Quality of Life

Fresh from the press: we score a measly 54% on the 2010 Quality of Life Index. Together with another ten countries, among which Russia, Belarus. Zambia and Swaziland. There are 110 countries in the world where life is apparently more pleasant.

Lebanon
Cost of living 68%
Leisure & Culture 56%
Economy 50%
Environment 65%
Freedom 42%
Health 85%
Infrastructure 36%
Risk & Safety 21%
Climate 61%
Final Score 54%

The only reason why we do not feature any higher than that is because of the ‘Risk & Safety’ situation. We’re at the bottom of the list there. Apparently we score only better than Yemen, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Sierra Leone. Ouch.

This is how they calculate our ‘Risk & Safety’ factor:
'Safety and Risk (10%). For this category, we use the U.S. Department of State’s hardship differentials and danger allowances, which are based on extraordinarily difficult, notably unhealthy, or dangerous living conditions' (source).

Somehow I disagree with that. It is positively safe here. Chances of getting mugged here after a night out are virtually zero. But there you have it.

We do poorly on the Infrastructure as well. Okay, I agree with that one.

Holland features somewhere on the 7th place. Yes, that place where they are freezing their tushies off right now.

And so I leave you with a documentary (in Arabic), The Lebanon I Dream of, that ‘highlights the real issues of daily life of every citizen in Lebanon, from driving in the morning through the mess to go to work, through corruption, pollution, theft, instability, terrorism, death tolls, education, social security, emigration, and finally ignorance that is the main obstacle for change.’

Hmm, I wanted to leave you guys with a happy thought. Maybe better not watch the movie then.