ... USA is worse in any aspect that you can imagine.
Uzbekifan
+1
Level 55
Jun 3, 2022
Hear me out: maybe the U.S. isn't as terrible as you think it is.

The quiz is about being born in the country, not the experiences you've had while visiting.

(although it's ranking would definitely be higher if it had better gun restrictions)

Sifhraven
+1
Level 76
Nov 9, 2025
Still with the US being on I also expected the UK and France there, and Japan.
mlbcars
+1
Level 37
May 10, 2022
why is australia here???????? It's a continent
Wistful
+2
Level 72
Sep 22, 2022
And a country... Seriously?
Peter2002
+3
Level 31
May 24, 2022
As 1/10 people are Gay - 1/10 can't live in UAE or Singapore - if 1/10 people literally cannot live somewhere it's not really a top place to live now is it?
Koopa
+1
Level 88
Aug 30, 2025
10% of human kind is gay? Highly doubtful.
3nchiladas
+3
Level 69
Jun 5, 2022
Shocked Japan doesn't make it. Higher life expectancy than some of the countries that did make it.
sizzly4packs
+5
Level 36
Sep 11, 2022
i refuse to believe that usa italy or israel are better than uk france and japan.........
Nekroix
+2
Level 50
Oct 13, 2022
HAHAHAH USA, sure.

Long live my Switzerland ❤️

Guulkrul2000
+4
Level 66
Mar 29, 2024
'Does not include *small* countries like Luxembourg, Iceland'

...

Singapore

vitriden
+1
Level 84
Apr 9, 2024
I guess it meant to say small population. Despite being 100 times smaller in terms of size, Singapore has a ten times larger population than Iceland.
Nickelz
+1
Level 69
Apr 12, 2024
belgium sneak!
madridismo
+4
Level 59
May 10, 2024
bro put israel lol
SanjiStrikesBack
+3
Level 49
Aug 15, 2024
Singapore is a super small country
TurkeyCookTime
+1
Level 85
Nov 15, 2024
Singapore has 6 million people. Luxembourg and Iceland both have less than 1 million.
bill62609
+3
Level 65
Dec 22, 2024
yeah also since when is Iceland a small country and Netherlands (half the size) isn't
mpepperdine
+4
Level 80
Jan 9, 2025
Israel and Italy over UK and France lmao good joke
rhinobaby
+2
Level 73
Jan 11, 2025
This quiz is trash for sure.
SashaIvanovich
+3
Level 48
Feb 14, 2025
Why is there Singapore if you said there were no small countries?
GeoGeniusThe1
+1
Level 43
Feb 18, 2025
people are really brainwashed from the media lol, im from israel and even during war its really safe and high quality of life so stop beliving everything you see on the news lol.
Gabichou44
+5
Level 60
Jul 3, 2025
because it's not a war it's a genocide, hope this helps :)
Bnj1
+1
Level 43
Sep 29, 2025
I think there are definitely levels to it I mean perhaps you're right now but I feel at the very least pre-2025 ceasefire agreement it was (or is) very much a two-sided war. Not that the actions of the Israeli government is overall or at all justifiable but also consider events such as October 7th, and the other unjustifiable actions of Hamas too.
KanzazKyote
+1
Level 92
Mar 17, 2026
They must fucking suck at genocide if there's arabs in their elected government
Bletsch
+1
Level 71
Apr 16, 2025
Hmmm.
codeninjas29
+4
Level 49
Jun 27, 2025
Description “does not include small countries

Answer Singapore

Tadeu
+1
Level 69
Sep 8, 2025
I guess they mean countries with small populations. Singapore, for example, has 6 million people. They say the list doesn't include Iceland, which isn't particularly small in terms of land area. It's ranked #106 out of 195 countries on Wikipedia, larger than South Korea, Portugal, Hungary, Ireland, the UAE, and the Netherlands. However, Iceland is very small in terms of population. Its ranked #172, smaller than Malta, the Bahamas, Luxembourg, and even many medium-sized cities like Macau, Nashville, and Zurich. The entire country could fit on Staten Island. But I agree it did lead people off
Gabichou44
+2
Level 60
Jul 3, 2025
well this didn't age well
Tadeu
+1
Level 69
Sep 8, 2025
This is obviously absolutely not the quizmaker's fault, but it's funny how I'd rather not be born or live in some of these countries, especially since others I consider much better are omitted. The subjectivity is staggering, even though they use quantifiable indexes to reach this conclusion.
eurotec
+2
Level 56
Oct 30, 2025
The UAE?! Never expected it. And also Singapore? Singapore is a small country.
Sifhraven
+1
Level 76
Nov 9, 2025
"does not include small countries such as Iceland"

Includes South Korea, Austria, UAE, Ireland, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, Taiwan, Belgium, Israel and Singapore.

Nearly the entire freaking list are countries smaller than Iceland. Only Australia, Norway, Sweden, NZ, Canada, Finland, Germany, US and Italy are bigger.

Edit apparently I made a similar comment 5 years ago, but I will leave this one up, since the caveat really should be altered.

KanzazKyote
+1
Level 92
Mar 17, 2026
Your previous comment probably wasn't answered because nobody in their right mind considers geographic area to have any effect at all on living conditions except in certain scenarios.

Iceland has 300,000 people. Every other country has millions. Singapore has 15 times the population of Iceland despite being significantly smaller in area.

TheSinnohman
+2
Level 67
Jan 31, 2026
"Last updated 2019" yeah that tracks, the USA and Israel are still on here
kaydin
+1
Level 48
Mar 4, 2026
Why Isn't Yemen on here?
JetpunkSandwich
+2
Level 48
Mar 18, 2026
This quiz needs an update badly.
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