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发布时间:2010年08月18日, 已有 5 人推荐
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来源Best Countries in the World
译者阅午暮
Best Countries in the World
世界上最好的国家
By Tara A. Lewis
作者：塔拉·A.刘易斯（Tara A. Lewis）
With such a huge range of nations in the world, the question of whether there is a best place to live seems both simple and elusive. With that idea in mind, NEWSWEEK offers this list of best countries. Given that there are so many ways to measure achievement, we chose the five we felt were most important—health, economic dynamism (the openness of a country’s economy and the breadth of its corporate sector), education, political environment, and quality of life. And because it’s easier to improve quality of life if you’re tiny and rich like, for example, Finland, the list also accounts for income and size with rankings by subcategories. Like all lists, this one is not perfect, but it offers surprising and fascinating answers and plenty of insight into which country is healthiest, why Scandinavian nations always come out on top, and why the title of best country has more than one winner.
世界上有那么多国家，究竟哪个国家是最适于生活的，这个问题看似简单，实则难以捉摸。基于这个想法，《新闻周刊》为您献上这份世界最好国家的榜单。鉴于衡量一个国家好坏的标准繁多，我们选择了其中五个作为甄选的重要依据——健康状况，经济活力（一个国家经济和其企业的开放程度），教育，政治环境以及生活质量。并据此作了细分。和所有的榜单一样，这一份也并非尽善尽美，但它对哪一个国家的医疗保健最好、为什么北欧诸国总是占据榜首，还有最好的国家这一头衔的获得者不止一国等问题做了精到的解答和深入探究。
Best Overall: Finland
综合评估第一：芬兰
(Honorable mention: best small country, best high-income, best education)
（所得荣誉：最佳领土面积小国，最佳高收入国，最佳教育水平）
Despite the long winter, Finland is a pretty great place to be—the best, actually. It ranked the highest overall and also comes in as the best small country, the best high-income country, and the best country for education. Its students scored first in science and second in both reading and math in the 2006 (the most recent one for which data are available) Program for International Student Assessment, a test of 15-year-olds’ education skills by the OECD. Finland’s schoolkids enjoy a laid-back and inclusive learning environment where shoes are optional, all teachers have master’s degrees, and extra help is the norm: every year about one in three students gets individual time with a tutor.
虽然冬季漫长，芬兰是您居留的理想，也许是最好的去处。它在所有国家中综合评估最高，并在领土面积小国、高手入国和教育大国的评比中位列第一。在2006年的国际学生评估计划（Program for International Student Assessment，此次测验的数据是可供参考的最近一次）——一项由经济合作发展组织（OCED）举行的、对参与国15岁学生的教育水平进行的测查——的评比中，芬兰学生在自然科学项目上得分第一，在阅读能力和数学上也获得了第二名的好成绩。芬兰学生的学习环境轻松而开放，学生在校内都不穿鞋子，所有的老师都有硕士以上学位，而课外辅导则非常普遍：每年都有三分之一的学生接受教师的单独辅导。
Best Medium-Size Nation: Australia
最佳领土面积中等国：澳大利亚
With a relatively low unemployment rate—5.6 percent in 2009—and an economy that’s one of the healthiest even during the global recession, Australia has a lot more to offer than just beaches and Hugh Jackman. In the overall index, Australia ranks fourth. In the other categories for medium-size countries, it claims the top spot for political environment and ties Spain for best health care. With its high standard of living, safe cities, sunny climate, and outdoorsy citizens, Australia also has the best quality of life among medium-size countries.
澳大利亚的失业率相对较低——其2009年失业率为5.6%——其经济发展状况尤为良好，在全球经济衰退中亦是如此，澳大利亚的符号远远不止海滩和休杰克曼（Hugh Jackman）。在综合评估排名中，澳大利亚位列第四。在领土面积中等国的其他评比中，其政治环境排名第一，卫生保健状况则与西班牙并列第一。澳大利亚的生活质量很高，治安良好，气候宜人，其国民爱好户外活动，这一切使得它的生活质量在领土面积中等国中摘得桂冠。
Best Large Nation: Japan
最佳大国（这里居然是指国土面积）：日本
(Honorable mention: best health care)
（所得荣誉：卫生保健状况最佳国）
The innovative country that brought the world sushi, Nintendo, and the Kyoto Protocol is also the one with the most healthy citizens. The average person in Japan lives to the age of 82; the average woman lives to be nearly 86. (Japanese women are the longest-living women in the world.) What explains their longevity? No one knows for sure, but it’s likely a combination of preventive medicine, diet, health education, high standard of living during old age, and universal health care. Japan also ranks first among large countries in education and fourth in quality of life.
