Costa Rica - Happiest Place on Earth?

Where is the "happiest place on earth ?" Disneyworld claims it is and, though it is a great place to enjoy once in a while, the most satisfying place to live on the planet is officially tiny Costa Rica, winner of the Happy Planet Index.

The Index measures three things: high life expectancy, high life satisfaction, and a low ecological footprint.

143 countries were rated, representing 99 per cent of the world's population, and Costa Rica came out on top---by a lot.

The Index asked three questions:

1. What is a country's life expectancy ( premise: it is better to live longer than die young)?

2. How satisfied are a country's people with the quality of their life (premise: living longer but miserably is not very satisfying)? and

3. What is the cost to the planet (premise: sustainable development is better than exhausting resources)?

Most of us assume that the richest, most developed countries should be at the top but it just is not so. In fact, the developed nations fall somewhere in the middle. Great Britain comes in at at 74th place and the U.S. is way back in 114th place.

The difference between Costa Rica and the USA is striking. Costa Ricans live longer than Americans (health care is nationalized, nearly free, and universal in Costa Rica), report much higher levels of life satisfaction (they are very happy with their life), and yet have a carbon footprint which is less than a quarter the size of the States.

The little country reached the top of the rankings for many reasons.

It does not just talk about sustainable development, it is committed to it. While the developed world and rising powers of China and India rely upon nonrenewable resources (think oil) for power while contributing to serious global pollution and global warming, an incredible 99% of Costa Rica's energy is completely renewable and sustainable.

As the States and other developed countries dither about how to address power needs, chase more and more resources to use up, and argue about the challenges of global warming, tiny Costa Rica has been taking action.

Even as more and more of the world is being deforested, there are 20% more forested areas in Costa Rica than just 20 years ago. And, though there may be large oil deposits off its shores, the country has ignored its Siren Song and refuses to allow oil drilling.

Also, it is the first, and so far the only, country to commit to being completely carbon neutral by 2021. Costa Rica's per capita income is only a fraction of that of the United States and other western countries but its ranking at number 1 in all the world is a model to emulate.

By Victor Krumm