"...this ranking reflects public perceptions, not hard data..."

I've been to a number of these countries and I'd say the US. But I may be biased as I'm a native citizen.

[www.visualcapitalist.com]

Definitely not this one! If my father had not stolen my inheritance I'd be living in Portugal right now.

That article is meaningless.

You could just as easily pick an amalgam of metrics where we rank WAY lower than we used to*, and nowhere close to #3 amongst our world neighbors.

*More important IMNSHO

Yup. Public perceptions are as varied as the members of the public are.

by what measure?

healthcare access?
civil rights/human rights?
opportunities for career and financial advancement?
housing availability and cost?
transportation?
energy cost?

My answer depends on the measure.

I am however, partial to the country my ancestors and family members built, as well as fought and died for.
I hope their amazing legacy has not been squandered.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/2025 06:52PM by BarefootBliss.

What's holding you back from moving? I have a team in Portugal. Cost of Living is incredibly low quality of life is high. You don't need a massive inheritance to live and move there!

@CoolMusic wrote:

Definitely not this one! If my father had not stolen my inheritance I'd be living in Portugal right now.

That article is meaningless.

You could just as easily pick an amalgam of metrics where we rank WAY lower than we used to*, and nowhere close to #3 amongst our world neighbors.

*More important IMNSHO

or obtain legal residency, as another option - for extended stays.

I am a citizen of the US and I am a permanent legal resident of another country. Gives me options lol, which I avail myself of.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/04/2025 10:46AM by BarefootBliss.

SOME INTERESTING STATS: Are we really the best ? I don't think so
When you look at what is listed, ask...why do we keep giving the FILTHY RICH more tax breaks ???????
Friendliest Countries 2025
Canada 1
Spain 2
New Zealand 3
Netherlands 4
Portugal 5
Australia 6
Italy 7
Norway 8
Thailand 9
Finland 10
United States 42
Top 50 Healthiest Countries in the World
Rank Country Global Health Index 2025
1 Taiwan 97.59
2 Singapore 97.43
3 Israel 97.1
4 Japan 97.07
5 Switzerland 97.06
6 Norway 95.88
7 Sweden 95.41
8 South Korea 95.34
9 Andorra 95.21
10 Iceland 95.08
11 Luxembourg 94.83
12 Netherlands 93.84
13 Finland 93.4
14 Germany 92.36
15 Denmark 92.3
61 United States 81.49
Top 50 Richest Countries in the World: GDP Rankings 2025
Rank Country Key Sectors GDP per Capita 2024
1 Luxembourg Finance, Steel, Technology $132,800
2 Singapore Finance, Manufacturing, Biotechnology $127,500
3 Qatar Oil & Gas, Finance, Real Estate $116,200
4 Ireland Technology, Pharmaceuticals, Finance $114,900
5 Norway Oil & Gas, Maritime, Fisheries $90,500
6 Switzerland Banking, Pharmaceuticals, Tourism $82,600
7 United States Technology, Finance, Healthcare $74,600
8 Denmark Pharmaceuticals, Shipping, Renewable Energy $72,100
9 Netherlands Agriculture, Trade, Technology $71,400
10 San Marino Banking, Manufacturing, Tourism $70,900
Countries with the Highest National Debt 2025
1 United States $32.9T
2 China $15T
3 Japan $10.9T
4 United Kingdom $3.4T
5 France $3.4T
6 Italy $3.1T
7 India $3T
8 Germany $2.8T
9 Canada $2.3T
10 Brazil $1.8T
top 10 countries with expensive Healthcare
1. United States:
The U.S. consistently ranks as the most expensive, with per capita spending far exceeding other developed nations.
2. Switzerland:
While also known for high-quality care, Switzerland's healthcare system is very costly, with high out-of-pocket expenses for patients.
3. Germany:
Germany has a robust healthcare system with universal coverage, but it also ranks among the most expensive in terms of per capita spending.
4. Austria:
Austria's healthcare system is also quite expensive, with significant public and private spending.
5. Netherlands:
Similar to Germany, the Netherlands has a high cost of healthcare per capita, despite having universal healthcare coverage.
6. Sweden:
Sweden's healthcare system is publicly funded, but the cost per capita is relatively high compared to other countries.
7. Belgium:
Belgium's healthcare system is also known for its high costs, both in terms of public and private spending.
8. Canada:
Canada's healthcare system is publicly funded, but it also has a relatively high per capita cost compared to other countries.
9. France:
France has a mixed public and private healthcare system, and while costs are lower than the US, they are still relatively high compared to other European countries.
10. United Kingdom:
The UK has a publicly funded healthcare system (NHS) which generally keeps costs down, but it still ranks among the more expensive systems in the world.
How does health spending in the U.S. compare to other countries?
Health expenditures per capita, U.S. dollars, 2024 (current prices and PPP adjusted)
United States $13,432
Switzerland $9,688
Germany $8,441
Austria $7,811
Netherlands $7,737
Sweden $7,522
Comparable Country Average $7,393
Belgium $7,380
France $7,136
Canada $7,013
Australia $6,931
United Kingdom $6,023
Japan $5,640
countries by number of billionaires Per Forbes (April 2025)
Billionaires (2025) Billionaires (2024) Change Rate
World 3,028 2,781 +247 0.343
Rank Rank per
Country/Territory Billionaires (2025) Billionaires (2024) Change Rate
1 11 United States 902 813 +89 2.420
2 53 China 450 406 +44 0.288
3 58 India 205 200 +5 0.144
4 17 Germany 171 132 +39 1.560
5 27 Russia 140 120 +20 0.821
6 16 Canada 76 67 +9 1.643
7 21 Italy 74 73 +1 1.239
8 - Hong Kong 66 67 -1 8.936
9 45 Brazil 56 69 -13 0.340
10 29 United Kingdom 55 55 0

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/05/2025 10:15PM by claabe.

No references?

For example, if you are going to cite a list of debt by country at least provide a reference, like debt to GDP ratio which is a common standard. That data can be found here:
[www.worldeconomics.com]

Also, while I don't like the level of U.S. debt either, the fact is that people have complained about the level of increasing U.S. debt since the demise of the gold standard in 1971. Each year the debt level rose since 1971, there were "Chicken Little's" claiming the sky was falling. So far, there have not been any major calamities due to rising debt. Part of this can be shown to be that the U.S. dollar is the reserve currency and the U.S. Treasuries are the safest investments in the world.

Furthermore, the gold standard had a number of issues, including:

Limited Money Supply: Gold reserves couldn't keep pace with economic growth, leading to potential deflation.

Inflexibility: The gold standard restricted the government's ability to stimulate the economy during crises. The COVID pandemic would have been much more severe to the U.S. economy with a gold standard.

Gold Supply Shocks: Fluctuations in gold production could destabilize the economy.

I wouldn’t mind living in London. Went there for a month between HS and college and did not want to come home. So much to do and see, decent people, beautiful landscapes, and architecture, cheap matinees in the theater district, humanitarian gov’t, and you don’t have to learn a new language! I’m definitely not into that. I would vacation in Portugal and Capri.