日本，这个富有创新精神的国家为世界带来了寿司、任天堂还有京都议定书，它的国民健康状况是世界最好的。日本国民的平均寿命为82岁；而日本女性的平均寿命则高达86岁。（日本女性是世界女性中最长寿的）。究竟是什么原因使得日本人如此长寿呢？没有人知道确切原因，但这似乎是日本预防性药物的普及、国民的饮食习惯、健康教育状况、高质量的晚年生活以及高度普及的卫生保健体系等一系列因素共同作用的结果。日本的教育水平在大国中位列第一，其生活质量排名第四。
Best Low-Income Nation: Albania
最佳低收入国：阿尔巴尼亚
(Honorable mention: best education)
（所得荣誉：最佳教育国）
Albania rarely makes headlines and seems an unlikely model for other countries, but this new democracy actually outperforms all other low-income countries. Among the nations in its category, it consistently ranks highest in education, health, and quality of life. Nearly 99 percent of Albanians are literate. Despite being a citizen of one of the poorest countries in Europe, the average Albanian can expect to live to be 78, the average Albanian woman to be 81—a pretty good statistic, considering that the average citizen of wealthy Germany will live only until age 79.
阿尔巴尼亚很少成为全球关注的焦点，似乎也不足以作为各国效仿的范例，但这个新兴的民主制国家的表现确实优于其他低收入国。在同类国家中，阿尔巴尼亚的教育、健康状况以及生活质量始终排在第一位。近99%的阿国国民具备读写能力。虽然该国国民的收入是欧洲最低水平，他们的平均寿命为78岁，女性则为81岁——这个水平相当不错，即便是经济状况优越的德国国民，其平均寿命也不过才79岁。
Best Upper-Middle-Income Nation: Poland
最佳中高收入国：波兰
As a member of the EU (it joined in 2004), Poland is increasingly leaving its communist past behind—and for the better, it seems. As the top upper-middle-income country, Poland is pretty much a winner across the board. Its political environment is the best in its category, and it’s in the top 10 for economic dynamism, education, health, and quality of life. In August, Poland elected its fourth democratically chosen president; its large cities, such as Kraków and Warsaw, are becoming increasingly vibrant and wealthy.
作为欧盟的一员（波兰于2004年正式加入欧盟），波兰已将共产主义留在了遥远的过去——现在，波兰的状况似乎大有改善。在中高收入国家中称冠的波兰各方面评价都很高。其政治环境在同类国家中是最好的，其经济活力、教育、健康和生活质量也都在前十之列。今年8月，波兰第四任经由民主选举产生的总统出炉；波兰的克拉科夫和首都华沙这两座朝气蓬勃的大城市正不断聚拢着财富。
Best Education
教育水平最佳的国家
Low income: Ukraine
低收入国：乌克兰
Middle income: Kazakhstan
中等收入国：哈萨克斯坦
Medium size: South Korea
领土面积中等国：韩国
Large size: Japan
领土面积大国：日本（列位看官，在澳大利亚尚被列位领土面积中等国家的情况下，此处实在不可理解，但原文如此，不解释）
Among low-income countries, Ukraine is the best for education, with a 99 percent literacy rate. When it comes to math and science, Kazakh students are earning high marks, too, and not just among middle-income countries; they outperformed the United States and many others in math on the 2007 TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study). South Koreans are also among the highest-performing students in science, and they’re the highest in reading among the world’s wealthy countries. It seems their educational success continues into adulthood, making South Koreans the most likely to have university degrees out of those in developed countries. Despite spending only about 3.5 percent of its GDP on education (the U.S. spends a little more than 5 percent), Japan still ranks best in education among large countries. Nonetheless, its top spot is at risk; after being criticized for its harsh academic atmosphere, Japan turned to a more relaxed curriculum, only to see its students’ performance slip in the past few years.
