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Countries with the Highest HDI

Name the countries with the best quality of life as measured by Human Development Index.
2021/22 HDI report. Data are from the year 2021.
HDI measures income, life expectancy, and education
Hong Kong is given because it is not a sovereign nation
Quiz by mac212121
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Last updated: November 1, 2022
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First submittedApril 18, 2012
Times taken130,918
Average score90.0%
Rating4.95
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HDI
Country
n/a
Monaco
n/a
Vatican City
0.962
Switzerland
0.961
Norway
0.959
Iceland
0.952
Hong Kong
0.951
Australia
0.948
Denmark
HDI
Country
0.947
Sweden
0.945
Ireland
0.942
Germany
0.941
Netherlands
0.940
Finland
0.939
Singapore
0.937
Belgium
0.937
New Zealand
HDI
Country
0.936
Canada
0.935
Liechtenstein
0.930
Luxembourg
0.929
United Kingdom
0.925
Japan
0.925
South Korea
0.921
United States
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100 Recent Comments
PearlJoyster
+1
Level 22
Feb 21, 2016
Was totally going to type "Australia" and then thought, "no, not Australia." I'm so mad!
kiwiquizzer
+1
Level 68
Aug 5, 2016
That is madness! Got them all WooHoo.
Possums
+2
Level 30
Jun 3, 2016
I'm surprised the USA is so far above and Japan is so low. I guess it is to do with GDP but still....
JohnOfili
+2
Level 40
Sep 5, 2016
at 0.892 does Luxembourg not make the list?
PjotrL
+1
Level 76
Nov 8, 2016
Seems the data is a little outdated. The latest table on Wikipedia shows a slightly different ranking and even gives no-UN scores for Monaco and San Marino which would come in at 1 and 7 in the list.
Knowledgio
+1
Level 36
Nov 8, 2016
I don't get how Israel beat France
Malbaby
+5
Level 70
Nov 8, 2016
Although interesting, this quiz is nigh on useless as facts go. 0.06 is the difference between first and last. I've lived and worked in six of these countries and have stayed and travelled through many others. There is no country listed that has managed to give the 'Best Quality of Life' to all it's people, on the contrary, where many people live in luxury and with all the chances there are many with nothing for assets and no chance to better themselves.
mf3
+3
Level 89
Mar 22, 2017
Wow, this quiz seems to inspire loads of heated commentary. So let me be the first 2017 commenter. What happened to Slovenia this year? I was just there and it's as beautiful, friendly and developed as ever...
Quizmaster
+5
Level ∞
Mar 22, 2017
The HDI numbers keep going up. So a country can fall off the list if its HDI doesn't increase as fast as others.
tschutzer
+2
Level 93
Mar 23, 2017
Otherwise known as "List of Countries I Would Have No Qualms About Visiting".
Apoka
+1
Level 62
Mar 24, 2017
Israel and South Korea higher than Finland?
HectorVortac
+3
Level 47
Mar 24, 2017
When it's 2 or 4 thousandths (hundredths?) of a percent does it matter?
jmellor13
+2
Level 67
Mar 24, 2017
Does anyone have any insight into why Monaco is not on this list? Very surprising.
ander217
+1
Level 75
Mar 24, 2017
Read the earlier comments. It didn't generate enough data to be included on the list.
Souhitya345
+1
Level 74
Mar 24, 2017
Missed Israel :(
Elan
+4
Level 66
Mar 24, 2017
Don't see too many religious countries on here...hmmmm....
sensfan123
+6
Level 22
Mar 26, 2017
Or that many black or Arab countries. Makes you wonder.
CardinalV
+9
Level 62
Mar 30, 2021
wonder about the lingering effects of colonialism that took place centuries ago? sure does!
maxmulham
+7
Level 28
Apr 6, 2021
Yeah, Hong Kong and Singapore are really feeling those colonial effects. lol.
FreeStater
+2
Level 78
Nov 28, 2022
Well, obviously some places that were colonized are going to propsper — but the fact is, most former colonies are still feeling the effects of imperialism.
FadKrashmor
+1
Level 71
Oct 2, 2023
I can't help but feel that there is a rather trite assumption of cause and effect in this reading of history.
NKpride
+2
Level 60
Mar 24, 2017
Aussie Aussie Aussie!
Tramp
+2
Level 77
Mar 24, 2017
Glad to see the UK back on the list.

