What we have come to

• 11.01.2010, 13:11

Lukashenka’s Belarus has lower Quality of Life Index than Moldova does, approaching indexes of Samoa and Zimbabwe.

The influential magazine International Living issued a new Quality of Life Index for 194 countries. According to 2010 Quality of Life Index, Belarus is listed among the countries ranking from 109 to 119. The country is ranked below all its neighbours as well as all post-Soviet republics – Moldova, Georgia, and Armenia, expect for Russia, “Salidarnast” reports.

The annual Quality of Life Index considers such categories as cost of living, culture and leisure, economy, environment, freedom, health, infrastructure, safety and risk, and climate. The maximum score in each category is 100.

According to 2010 Quality of Life Index, the top 10 countries are France, Australia, Switzerland, Germany, New Zealand, Luxemburg, the United States, Belgium, Canada, and Italy. They have scores from 77 to 82.

Our country’s final score is 54 that places it among the countries ranked from 109 to 119. This group includes Russia, Thailand, Zambia, Morocco, Samoa, and Bahrain.

Compared with its neighbours, expect for Russia, Belarus has the lowest rating. Even such post-Soviet countries as Moldova (52–55), Ukraine (ranked 68–69th with Grenada), Georgia and Armenia are ranked higher.

The level of freedom was the main category to influence such a lower position. Belarus got only 8 from 100 scores. Only Vietnam, China and Zimbabwe have the same score in this category...

Belarus, as Arab Oman, has only 44 scores in the category culture and leisure. Environment and climate were rated rather high, 75 and 77 scores respectively. However, the state has no relation to these indexes.

The rest scores are as follows: 65 in the category cost of living, 50 in the category economy, 51 in health, 52 in infrastructure, 64 in risk and safety.