在低收入国家中，乌克兰是教育状况最好的国家，其国民99%都受过教育。而在数学和自然科学方面，哈萨克学生的得分同样骄人，且不单单局限于中等收入的国家；在2007年的国际数学与科技教学成就趋势调查（Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study）中，他们在数学上超越了美国等诸多国家。韩国学生在自然科学方面的表现也可圈可点，在世界富裕国家中位列第一。韩国在成人教育上也颇有建树，在发达国家中，韩国成人拥有硕士学位的几率是最高的。虽然日本仅将其GDP的3.5%投入教育事业（美国在这方面的投入略大于其GDP的5%），日本教育在大国中仍一路领先。不过，现在其优势地位似乎再非不可动摇；在因学校教育过于严苛被指责后，日本放宽了对教育的约束，然而这些努力似乎付诸东流，过去几年间，日本学生的表现一直在走下坡路。
Best Health Care
卫生保健最佳的国家
Low income: Tunisia, China
低收入国：突尼斯、中国
Middle income: Chile
中等收入国：智利
Small size: Switzerland
领土面积小国：瑞士
Medium size: Spain, Australia
领土面积中等国：西班牙、澳大利亚
Though you can’t count on Tunisia for education, it’s tied with China for the No. 1 spot on the health index among poor countries. Chile, which performs fairly well across the board, ranks No. 1 for health among middle-income countries, and Switzerland is the winner among small countries, beating out Sweden and the Netherlands. Spain and Australia share beautiful beaches and weather but also the title of healthiest medium-size countries.
虽然突尼斯的教育状况不让人放心，在低收入国家中，其卫生保健水平与中国并列第一。智利各方面的评价都不错，其卫生保健在中等收入国中位居榜首，瑞士是小国卫生保健之冠，瑞典和荷兰屈居其后。西班牙和澳大利亚都拥有美丽的海滩和宜人的气候，同时它们还是领土面积中等的国家中卫生保健状况最好的。
Best Quality of Life: Norway
最佳生活质量最好的国家：挪威
Given its breathtaking natural landscape and a laid-back atmosphere—most stores are still closed on Sundays—it’s no wonder Norway has the highest quality of life. But the Scandinavian country of 4.8 million also has hard figures to back up its ranking: it scored the highest on standard of living for five years in a row, according to the U.N. Human Development Report. Norwegians also live in one of the most socially and economically equal societies, with one of the healthiest environments.
挪威自然风光之美摄人心魂，加之其轻松宜人的氛围——挪威多数的商店星期日都不营业——挪威的生活质量称冠不容置疑。但这个拥有480万人口的北欧国家之所以排位如此靠前，也是有实打实的数据作为佐证的：它已被连续五年被联合国人类发展报告（U.N. Human Development Report）选为世界生活质量最高的国家。挪威还是世界上国民经济和社会地位最平等的国家之一，其经济发展环境也非常良好。
Best Quality of Life
最佳生活质量国
Low income: Ukraine
低收入国：乌克兰
Middle income: Cuba
中等收入国：古巴
Medium size: Australia
领土面积中等国：澳大利亚
Large size: Germany
领土大国：德国
Germany has the highest quality of life among large countries and ranks in the top 10 for quality of life among wealthy states. Two of its cities—Munich (pictured) and Berlin—are often ranked among the most livable in the world. Australia, with its active citizens and high standard of living, comes in first among medium-size countries. In the low-income category, Ukraine comes out on top, and Cuba outdoes its fellow middle-income countries in quality of life. Cuba also ranks No. 3 in education among upper-middle-class countries.
