Thus, NEF's list of happiest countries does not feature the usual suspects.
The popular Abba single, “Money, money, money…must be funny in a rich man’s world” seems true for people from these countries. At least that is what one can deduce from New Economics Foundation’s Happy Planet Index (HPI).
The latest HPI results show how these countries produce long, happy and sustainable lives for their people. The overall index scores rates countries based on their efficiency, how many long and happy lives each produces per unit of environmental output.
Each of the three component measures – life expectancy, experienced well-being and ecological footprint. Also, the overall ranking is not based on GNP and growth figures, but purely on environmental factors.
A boy jumps into the Llanos del Cortes waterfall in Bagaces, Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Ranking: 1
Happy Planet Index score: 60.4 ,2009 HPI Rank: 5
Experienced Well-Being: 5.8, Life Expectancy: 75.2
Ecological Footprint: 1.4,GDP Per Capita: $3,205
Population: 86.9 million
A Hmong woman displays traditional costumes for sale at the Vietnamese cultural village of Dong Mo, outside Hanoi
Vietnam
Ranking: 2
Happy Planet Index score: 60.4 2009 , HPI Rank: 5
Experienced Well-Being: 5.8 , Life Expectancy: 75.2
Ecological Footprint: 1.4 ,GDP Per Capita: $3,205
Population: 86.9 million
Flamingos fly over a reserve near the town of Manaure, Guajira province, Colombia
Colombia
Ranking: 3
Happy Planet Index score: 59.8 , 2009 HPI Rank: 6
Experienced Well-Being: 6.4 , Life Expectancy: 73.7
Ecological Footprint: 1.8 , GDP Per Capita: $9,453
Population: 46.3 million
Britain's Prince Harry dances at a street party in Belmopan, Belize
Belize
Ranking: 4
Happy Planet Index score: 59.3 , 2009 HPI Rank: 27
Experienced Well-Being: 6.5 , Life Expectancy: 76.1
Ecological Footprint: 2.1 , GDP Per Capita: $6,670
Population: 345,000
El Salvador
El Salvador
Ranking: 5
Happy Planet Index score: 58.9 , 2009 HPI Rank: 8
Experienced Well-Being: 6.7 , Life Expectancy: 72.2
Ecological Footprint: 2 , GDP Per Capita: $6,668
Population: 6.2 million
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- A Jamaican child plays at Hellshire beach in Kingston
Jamaica
Ranking: 6
Happy Planet Index score: 58.5 , 2009 HPI Rank: 3
Experienced Well-Being: 6.2 , Life Expectancy: 73.1
Ecological Footprint: 1.7 , GDP Per Capita: $7,673
Population: 2.7 million
Panama
Panama
Ranking: 7
Happy Planet Index score: 57.8 , 2009 HPI Rank: 18
Experienced Well-Being: 7.3 , Life Expectancy: 76.1
Ecological Footprint: 3 , GDP Per Capita: $13,608
Population: 3.5 million
Managua's Tiscapa Lagoon in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Ranking: 8
Happy Planet Index score: 57.1 , 2009 HPI Rank: 11
Experienced Well-Being: 5.7 , Life Expectancy: 74
Ecological Footprint: 1.6 , GDP Per Capita: $2,913
Population: 5.8 million
Venezuelan soccer fans
Venezuela
Ranking: 9
Happy Planet Index score: 56.9 , 2009 HPI Rank: 36
Experienced Well-Being: 7.5 , Life Expectancy: 74.4
Ecological Footprint: 3.0 , GDP Per Capita: $12,233
Population: 28.8 million
Calle Santander tourist street in Panajachel, Guatemala
Guatemala
Ranking: 10
Happy Planet Index score: 56.9 , 2009 HPI Rank: 4
Experienced Well-Being: 6.3 , Life Expectancy: 71.2
Ecological Footprint: 1.8 , GDP Per Capita: $4,785
Population: 14.4 million
