Armenians’ quality of life ranks 67th globally: Social Progress Index

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia has moved down among the world’s socially advanced countries ranking the 67th against last year’s 61st spot, according to the 2016 Social Progress Index.

The index, released Tuesday, July 5, ranks 133 countries in three major categories: Basic Human Needs, Foundations of Wellbeing and Opportunity.

Published by the U.S.-based, non-profit Social Progress Imperative, the index calculates whether citizens have access to basic services, opportunities, healthcare, education, housing, decent policing, rights and freedom from discrimination. It compiles its scores based on more than 50 indicators.

Armenia scored an average of 66.05 points in the Social Progress Index, 85.26 in the category Basic Human Need (51st place down from last year’s 49th), 69.26 points in Foundations of Wellbeing (75th against last year’s 68th), and 43.63 points in Opportunity (87th against last year’s 83rd).

Georgia and Turkey registered better results in this year’s index, ranking the 54th and 58th respectively. Russia was took the 75th spot, while Azerbaijan and Iran came in 77th and 93rd, correspondingly.

Finland came top of the index, followed by Canada, Denmark, Australia, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Netherlands, the UK, Iceland, New Zealand and Ireland.

Central African Republic, which has been dogged by decades of violence culminating in a 2013 coup that exposed deep ethnic, political and sectarian rivalries, was in last place, just below Afghanistan.