Why aren't microstates like Monaco/Andorra etc or rich oil states like Qatar/Bahrain on here though? Why doesn't their wealth correlate to their HDI? I'm sure there are reasons, but I don't know enough about these places to guess why.

kalbahamut
+2
Level 81
Mar 24, 2017
Bahrain is not very oil rich. Their oil has been exhausted and currently their economy, as far as I can tell, depends mostly on Russian, Chinese, and Moroccan prostitutes servicing the young Saudi men who flood across the causeway every weekend. They've also got some shopping malls and an F1 track but that's about it.

Qatar, Kuwait and the Emirates are more wealthy and have more oil but I think education and life expectancy lag behind wages in these countries, which could negatively impact their HDI score.

Tramp
+1
Level 77
Mar 25, 2017
Interesting, thanks
kalbahamut
+2
Level 81
Oct 4, 2018
I've been told by my friends who are still in Bahrain that some of the most notorious brothotels in Hoora have either closed up shop or gotten rid of the working girls on the premises, and now that they are allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia and they started opening up movie theaters there, too, Saudi weekend tourism to Bahrain has dropped dramatically. The island nation's economy might be in serious trouble over the next few years.
luxint
+4
Level 66
Mar 24, 2017
UK will be back off the list next time...a nation going backwards
OfficerDibble
+1
Level 83
Mar 10, 2018
That's my guess too, but I hope I'm proved wrong. Either way, it's a good test of the Brexit decision.
JackintheBox
+6
Level 80
Feb 12, 2021
On the contrary, the United Kingdom's HDI score has been increasing year-on-year, and now has overtaken the United States'.
roosa1
+3
Level 5
Mar 24, 2017
Roosa from Finland

This the right order:

1 Norway

2 Australia

3. Denmark

4. Switzerland

5. Canada

6. Sweden

7. New-Zealand

8. Finland

9. United States

10. Iceland

11. Netherlands

SuperMax93
+2
Level 60
Mar 24, 2017
That's your opinion. This is based on statistics.

(From Wikipedia) The Human Development Index (HDI) is a composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and income per capita indicators. A country scores higher HDI when the life expectancy at birth is longer, the education period is longer, and the income per capita is higher. It is used to distinguish whether the country is a developed, a developing or an underdeveloped country.

Sifhraven
+2
Level 73
Jan 22, 2019
Uhm im pretty sure it is not just her opinion. Too detailed list and not an order you'd expect if someone told their personal preferences.

just because she didnt post her source doesnt mean it is an opinion. (Perhaps it is simply the latest data of the source you quoted, or another place that has more recent data than wikipedia)

Teegthebeeg
+6
Level 54
Jan 4, 2021
See Hitchen's razor...

Hitchens' razor is an epistemological razor expressed by writer Christopher Hitchens. It says that the burden of proof regarding the truthfulness of a claim lies with the one who makes the claim; if this burden is not met, then the claim is unfounded, and its opponents need not argue further in order to dismiss it

AllHailKingHomer
+1
Level 78
Mar 26, 2017
Otherwise I'd forget luxembourg and liechtenstein existed.. I'll show myself out ;
MustardCustard
+2
Level 66
Jul 4, 2017
Monaco and San Marino have yet to be official scored due to a lack of information, but Monaco is estimated in 2014 to be 1.074 and San Marino is estimated to be around 0.875.
nios
+3
Level 53
Oct 12, 2020
Isn't 1.000 the upper bound?
TheLastFish
+2
Level 70
Dec 25, 2020
No it is not, the HDI formula is just adjusted all several years such that it is really hard to exceed 1.000.
marthy
+1
Level 42
Sep 29, 2018
GO NORWAY!!!
ed1969
+4
Level 72
Oct 4, 2018
Since Monaco made the list, I'm assuming that the number of Ferraris and yachts owned per capita figures highly into the HDI.
Quizmaster
+5
Level ∞
Oct 30, 2018
If I owned Monaco's soccer team, I'd rename them the Monaco Monocles to reflect the nation's proud culture as a tax haven for the megarich.
Stewart
+1
Level 68
Oct 30, 2018
Description says 20 but there's 22 answers!
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Oct 30, 2018
Removed the number from the description.
Milezinator
+1
Level 71
Dec 10, 2018
I'm used to the EIU report for HDI, surprised to see how different the UN report is!
Arii78
+2
Level 45
Dec 10, 2018
I'm not completely suprised France isn't here, but I am suprised the UK and US could get in and we couldn't. I'm sure they cheated the test !

