Most eco-friendly nations: India at 123!

At a time when climate change is a hotly debated topic, it's time to check which countries are the most environment-friendly. India is ranked at a dismal 123 with a low score of 48.3 on this count.

India ranks low on agriculture, pollution control meaures and environmental health. Rapid economic growth has taken a toll on India's environment and natural resources.

Iceland leads the world as the most eco-friendly nation with the best pollution control measures and natural resource management, according to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI), which ranks 163 countries on 25 performance indicators tracked across 25 metrics under ten categories including: environmental health, air quality, water resource management, biodiversity and habitat, forestry, fisheries, agriculture, and climate change.

These indicators provide an estimate at a national government scale on how close countries are to established environmental policy goals.

Check out the 10 most eco-friendly countries in the world...

Iceland

Iceland scores high on environmental public health, controlling greenhouse gas emissions, and reforestation. It recorded a zero per cent decline on forest cover.

Iceland scored 93.5 points and is the only country with more than 90 points in 2010.

All the countries among the top 10 have made substantial investments in environmental infrastructure, pollution control, and policies designed to move toward long-term sustainability.

GDP per capita: $35,607

Population: 310,997

Switzerland

With a score of 89.1, Switzerland becomes the world's second most eco-friendly country. It scores well on biodiversity and habitat, environment health, eco-system vitality.

GDP per capita: $36,702

Population: 7,550,080

Costa Rica

Costa Rica is the world's third most eco-friendly country with a score of 86.4. It scores high on agriculture, biodiversity and habitat and environment health. It also scores low on pollution.

GDP per capita: $9,636

Population: 4,462,190

Sweden

With a score of 86.0, Sweden is the 4th most eco-friendly country. It scores high on pollution control, bio-diversity, environment health and climate change initiatives.

GDP per capita: $33,432

Population: 9,148,090

Norway

With a score of 81.1, Norway is the world's most fifth most eco-friendly nation. It scores high on environment health, water effects on environment, forestry and agriculture.

GDP per capita: $48,113

Population: 4,709,150

Mauritius

Mauritius, with a score of 80.6, comes in at the sixth place among eco-friendly nations.

Mauritius score high on forestry, bio-diversity, environmental health and has low pollution levels.

GDP per capita: $10,254

Population: 1,260,690

France

France with a score of 78.2 is at the seventh place. The country scores much above the average in the region in terms of environmental health, eco system vitality and agriculture.

GDP per capita: $31,131

Population: 61,707,100

Austria

Austria scores 78.1 in the environment index, scoring high on environmental health, forestry, bio-diversity and agriculture.

GDP per capita: $34,520

Population: 8,315,430

Cuba

Cuba is the ninth most eco-friendly nation with a score of 78.1. It scores high on pollution control measures, fisheries, agriculture and forestry.

GDP per capita: $8,500

Population: 11,257,000

Colombia

Colombia comes tenth in the list of the most eco-friendly nations with a score of  76.8. It scores high on pollution control measures, forestry, environmental health and ecosystem vitality.

GDP per capita: $7,635

Population: 43,987,000