Photographs: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters
The Economist Intelligence Unit attempts to measure which country will provide the best opportunities for a healthy, safe and prosperous life in the years ahead.
Its quality-of-life index links the results of subjective life-satisfaction surveys - how happy people say they are - to objective determinants of the quality of life across countries. Being rich helps more than anything else, but it is not all that counts; things like crime, trust in public institutions and the health of family life matter too, according to The Economist.
Let's take a look at 30 best countries to be born in.
Source: The Economist
Switzerland
Score: 8.22
Global rank: 1
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Mick Tsikas/Reuters
Australia
Score: 8.12
Global rank: 2
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters
Norway
Score: 8.09
Global rank: 3
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Scanpix/Reuters
Sweden
Score: 8.02
Global rank: 4
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Bob Strong/Reuters
Denmark
Score: 8.01
Global rank: 5
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: David Loh/Reuters
Singapore
Score: 8.00
Global rank: 6
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Jacky Naegelen/Reuters
New Zealand
Score: 7.95
Global rank: 7
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Michael Kooren/Reuters
The Netherlands
Score: 7.94
Global rank: 8
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Christopher Pike/Reuters
Canada
Score: 7.81
Global rank: 9
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters
Hong Kong
Score: 7.80
Global rank: 10
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Kacper Pempel/Reuters
Finland
Score: 7.76
Global rank: 11
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters
Ireland
Score: 7.74
Global rank: 12
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Herwig Prammer/Reuters
Austria
Score: 7.73
Global rank: 13
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Pichi Chuang/Reuters
Taiwan
Score: 7.67
Global rank: 14
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Sebastien Pirlet/Reuters
Belgium
Score: 7.51
Global rank: 15
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters
Germany
Score: 7.38
Global rank: 16
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Lucas Jackson/Reuters
The United States
Score: 7.38
Global rank: 17
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Jumana El-Heloueh/Reuters
The United Arab Emirates
Score: 7.33
Global rank: 18
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Lee Jae Won/Reuters
South Korea
Score: 7.25
Global rank: 19
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Sharon Perry/Reuters
Israel
Score: 7.23
Global rank: 20
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters
Italy
Score: 7.21
Global rank: 21
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Stephanie McGehee/Reuters
Kuwait
Score: 7.18
Global rank: 22
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Victor Ruiz Caballero/Reuters
Chile
Score: 7.10
Global rank: 23
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Yannis Behrakis/Reuters
Cyprus
Score: 7.10
Global rank: 24
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Stringer/Reuters
Japan
Score: 7.08
Global rank: 25
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Benoit Tessier/Reuters
France
Score: 7.04
Global rank: 26
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters
The United Kingdom
Score: 7.01
Global rank: 27
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Petr Josek/Reuters
Czech Republic
Score: 6.96
Global rank: 28
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Gustau Nacarino/Reuters
Spain
Score: 6.96
Global rank: 29
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30 best countries in the world to be born in
Photographs: Gustau Nacarino/Reuters
Costa Rica
Score: 6.92
Global rank: 30
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