Armenia ranked 95th on Legatum Prosperity Index

PanARMENIAN.Net - The London-based Legatum Institute has issued its latest "Prosperity Index," with Armenia placed 95th in rankings that aim to reflect overall wealth, health, and happiness.

The country, which climbed 3 spots against last year, took the 116th spot for economic situation, 75th for entrepreneurship & opportunity, 89th for governance, 65th for safety and security, 117th for personal freedom, 129th for social capital.

The index assesses 142 countries.

According to RFE/RL, Norway was placed 1st for the fifth consecutive year, with Switzerland in second place, Canada in third, Sweden in fourth, and New Zealand rounding out the top five.

The United Sates is ranked 11th.

The head of the Legatum Institute, Jeffrey Gedmin, said that over the past five years "the world has seen a continuous increase in prosperity, with citizens in many countries experiencing improving wealth."

Legatum credits the increase to improvements in entrepreneurship, health, and education.

Some former Soviet countries scored relatively well in the index, including Kazakhstan (47), Belarus (58), Russia (61), Uzbekistan (63), and Ukraine (64).

Elsewhere, Iran is ranked at 101, Iraq at 130, and Afghanistan near the bottom at 139.