德国的生活质量在大国中位列第一，在富裕国家中也在前10之列。德国的两座城市慕尼黑（图中所示）和柏林常被囊括在世界最宜居住的城市中。澳大利亚的国民充满活力，其生活质量也非常高，在领土面积中等的国家中位列第一。在低收入国家中，乌克兰的生活质量排在第一位，古巴则在中等收入国家中“傲视群雄”。古巴的教育水平还在中高收入国家中位列第三。
Best Economic Dynamism: Singapore
经济活力最旺盛：新加坡
Don’t be fooled by Singapore’s tiny size. Its population is little more than half that of New York City, but it still enjoys a high GDP per capita and has one of the recession’s fastest-rebounding economies. The bite-size island’s flourishing economy—thanks in part to low levels of regulation and low taxes—is even prompting the government to recruit foreign talent. With its open economy, low levels of corruption, and high government and business efficiency, Singapore no doubt deserves the title of the most economically dynamic country.
别被新加坡的袖珍版图给迷惑了。虽然其人口仅略多于纽约市的一半，但其人均GDP依然非常高，经历过经济衰退后，新加坡是经济复苏最快的国家之一。这个小岛国经济之繁荣——某种程度上归功于该国宽松的政策和低额的税率——为其政府引进国外人才提供了保障。现在的新加坡，经济高度开放，腐败之风不兴，政府和企事业单位办事效率高，无怪乎它能够摘得经济活力的桂冠。
Best Economic Dynamism
经济活力最旺盛的国家
Low income: China
低收入国：中国
Middle income: Malaysia
中等收入国：马来西亚
Medium size: South Korea
领土面积中等国：韩国
Large size: United States
领土大国：美国
Though the United States beats out China for most economically dynamic large country, China ranks the highest in that category among low-income nations. And though Malaysia’s export-driven economy has recently become sluggish, it’s still the best out of all middle-income countries in this category. Among medium-size countries, South Korea has the strong corporate sector and open markets needed to claim the top spot.
虽然在大国中，美国超越中国成为最具经济活力的国家，但中国的经济活力在低收入国中是第一位的。马来西亚的出口驱动型经济近来有些疲软，但它仍是中等收入国家中的佼佼者。在领土面积中等的国家中，韩国强有力的商业发展和开放的市场将其推向顶点。
Best Political Environment: Sweden
政治环境最好的国家：瑞典
In a competition for most neutral country, Sweden could give Switzerland a run for its money: Swedes haven’t fought a war in nearly two centuries, and even though they joined the EU in 1995, they have not adopted the euro. Transparency International ranks Sweden among the top three least corrupt countries in the world. The cartoonist Lars Vilks—who was attacked for drawing the Prophet Muhammad as a dog—embodies Sweden’s commitment to freedom of speech as well as freedom of religion. All places of worship in Sweden receive some funding from the government. Perhaps it’s the open environment that inspires about 80 percent of Swedes to vote.
与各中立国家相比，瑞典在财力上和瑞士有得一拼：瑞典人已经近两个世纪没有参与国任何战事了，虽然瑞典于1995年加入了欧盟，他们并未接受欧元。透明国际（Transparency International）将瑞典列为世界腐败最少（清廉度最高）的三大国家之一。瑞典漫画家拉斯·维尔克斯（Lars Vilks）——他因将先知默罕默德（Prophet Muhammad ）画成一条狗备受抨击——将瑞典对自由的追求具象化为言论自由和宗教信仰自由。瑞典所有的礼拜场所都能收到政府的拨款。也许正是瑞典开放的政治环境使得其80%的国民都参与选举。
Best Political Environment
政治环境最好的国家
Low income: Ghana
低收入国：加纳
Middle income: Poland
中等收入国：波兰
Medium size: Australia
领土面积中等国：澳大利亚
Large size: Germany
领土大国：德国
Though Ghana (pictured) may not have a stellar economy, its political environment is the best among low-income countries like India, Albania, and Morocco. Poland wins in the middle-income category. Australia is a winner on many fronts, including its democratic freedom and voter participation, making it No. 1 in this category among medium-size nations. And Germany tops the list for large countries with the best political environment.
虽然加纳（图中所示）的经济发展状况也许并不出色，但它的政治环境在印度、阿尔巴尼亚和摩洛哥这样的低收入国家中是最好的。波兰则是中等收入国中的第一名。澳大利亚在许多领域都成绩骄人，包括其民主自由和选举参与率，这使得它在同类领土面积中等的国家中当之无愧地脱颖而出。德国的政治环境在领土大国中是最好的。
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