(Disclaimer : I am kidding.)

Lomeo
+2
Level 51
Nov 30, 2022
France isn't here because it has quite low mean years of schooling for a developed country. Education is 1/3 of the index. It actually scores higher than the UK in health (life expectancy) and the economy.
workie
+3
Level 67
Dec 10, 2018
Norway, Switzerland and Iceland are all doing nicely without full EU membership. Take note UK.
CardinalV
+6
Level 62
Dec 11, 2018
Yes but Norway and Iceland are in the EEA and Switzerland doesn't do passport check if someone passes through their borders so...take note UK.
Regtheledge1000
+2
Level 28
Sep 6, 2020
Ahem *brexit*
kiwiquizzer
+2
Level 68
Dec 11, 2018
Got them all with no wrong attempts. Good guessing!
100Greats
+2
Level 57
Jan 27, 2019
Got them all; Great Quiz! Another quiz with Human Capital, check this out, too:

Human Capital Index - Top 25 Nations

GeoDude
+2
Level 47
Mar 23, 2019
Vatican not doing so good?
kalbahamut
+2
Level 81
Oct 1, 2019
Since the well-being of children is such an important component of HDI and there aren't any children born in the Vatican I assume they don't even bother ranking them.
PickleChicken
+1
Level 43
Oct 6, 2019
Got all except Iceland. Nice play, icy boys
leannevz
+1
Level 55
May 7, 2020
I am honestly a bit surprised Hong Kong is higher than the Netherlands (and other countries, but I can only speak for HK and the NL). I have lived in both places and I absolutely love both, but just the housing situation alone in HK shouldn't give them such a high spot. A lot of people have to live in really small appartments (whereas they'd live in bigger and better appartments or most probably even houses in the Netherlands), which decreases the quality of life a bit I'd say. I hope the HK government will set up a good housing plan like Singapore did, but as we can see these days they barely care their residents anyways unfortunately :/
CLD99
+1
Level 59
Jun 2, 2020
I'm so surprised about the placement of a country like Japan relative to Hong Kong- based solely on overcrowding and political disunity in Hong Kong, I would have placed Japan much higher.
AlysiaK
+1
Level 48
Nov 26, 2020
Only missed Ireland :)
Djilas
+2
Level 84
Dec 24, 2020
Haha i never expected Slovenia here. It certainly doesn't translate to happiness 😃
kate555
+1
Level 50
Apr 5, 2021
What do you mean with that? Why wouldn't you expect Slovenia here?
mf3
+6
Level 89
Dec 24, 2020
So here we are in 2020, and still, the haunting visions of the despairing slums of Luxembourg are keeping them off the list...
cpgatbyu
+1
Level 87
Dec 24, 2020
Your source puts Liechtenstein above Slovenia.
Quizmaster
+1
Level ∞
Dec 24, 2020
Fixed
PaterN
+3
Level 80
Dec 25, 2020
Interesting fact: 11 out of the 20 countries with the best quality of life are nominally Monarchies. Obviously, it can't be that bad to have a king or queen (or prince or emperor or ...)
WillemLAif
+7
Level 76
Dec 25, 2020
There is this saying: A good king is better than a bad democracy.

A bad king, however... Nominally = risk management.

