Top 20 countries on the Human Development Index:
1. Norway - I could live there…nothing to get excited about, but somewhere on a coastline, close to Oslo could work well.
2. Australia – I bet it’s beautiful, it’s big, it’s the outdoors sports country for sure and people speak right language, but to be honest – it is too far from the civilization.
3. Iceland – No thank you. too small for anything else than tourism and I am not really into that business.
4. Canada – Yes! Vancouver North Shore. Get me a house on Deep Cove, by the water and I’m all set. The best mountain biking and trail running, beautiful city, nice people and awesome skiing.
5. Ireland – I wish I were more into golf and Guinness and IT support, then I could actually live there. Yep, people do speak correct language…but that is not enough, sorry Bono.
6. Netherlands – booooring.
7. Sweden – Stockholm Absolute! I have lived there and I could do it again.
8. France – Here I am, so what can I say…no clue about the language, but I love the nature, climate and being in the heart of the Europe. I might be stuck here for a while…
9. Switzerland – I could see myself “upgrading” to Switzerland. Especially for work reasons, tax or kids school. So, big YES for Switzerland.
10. Japan – No thank you. I love their heritage, ambition and gadgets, but not as a place to live in.
11. Luxembourg – boring, but as that is as Europe as it gets, I have to say “I could consider”.
12. Finland – Yes, take me back home to Chicago Finland…but not yet please. Let me live first 
13. United States – Yes. That is “my other home country”. Drop me anywhere on West Coast and I am happy.
14. Austria – Beautiful and everything, but no thank you…I don’t know why…but no.
15. Spain – As siesta is not my thing, I have to postpone “Yes” for Spanish living for another 20 years or so…
16. Denmark – 140% tax on cars, flat, not warm enought, so no thank you. PS. I like Danish people.
17. Belgium – No. and I dont even want to explain.
18. Italy – Yes. I love the people, language (even though I can’t speak it) and food. I am Italian – kind of.
19. Liechtenstein – Yep, give me a job as a banker and I am happy to live there.
20. New Zealand – Paradise (I have heard), but that is a place far, far away, so I have to say no thank you.
To learn more about this ranking, read this Telegraph article Britain slips out of top 20 best countries to live in
ransu
“Norway – I could live there…nothing to get excited about”
Ransu, this requires a bit of explaining: “Nothing to get excited about”? But there is nothing in Norway but the stuff one _should_ get excited about!
Just to name a few:
- Amazing mountains for any skier & climber
- Exciting mountain biking routes both XC & DH (Narvik!)
- Beyond beautiful fjords
- Perfect cliffs for BASE jumpers…
- Rugged coast line
- Long-legged-long-haired-slender-built-180-cm-tall-blonds-flashing-radiant-smiles-with-their-flawless-set-of-pearl-white-teeth
Any downsides? Almost none… but the obvious: The ridiculous level of cost: food, fuel, etc…
Ransu, you’ve completely forgotten about the tropical paradise countries in South East Asia and Central and South America. Great diving, amazing nature, friendly people and year-round warm weather! What else could you hope for!
Also many African countries could be nice although I don’t know if I could ever get used to the crime… Thinking about all these amazing places in November in Finland just isn’t the best thing to do! 