Switzerland may have to deal with a few more dirty diapers next year.
According to a new report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, an an independent company with The Economist Group, the world's best place to be born in is Switzerland, followed by Australia, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. Canada just made the top 10 list, coming in at number nine.
Each country was scored based on 11 statistically significant indicators including gender equality, life expectancy at birth, quality of family life, divorce rates, climate change ranked by monthly temperatures and rainfall among others, according to The Economist.
"Despite the global economic crisis, times have in certain respects never been so good. Output growth rates have been declining across the world, but income levels are at or near historic highs. Life expectancy continues to increase steadily and political freedoms have spread across the globe, most recently in north Africa and the Middle East," according to the report.
Turns out our chilly country was not only number nine on this list, but ranked number one in others this year. In October, the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey 2012 named Canada the best place in the world to raise kids, while in June, TrustLaw named us the best country for women among G20 countries (noting that countries like Norway and Iceland were not included in TrustLaw's poll). Canada also topped lists of best maternity rights and overall living standards in previous reports.
But not to toot our own horns, we have a long way to go in areas of politics, the inquiry of missing women and equal representation in the workplace.
Some of the worst countries to be born in include Pakistan, Kenya and Angola — countries that may be burdened by poverty, corruption and violence, according to the report. In 1988, the United States took the top spot but this year tied with Germany at number 16.
What do you think? Do these scores seem accurate? Let us know in the comments below.
LOOK: The 10 best and worst countries to be born in. To see all 80 countries, check out the full list here.