driehoek25
+6
Level 68
Feb 2, 2021
Most of these monarchies the monarchs (head of state) have almost no power. The power lies inside the parliamentary system and most of them are chosen by a plural vote or something very similar.
InfiniteBulk
+1
Level 69
Mar 30, 2021
I typed Monaco 17 times before realizing this is a different quiz.
giannisefoa
+3
Level 59
Mar 30, 2021
Really Israel is above Luxembourg???? That's strange
parkave
+2
Level 57
Mar 30, 2021
I imagine luxembourg is barely off the list. Israel has a good healthcare system, keep in mind right now they have the highest percent of people vaccinated in the world
podo
+3
Level 20
Apr 2, 2021
isn't isreal the highest?
PurpleMage
+1
Level 74
Mar 30, 2021
If you are going to give San Marino, Monaco etc, then either give Liechtenstein as well or remove the others please.
CardinalV
+3
Level 62
Mar 30, 2021
i don't think you understand why they're there.
Serval
+3
Level 36
Apr 1, 2021
He's not giving those three, values are not available. Not the same thing.
DaveH
+6
Level 48
Mar 30, 2021
Norway is #1 in the world, eh? That must explain why they have such a massive illegal immigration problem.
benjaminmarker
+2
Level 72
Jul 6, 2021
Source?
Choppy
+4
Level 22
Mar 30, 2021
Northern Europe always be on their A-Game
12345wired
+1
Level 36
Mar 30, 2021
They're the best when it comes to things like this.
tliving
+2
Level 45
Mar 31, 2021
I expect that the quality of life is going to significantly go down for Hong Kong in the coming years. So sad :(
podo
+4
Level 20
Apr 2, 2021
why
Azerk
+1
Level 65
Dec 4, 2022
China is absorbing Hong Kong
podo
+1
Level 20
Apr 2, 2021
how come luxembourg isnt't in the list？
maxmulham
+1
Level 28
Apr 6, 2021
As someone who has lived in Ireland and Switzerland. Switzerland should be waaay higher. I don't really understand how they did this. Also, no Andorra??
CotCat
+2
Level 59
May 14, 2022
Andorra is 36th behind Poland.
kalbahamut
+2
Level 81
May 17, 2022
This seems bizarre to me. I stopped in Andorra for lunch recently... the whole country seems like Vail or Aspen... how the heck could it have lower HDI than Poland?
TinteEalaine
+2
Level 55
Sep 9, 2022
I don't really know either, as I am Irish and have been to Switzerland. I saw that in Switzerland everything was beautiful, and all the lakes and rivers were so clean even in the city centre, and everyone seemed happy enough, but it was very expensive so maybe they dropped down because of affordability? Ireland is pretty expensive too though but definitively not as so as Switzerland.
RaySeonsae
+2
Level 59
Aug 14, 2021
luxembourg ??
SpartanLlama
+1
Level 74
Aug 14, 2021
My thoughts exactly
SpartanLlama
+1
Level 74
Aug 14, 2021
Got Switzerland and Iceland with 26 seconds remaining
protector441
+1
Level 48
Oct 27, 2022
Lol, I missed out of all countries United States and Israel. I was thinking about both, but assumed that given their security and government stability problems those will be somewhere between 20-30 and did not even bother to type them... :D
protector441
+3
Level 48
Oct 27, 2022
And to be honest, I still have difficulties believing, these countries can be there, while Belgium, Luxembourg, South Korea or Estonia are not. The HDI is a bit weird metric.
blizzrd33
+1
Level 80
Nov 1, 2022
3 out of those 4 just got added with the latest update.
3nchiladas
+1
Level 70
Nov 1, 2022
Well the update made you more correct lol
3nchiladas
+3
Level 70
Nov 1, 2022
Wow, the USA has fallen to 20th. I wonder if it will make it to next year's
RealBillGates
+1
Level 77
Nov 28, 2022
i hate switzerland
EvanAviator
+2
Level 60
Nov 28, 2022
why lol
QuizApe
+1
Level 69
Nov 28, 2022
What’s not to love about mountains and trains?
ChaosLord
+4
Level 76
Nov 28, 2022
Is there a quiz for inequality-adjusted HDI? I think that'd be more revealing than this.
JakeMaster32
+2
Level 49
Nov 28, 2022
Alternate Title: Western Countries
pillbug
+2
Level 65
Nov 28, 2022
Why not Austria?
cyceryx
+1
Level 58
May 13, 2024
20/20 :3
Jared0309
+1
Level 78
Apr 19, 2025
If this quiz was updated to reflect the current HDI, the UAE jumps up to 17th, with the US and Luxembourg now tied for 20th with a score 0.927.

I don't believe the scores for any of the countries on this list actually went down in the last 4 years, but I didn't check all of them. The UAE has just risen really fast. A few of the other positions are moved around but no other major changes

zupermaus
+1
Level 38
May 6, 2025
small countries like Monaco and Vatican City greyed out, yet not Liechtenstein. Argggghhh
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