Beautiful Beaches, No Crime, Free Health Care: Is This the Best Country in World?
Date: 09/28/2009
Author: Suzan Haskins
It’s time for your geography and sociology quiz.
What country just may be the ideal tourist attraction…with a varied terrain that includes rugged mountains, bucolic farmland, and 3,570 miles of some of the world’s most beautiful beaches…some with uninterrupted sandy shores of more than 13 miles?
(Clue: these sand beaches range from fine white powdered-talc to golden brown sugar to dazzling pink. And the gleaming offshore waters are incredible shades of green and blue, with an average temperature of 79 degrees.)
This country has beautiful cities, too. In fact, it has eight UNESCO World-Heritage sites—six cultural and two natural. It’s rightly proud of its easy-to-navigate and well-maintained city streets, rural roads and cross-country highways. Along these roads and highways, grass is neatly trimmed, and vistas are unmarred by billboards.
No one litters here. In fact, crime is virtually non-existent. There are no illegal drugs, no gangs, no graffiti.
Sounds idyllic, right? There’s more…
This country has the highest literacy rate in the world. It’s a world leader in preparing young children to succeed in school. Education is considered a right of every citizen, as is free health care.
Health care here, in fact, is excellent. You’ll find the highest number of doctors (per capita) in the world. Life expectancy rates are on par with the U.S. In many areas, health care statistics outpace the U.S. For instance, out of 30 nations, this country ranks #1 in the five-year survival rate for women diagnosed with breast cancer. It ranks higher than the U.S. in colorectal cancer survival rates for both men and women.
It’s a country where culture…music, art, theater, film…thrives. You’ll find the world’s top athletes here, too. In terms of per-capita medals won in international competitions over the years, this country ranks first in the world—up there with Japan, Italy, and the Ukraine—though (another clue here) with just 11.4 million people, the population is less than one quarter that of the Ukraine and less than one-tenth that of Japan.
And your last clue: Women dominate this nation’s economy. In terms of political representation of women, this country ranks first in the hemisphere. And it boasts subsidized day care and maternity leave.
Where in the world is this place? Find out tomorrow…
