Paradise on Earth: Costa Rica Ranked Happiest Nation
Reuters (London) - published July 02, 2009
Costa Rica is very nearly paradise, not just for holiday-makers lounging on its beaches, but for its citizens who are extremely satisfied with their lot and also have a tiny carbon footprint.
The combination has earned the central American country first place in a new Happy Planet Index (HPI) published on Monday.
While leaders of the developed world attending G8 talks in Italy worry away at economic indicators like Gross Domestic Product (GDP), deflation and their implications for economic recovery, the second edition of the HPI lauds alternative standards that provide a new twist on the old adage that wealth does not buy happiness.
Costa Rica stands out for the highest levels of reported life satisfaction, a long life expectancy of 78.5 years and because 99 percent of its energy comes from renewable sources.
Latin American nations generally fare well, bagging nine out of 10 of the top spots and Sub-Saharan Africa performs very badly, with Zimbabwe taking bottom place. It scores 16.6 out of 100, compared with Costa Rica's HPI total of 76.1, according to an advance copy of the report.
Somewhere in between are the world's wealthiest economies.
The United States is placed 114th out of the 143 nations surveyed, with an HPI result of 30.7 and was found to be "greener and happier" 10 years ago than today--as were China and India, ranked respectively 20th and 35th, with scores of 57.1 and 53.
Economic Growth
"Following the siren's song of economic growth has delivered only marginal benefits to the world's poorest while undermining the basis of their livelihoods," said Nic Marks of the New Economic Foundation, a London-based "think and do tank" that pursues "real economic well-being" and is the brains behind the HPI.
"What's more it hasn't notably improved the well-being of those who were already rich, or even provided economic stability."
The aim, Marks said, was "to break the spell" and work towards "a high well-being, low-carbon economy before our high-consuming lifestyles plunge us into the chaos of irreversible climate change.
"To measure the efficiency with which countries convert the earth's finite resources into their citizens' well-being, the HPI takes three separate indicators--ecological footprint, life-satisfaction and life-expectancy--and then carries out complex calculations.
First published in 2006 as "a radical departure from our current obsession with GDP", the HPI's sums have been criticised for not taking sufficient account of issues such as political freedom, but the index has also found followers.Within two days of the launch of the first HPI, it was downloaded and read in 185 countries worldwide.
Among those who have taken up the idea are David Cameron, leader of Britain's opposition Conservative political party, and the European Commission has launched a programme "Beyond GDP" in pursuit of ways to measure progress better adapted to our age.
Anyone can calculate their own HPI though the Happy Planet Index website. www.HappyPlanetIndex.org
The combination has earned the central American country first place in a new Happy Planet Index (HPI) published on Monday.
While leaders of the developed world attending G8 talks in Italy worry away at economic indicators like Gross Domestic Product (GDP), deflation and their implications for economic recovery, the second edition of the HPI lauds alternative standards that provide a new twist on the old adage that wealth does not buy happiness.
Costa Rica stands out for the highest levels of reported life satisfaction, a long life expectancy of 78.5 years and because 99 percent of its energy comes from renewable sources.
Latin American nations generally fare well, bagging nine out of 10 of the top spots and Sub-Saharan Africa performs very badly, with Zimbabwe taking bottom place. It scores 16.6 out of 100, compared with Costa Rica's HPI total of 76.1, according to an advance copy of the report.
Somewhere in between are the world's wealthiest economies.
The United States is placed 114th out of the 143 nations surveyed, with an HPI result of 30.7 and was found to be "greener and happier" 10 years ago than today--as were China and India, ranked respectively 20th and 35th, with scores of 57.1 and 53.
Economic Growth
"Following the siren's song of economic growth has delivered only marginal benefits to the world's poorest while undermining the basis of their livelihoods," said Nic Marks of the New Economic Foundation, a London-based "think and do tank" that pursues "real economic well-being" and is the brains behind the HPI.
"What's more it hasn't notably improved the well-being of those who were already rich, or even provided economic stability."
The aim, Marks said, was "to break the spell" and work towards "a high well-being, low-carbon economy before our high-consuming lifestyles plunge us into the chaos of irreversible climate change.
"To measure the efficiency with which countries convert the earth's finite resources into their citizens' well-being, the HPI takes three separate indicators--ecological footprint, life-satisfaction and life-expectancy--and then carries out complex calculations.
First published in 2006 as "a radical departure from our current obsession with GDP", the HPI's sums have been criticised for not taking sufficient account of issues such as political freedom, but the index has also found followers.Within two days of the launch of the first HPI, it was downloaded and read in 185 countries worldwide.
