More happy Russians
Russia climbs four places in the World Happiness Ranking 2015. Meanwhile, neighboring Nordic countries appear to lose ground.
In 2015 Russia became the 64th happiest country in the world and improved its place in the rank by four positions compared to 2013. Meanwhile some Nordic countries, on the contrary, lost their status as the most welfare ones, shows the latest World Happiness report. But does it really mean that Scandinavians’ life become worse, while that of Russians works out for the best?
According to the figures of 2012-2014, among the Nordic countries Norway went down from honorary 2nd to the 4th place in the rank, Sweden lost three positions and took the 8th place, and only Finland improved its status by one position and rose to the 6th place. Actually the reasons for such changes are different. Thus, as statistics of Patchwork Barents shows, Northern Norway faced increase in crime rate. If in 2010 there were registered 29 103 crimes, in 2012 their number grew up to 29 438. Moreover, pensions in the region became lower. In 2013 every elderly citizen of Northern Norway earned in average 34 441 USD, whereas in 2011 for one pensioner there was 35 041 USD. Anyway, according to level of salaries and GDP, Norway continues to be the leader in the Barents region.
Despite a significant decrease of general living standards in the country, in Northern Sweden many figures improved. Thus, Swedes started to drink less alcohol: in 2013 residents of the northern part of the kingdom drank 5,3 liters less strong drinks than in 2010, and this is the most positive dynamics among the Barents countries. Besides, life in Northern Sweden became longer – according to Patchwork Barents, in Vesterbotten an average life expectancy in 2012-2013 hit the record 81,20 years, in Nordbotten – 80,83 years. The country also experienced decrease of crime rate. In 2012 in Northern Sweden there were registered 49 317 crimes. This is 4 572 crimes more than in 2010, but at the same time dozens of thousands more than in other Arctic regions....MORE
