Analysis
World Poll: Denmark New Zealand Canada rank highest in well-being
by Nicole Naurath
Gallup polling in more than 130 countries finds that people in Denmark New Zealand and Canada report the highest well-being. The US Australia Venezuela and Brazil are among the countries that score nearly as high but no country in mainland Asia or Africa makes the top 10.
Gallup's Well-Being Index reflects a broad view of the well-being concept and is made up of six questions that ask respondents to evaluate their lives and to comment on experiences during a specific time:
Please imagine a ladder with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. Suppose we say that the top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life.
- If the top step is 10 and the bottom step is 0 on which step of the ladder do you feel you personally stand at the present time?
- Just your best guess on which step do you think you will stand on in the future say 5 years from now?
- Were you treated with respect all day yesterday?
- Did you smile/laugh a lot yesterday?
- Did you learn/do something interesting yesterday?
- Did you experience the following feelings during a lot of the day yesterday? Enjoyment
Answers to these experience and evaluative questions offer scholars a more representative view of well-being than traditional economic and social indicators such as GDP poverty rates healthcare expenditures and literacy rates. Together they provide a comprehensive tool to measure and track the progress toward improving the well-being of citizens and societies around the world.
Having collected these subjective self-reported data from population samples around the world Gallup Poll researchers and analysts calculated Well-Being Index scores for 130 countries. The countries with the highest scores are almost exclusively high per-capita GDP at purchasing power parity (PPP) countries and can be found in Europe North and South America and Oceania.
For the full article see www.gallup.com
Survey Methods
Results from the Gallup World Poll are based on telephone and face-to-face interviews conducted throughout 2005 and 2006. Randomly selected sample sizes typically number 1 000 residents aged 15 and older in the countries polled. For results based on samples of this size one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is ±3 percentage points. In addition to sampling error question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
The Gallup World Poll puts the world at your fingertips. In the largest undertaking of its kind Gallup is measuring the well-being and overall status of the world's citizens for the next 100 years.
For more information on the World Poll: www.gallupworldpoll.com