Among those who have taken up the idea are David Cameron, leader of Britain's opposition Conservative political party, and the European Commission has launched a programme "Beyond GDP" in pursuit of ways to measure progress better adapted to our age.
Anyone can calculate their own HPI though the Happy Planet Index website. www.HappyPlanetIndex.org
Posted by Bill Clanton at 7/3/2009 10:54 AM 
Categories: Moving To Costa Rica, News from Costa Rica, Culture in Costa Rica, Retiring in Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Communities in Costa Rica, Natural Resource Management in Costa Rica, Health Care in Costa Rica, Retire in Costa Rica
Tags: Culture Location Lifestyle Retiring Costa Rica Healthcare Community eco Retirement Ecotourism Living
Categories: Moving To Costa Rica, News from Costa Rica, Culture in Costa Rica, Retiring in Costa Rica, Life in Costa Rica, Living in Costa Rica, Communities in Costa Rica, Natural Resource Management in Costa Rica, Health Care in Costa Rica, Retire in Costa Rica
Tags: Culture Location Lifestyle Retiring Costa Rica Healthcare Community eco Retirement Ecotourism Living
Another article and perspective on the same topic comes from Costa Rica's Tico Times newspaper:
Costa Rica the happiest place on Earth, says new report
By Alex Leff Tico Times Staff
Happy to be here? Costa Rica tops a new list of the happiest countries on the planet compiled by an independent research group in Britain.
The country scores 76.1 out of 100 on the new HPI, which measures life expectancy, satisfaction and a country's environmental footprint. The index was released Saturday.
“As well as reporting the highest life satisfaction in the world, Costa Ricans also have the second-highest average life expectancy of the New World (second only to Canada). All this with a footprint of 2.3 global hectares,” reads the HPI (available for download at www.happyplanetindex.org ).
Some of the wealthiest nations fell somewhere in the middle of the 143-nation list. The United States, however, ranked 114th, sandwiched between Madagascar and Nigeria. The researchers placed their native United Kingdom 74th, just after Slovakia and before Japan and Spain.
Considering the hardships this region has endured over the years, what are Latinos smiling about?
The report explains, “Survey data reveals two key features of Latin American culture. One is the presence of relatively unmaterialistic (sic) aspirations and values, compared to countries with similar economic conditions. Latin Americans report being much less concerned with material issues than, for example, they are with their friends and family. Secondly, social capital is particularly strong in the region. Civil society is very active, from religious groups to workers' groups to environmental groups….”
African countries are at the bottom of the list, with Zimbabweans ranked as the saddest (143) in the world, according to the Index.
Anticipating questions about why developed nations rank poorly, the research group argues on index Web site, “governments have been concentrating on the wrong indicators for too long. If you have the wrong map, you are unlikely to reach your destination.”
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hi Bill,
we haven't met but I found you on Twitter/Google and was fascinated with the things you are involved in regarding CR.
Maureen and I are planning a visit 28Jul through 5Aug for the Billabong Surf championship and also were thinking about looking at land while in the area
Will you be around by any chance?
cheers,
Mike
PS - Do you know Christopher Howard and if so what is he up to these days?
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Nice to meet you!
I am currently in Guácimo (Limón Province) and will be in Jaco (Puntarenas Province) on July 18th, 19th & 20th … but then back home in the Central Valley after that.
If you make it to San Jose, please give me a shout.
As for your Christopher Howard question - I do not know Mr. Howard personally, but did see him some time ago in the Heredia McDonald’s as I stopped-in for a morning coffee. He has a hair style recognizable from across a restaurant {
-Bill
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Hello,
I am moving to Costa Rica on the 21th. I was accepted to study my master's degree at the University of Costa Rica. Don't know if you remember my past comment (related to university life and housing around the campus). Thanks for all the information posted on your blog, it was crucial for me.
- Ernesto
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Hi Bill,
Just trying to get some idea on Christopher Howard's tour packages, we are doing a 2 day stint with him next week and just stumbled upon some bad press about him, you can find bad press about anyone if you try, but I am just doing due dilligence, just wondered if you heard any good or bad about business.
Thank's
Brian
Lindsay, Ontario
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Brian,
I have read Mr. Howard’s book and have seen him around town on several occasions … but unfortunately I have no personal knowledge of the Christopher Howard Costa Rica tours.
If you are so inclined, I would certainly appreciate your sharing a review of your experience with Mr. Howard so that others can gain some insight as to what can be expected. Simply send the review to me directly or post it right here on www.CostaRicaBlogger.com.
Enjoy your visit and your tour!
