Australia ranked 6th in world prosperity index29 October 2009Australia has been ranked 6th world and 1st in the Asia Pacific Region in the 2009 World Prosperity Index. To compile the Index, the independent think tank, the Legatum Institute, looked at 104 countries around the world and conducted extensive research and analysis. Countries were rated on the following: democratic institutions, economic fundamentals, education, entrepreneurship and innovation, governance, health, personal freedom, safety and security, and social capital. Australia ranked 4th in the world for personal freedom, as one of the freest societies in the world; 4th for social capital; 5th for democratic institutions; 6th for education; 7th for economic fundamentals, and 10th for governance. The World Prosperity Index defines prosperity as wealth and wellbeing, and the authors point out that most prosperous countries are not necessarily those with a high GDP, but those which also have happy, healthy and free citizens. The 2009 Index is the third which the Legatum Institute has put together. They have been assisted by the Gallup World Poll Service and Oxford Analytica. More information |