The Best Countries in the World for Living, Working, Raising a Family, and Owning a Business
According to a comprehensive list of 46 intersecting factors essential to Personal Freedom, Economic Freedom, Happiness and Quality of Life
Business freedom, trade freedom, fiscal freedom, trust or absence of corruption in government and business, monetary freedom, investment freedom, financial freedom, property rights, institutions, infrastructure, stable macroeconomic framework, efficient labor markets, developed financial markets, market size, both domestic and international, and access to sound money, regulation of credit,
Labor, business, rule of law, size of government, government spending, taxes, stock market performance, red tape, innovation, producing new and different goods using the most sophisticated production processes, the ability to harness the benefits of existing technologies, GDP per capita and gross national income per capita,
Freedom of movement, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of relationships, housing, income, jobs, community, social support, civic engagement, health, healthy life expectancy, life expectancy at birth, expected years of schooling, mean years of schooling, primary education, higher education and training,
Environment, pollution, climate, life satisfaction, work-life balance, purchasing power, cost of living, property price to income, traffic commute time, quality of family life, divorce rates,
Security and safety, firearm-related deaths per 100,000, gun homicides per 100,000, gender equality, income inequality, and wealth inequality.
Based on the following conservative/free market sources: the Index of Economic Freedom (Heritage Foundation), the Global Competitiveness Index (World Economic Forum), Freedom Index (Cato Institute), Forbes Best Countries for Business (Forbes Magazine), Best Countries Overall Ranking (U.S. News and World Report),
And the following “quality of life” sources: the World Happiness Report (Gallup), Quality of Life Index (Numbeo), Where-To-Be-Born Index: 2013 (Economist Intelligence Unit), Better Life Index (OECD), the Human Development Index (United Nations),
As well as information on Health, Education, and Union membership: the World Health Organization Ranking (World Health Organization), Best Countries for Education (U.S. News and World Report), Affordability Rankings Global Higher Education Rankings 2010, Union Membership (OECD),
Wealth and Income Inequality: GINI Wealth Index 2000 (National Bureau of Economic Research (N.B.E.R.), GINI Wealth Index 2014 (Allianz SE), GINI Index Income 2012 (CIA), GINI Index Income 2011-2013 (World Bank),
Firearm-related Deaths and Homicides per 100,000: Firearm-related Deaths Per 100,000 2011-2014 (Fact, Figures, and Firearm Law, Gun policy.org, University of Sydney), Gun Homicides Per 100,000 2011-2014 (Fact, Figures, and Firearm Law, Gun policy.org, University of Sydney), Gun Homicides Per 100,000 2012 (UNODC, Small Arms Survey, Guardian Datablog),
And data from individual countries regarding: min. paid annual leave (days), paid sick leave (days), maternity leave (weeks), availability and affordability of health care (universal health care).