-Bill Clanton
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It would be nice, for once, to read an article about Costa Rica that is written by someone NOT living in San Jose, Costa Rica. Just as New York city is NOT America, and Tokyo is NOT Japan then so is San Jose NOT to be confused with what Costa Rica actually is!
San Jose represents the worst of what any city can be. Oh yes, of course those writers living in San Jose applaud the beautiful beaches and volcanoes and the beautiful views of the mountains. They are correct, but they are visiting and not living anywhere near these other places, so they no nothing about other areas of Costa Rica.
I have seen several posts about Mr. Howard. Scary really, because what no one is telling these curious people is that any person offering tours "to see the real Costa Rica" is actually in the business of selling property, or gaining a big commission from anything they buy relating to their tour here. Mr. Howard also lets the tour attendee believe that those seminars are paid for by him. Those seminars are FREE and if you notice, even the seminars have speakers talking about real estate purchases in Costa Rica! The so-called tours are a scam if the person does not understand the real motive behind the tour operator's intentions.
That is just one of the many things people touring here are not aware of until after the fact. The tourists should keep their eyes wide open and look closely at all of the iron work around houses and businesses. Those iron and steel cages are for one reason only, and that is not for decoration. Theft is not just an occasional happening here. It is a way of life among the Ticos. I have had things stolen from me nine (9) times since I moved here in 2004. I will have been here five years this coming August. I never lived in San Jose because the first time I saw the place I felt threatened. It smells awful and looks awful. It is a dangerous place to be on your own.
I decided to live in the mountains after visiting the town of Santiago de Puriscal, or just Puriscal as it is called. For me the weather here is perfect but everything else is much less than perfect.
The tourists are never told, as I was never told, of the hassles they will be facing just trying to get water, electricity and a telephone connected. Yes, this is truly a third world country because you will have to pay someone to get these services. Yes, you will have to find someone that speaks English and pay them to go with you to these utility companies, or you will never get services. If you are fluent in Costa Rican Spanish you will get your services after a long wait. Don't rely on someone speaking English at any government office, because maybe the tourists has not been told that every utility is government owned. And frankly, they will soon discover that they are not as welcome here as they have been told by the tour operator.
The Ticos want your money here, but not you! I could go on for a few more thousand words about the "Culture" here but I won't.
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Del,
Thank You for taking the time to express your views, likes, dislikes and concerns as a real-time resident of Costa Rica.
Hopefully you feel that Costa Rica Blogger also conveys all sides of the story and lives up to its mission of being a source of REAL, Honest, Unbiased Information on all things Costa Rica.
Personally I enjoy some aspects of San Jose, but I certainly prefer my home mountainside area in the nearby suburbs on the edge of the Central Valley looking down with a great view. The fact that Costa Rica's beautiful rural mountains are but a bike ride away and that volcanoes, rainforests, oceans and beaches are only a short car or public transportation distance is a dream come true for a former U.S. midwest 'flatlander'.
Costa Rica as a whole has many issues, not unlike any other places I have lived in Michigan or Illinois ... but I personally don't excuse any of Costa Rica's problems or think anybody else should either. I am a licensed concealed carry Costa Rica resident that also advocates the carrying of police-grade personal defense pepper spray. But I do not limit my vigilance to just San Jose - crime can and does happen anywhere, especially when a person makes themselves a good victim!
Bottom line for me - Costa Rica is not utopia, but I'm not exactly sure where that place is located. I choose to live here and share Costa Rica information honestly with those considering visits, vacations, extended stays or even relocations ... as a full-time resident that isn't selling anything :o)
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I love walking into any mecardo or gas station,bank etc.. knowing that the likelihood of a robbery is 1%. CR doesnt play that shit and its awesome.
I have been here for 4 years and would never go back to Florida where I was born and raised. All you need in this country is patience. Sure crime happens like every where else, but if you mind your biz and dont dress like a rich gringo you can do whatever here. Pura Vida
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I know Del Knowlton and Chris Howard. I am sorry Del has had such bad experience here and has smeared CR and Puriscal with his negative feelings. He like all people, get what they expect and give. He has a negative outlook and finds the worst in nearly all he does.
I and many who have a different approach to life, really love our lives here in CR and Puriscal. I intend to die happily here.
I conduct tours for people to help them decide if CR would work for them. Those who follow my advice and do not fall in "lust" with the beauty, food, weather, etc RENT FOR A WHILE TO SEE if this will work for their lives.
The tour provides exposure to many expats who are not selling anything, of their land costs, building costs, food costs, rental costs, and level of services.
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The positive, friendly people, gorgeous surroundings and sustainability of Costa Rica is no doubt why so many expatriates and retirees are flocking there in droves. Not to mention the development of luxury real estate communities catering to Americans and Europeans!
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