Legatum Prosperity Index

The Legatum Prosperity Index is an annual ranking developed by the Legatum Institute of 110 countries. The ranking is based according to a variety of factors including wealth, economic growth, personal wellbeing, and quality of life. Norway topped the lists of the the last two reports, those of 2010 and 2011.

Contents

Methodology

The 2010 Legatum Prosperity Index is based on 89 different variables analysed across 110 nations around the world. Source data includes Gallup World Poll, WTO, World Development Indicators, GDP, World Intellectual Property Organization, UN Human Development Report, World Bank, OECD, World Values Survey. The 89 variables are grouped into 8 sub-indexes which are averaged using equal weights. The 8 sub-indexes are:

For example, Personal Freedom includes freedom of speech and religion, national tolerance for immigrants and ethnic and racial minorities. The Social Capital sub-index includes the percentage of citizens who volunteer, give to charity, help strangers, and who feel they can rely on family and friends.

Oxford Analytica is Legatum's research partner for the Prosperity Index and contributed the methodology and analysis. Detailed information about the 2010 Legatum Prosperity Index, the rankings and methodology are available at www.prosperity.com.

2011 Rankings

Top Ten
Rank Country
1 Norway
2 Denmark
3 Australia
4 New Zealand
5 Sweden
6 Canada
7 Finland
8 Switzerland
9 Netherlands
10 United States
Bottom Ten
Rank Country
101 Zambia
102 Kenya
103 Mozambique
104 Nigeria
105 Sudan
106 Yemen
107 Pakistan
108 Ethiopia
109 Zimbabwe
110 Central African Republic

2011 Rankings

Top 30
1.  Norway 6.  Canada 11.  Ireland 16.  Singapore 21.  Japan 26.  Czech Republic
2.  Denmark 7.  Finland 12.  Iceland 17.  Belgium 22.  Slovenia 27.  United Arab Emirates
3.  Australia 8.  Switzerland 13.  United Kingdom 18.  France 23.  Spain 28.  Poland
4.  New Zealand 9.  Netherlands 14.  Austria 19.  Hong Kong 24.  South Korea 29.  Uruguay
5.  Sweden 10.  United States 15.  Germany 20.  Taiwan 25.  Portugal 30.  Italy
Bottom 20
91.  India 96.  Tanzania 101.  Zambia 106.  Yemen
92.  Senegal 97.  Iran 102.  Kenya 107.  Pakistan
93.  Nepal 98.  Rwanda 103.  Mozambique 108.  Ethiopia
94.  Cambodia 99.  Cameroon 104.  Nigeria 109.  Zimbabwe
95.  Bangladesh 100.  Uganda 105.  Sudan 110.  Central African Republic

2009 Rankings

Top 30
1.  Finland 6.  Australia 11.  Ireland 16.  Japan 21.  Italy 26.  South Korea
2.  Switzerland 7.  Canada 12.  United Kingdom 17.  France 22.  Portugal 27.  Israel
3.  Sweden 8.  Netherlands 13.  Belgium 18.  Hong Kong 23.  Singapore 28.  Hungary
4.  Denmark 9.  United States 14.  Germany 19.  Spain 24.  Taiwan 29.  Poland
5.  Norway 10.  New Zealand 15.  Austria 20.  Slovenia 25.  Czech Republic 30.  Greece
Bottom 20
85.  Belarus 90.  Nepal 95.  Kenya 100.  Cameroon
86.  Lebanon 91.  Mozambique 96.  Algeria 101.  Central African Republic
87.  Bangladesh 92.  Uzbekistan 97.  Tanzania 101.  Yemen
88.  Egypt 93.  Cambodia 98.  Nigeria 103.  Sudan
89.  Zambia 94.  Iran 99.  Pakistan 104.  Zimbabwe

2008 Rankings

Top 30
1.  Australia 6.  United States 11.  Netherlands 16.  Belgium 21.  Taiwan 26.  South Korea
2.  Austria 7.  Switzerland 12.  Sweden 17.  Canada 22.  Spain 27.  Chile
3.  Finland 8.  Hong Kong 13.  Japan 18.  United Kingdom 23.  Slovenia 28.  UAE
4.  Germany 9.  Denmark 14.  Norway 19.  Israel 24.  Czech Republic 29.  Malaysia
5.  Singapore 10.  New Zealand 15.  France 20.  Ireland 25.  Italy 30.  Kuwait
Bottom 20
85.  Pakistan 90.  Bolivia 95.  Nigeria 100.  Tanzania
86.  Ghana 91.  Cambodia 96.  Mozambique 101.  Central African Republic
87.  Nicaragua 92.  Senegal 97.  Kenya 102.  Mali
88.  Ecuador 93.  Cameroon 98.  Nepal 103.  Zambia
89.  Bangladesh 94.  Sudan 99.  Zimbabwe 104.  Yemen

Legatum Institute

The Legatum Institute, the publisher of the index, is a privately-funded think-tank founded in 2007 and located in Mayfair, London. It is funded by the Legatum Group, which includes Legatum Capital, a portfolio investment fund manager; Legatum Ventures a double bottom line investment fund, the Legatum Foundation, a philanthropic organisation; and the Legatum Center for Development And Entrepreneurship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a collaboration with MIT that funds graduate student entrepreneurs from developing markets.[1]

Personnel

The Prosperity Index is reviewed and critiqued (although not necessarily endorsed in toto) by an advisory panel of academics and scholars representing a range of disciplines and includes: Dr. Terry Babcock-Lumish (University of Oxford); Dr. Daniel Drezner (Tufts University); Dr. Peter Feaver (Duke University); Dr. Carol Graham (Brookings Institution); Dr. Robert Jensen (University of California, Los Angeles); Dr. Stephen Krasner (Stanford University); Dr. Michael Kremer (Harvard University); Dr. Philip Levy (American Enterprise Institute); Dr. Edmund Malesky (University of California, San Diego); Dr. Ann Owen (Hamilton College); Dr. Robert Putnam (Harvard University); Dr. Allan Stam (University of Michigan).

One of the main authors of the 2007 report, Will Inboden, was a senior white-house official in the administration of George W. Bush.[1] Ryan Streeter, a senior fellow at the institute,[2] was the director of HUD's Center for Faith Based and Community Initiatives in the same administration.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b Australian High Commission, "Australia Ranks First in Legatum Institute "Prosperity Index", Retrieved Apr. 3, 2009.
  2. ^ [1]
  3. ^ Ilene Olson, "'Government can't raise children;' roundtable outlines ways to help families." Wyoming Tribune-Eagle, Apr. 22, 2005.
  1. Sydney Morning Herald - "Australia Tops Prosperity Index", 14 October 2008
  2. Economic Times - "India Behind Other Emerging Markets in Promoting Prosperity", 14 October 2008
  3. Forbes.com - "United States Should Respect Integrity of Existing Economic Fundamentals, Legatum Prosperity Index Says" , 14 October 2008
  4. Intute Educational Resource reference to Prosperity Index
  5. Rediff India - "Poor Ranking For India In Global Prosperity Survey"
  6. World Bank External Governance Dataset & Indicators
  7. Guardian (UK) - "UK Lags Behind in Prosperity League"
  8. Daily Mail (UK) - "UK Below Mexico in World League of Wealth and Happiness"
  9. Straits Times - "Singapore Leads Asia in New Prosperity Index"
  10. Allbusiness.com discusses the Index

External links

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