France climbs to no. 8 in UN best place to live index

[frogblogger]

Mentioned by Jovi in the Expat Lounge, the recently released UN Human Development Report 2009 shows France climbing 3 places in the global league to 8th year on year, based on stats gathered mainly before the recession got a grip.

How do they arrive at the 'best countries to live" index? Using a combination of criteria such as life expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.

The full rankings can be seen on this page on the UN Development Reports website.

Interesting to see France placed above the likes of Switzerland and Luxembourg, 5 places above the US, and way in front of the UK down in 21st place and Germany in 22nd.

Still, before the French start patting themselves on the back too much, I reckon just how well an index based on these criteria reflects actual 'quality of life' - a rather subjective notion - is debatable.

[Miss Brodie]

I wonder at this too, as I have noticed that food is double the price in supermarkets here than it is in the UK. The quality is not better either. A friend says it reminds her of Irish prices asn they too are in the euro.

The admins is tiring.

Nothing is open on the weekends, so if you are working, it makes it hard to manage your life.

In lyon it is 9.60e to go to the cinema... same as London - out of the centre.

Internet packages and mobile phone packages are more than double.

Train prices are very expensive...

That survey must have been done a while ago.

[minesthechevy]

Im surprised uk made it as high as 22 - I'd have thought that Iraq Ruwanda and Afghanistan would have beaten it hands down.....

<<< 'best countries to live" index? Using a combination of criteria such as life expectancy, literacy, school enrolment and gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.>>

One criteria was 'efficiency of civil service' - NOT!!!!!

[Bevdeforges]

I'm always pretty skeptical of these "best places to live" surveys. People are so different in what they are looking for, and what they appreciate once they get someplace.

Just for instance, I'm astonished to see Miss Brodie saying that food prices in France are higher than in Britain - and more so to hear that she doesn't think the quality is better. An American friend of mine used to complain that she couldn't find any "tender meat" here in France, while I find the quality of the meat here to be head and shoulders above that of the meat in the US.
Cheers,
Bev