Rankings- from Expat World

2004 QUALIITY OF LIFE INDEX
Thanks to International Living newsletter we can report to you on their 2004 Quality of life Index. Once a year they take a calculated view of the world and rate over 194 countries in an attempt to qualify the overall quality of life. The objective is to provide a comprehensive guideline and comparative ranking of the quality of living in nearly every country on the planet Earth. There's usually no argument that the USA affords a comfortable way of life because of its infrastructure but you may have to give up some freedom today to be able to "live" with this comfortableness. Down under, New Zealand and Australia rank high in many categories.
How are the numbers crunched? -- 100 is the highest score, 0 the lowest. Cost of living is 15 percent, Culture and recreation is 10%, Economy is 15%, Environment is 10%, Freedom is 10 percent, Health is 10%, Infrastructure is 10%, Safety and risk is 10 percent and Climate is 10 percent.

Cost of Living/Leisure & Culture/Economy/Environment/Freedom/Health/Infrastructure/
Risk & Safety/Climate/Final Score
United States 77 79 84 79 76 80 100 100 90 85

Denmark 66 95 74 85 100 96 70 100 79 84

Switzerland 41 92 73 84 100 100 100 100 78 83

Australia 54 86 61 76 100 90 94 100 98 82

New Zealand 78 84 60 78 100 91 69 100 85 81

Norway 58 100 76 68 100 92 63 100 71 80

Monaco 77 83 62 63 92 71 78 100 90 79

Austria 60 82 62 94 100 92 59 100 77 78

Canada 60 80 63 72 100 88 72 100 68 77

Malta 73 70 50 82 100 93 30 100 100 76

FAST FACTS ON THE WORLD'S TOP 10 COUNTRIES
-There are 190-million credit card-carrying consumers in the United States. The average number of cards per person is eight, and the average balance per household is $8,562.
-New Zealand's capital, Wellington, boasts more restaurants per capita than New York City.