Nation receives favorable rating in Bloomberg's Misery Index

2017/03/07

Taiwan was ranked 60th among 65 major countries and territories in the latest Misery Index released March 3 by New York-headquartered financial data and media services company Bloomberg.
 
 The report evaluates nations based on inflation and unemployment, with higher totals indicating greater levels of unhappiness. Taiwan scored 5.2 out of 10 in the 2017 edition, finishing below regional neighbors Hong Kong and South Korea in 56th and 57th places, respectively.
 
 Taiwan was cited as among the most improved economies in this year’s survey, alongside Ecuador, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, mainland China and Russia. The country was ranked 57th and 59th, respectively, in the two previous editions of the report.
 
 Thailand recorded the lowest ranking in the 2017 survey, below Singapore in 64th, Japan and Switzerland both at 62nd, and Iceland at 61st. The most miserable country in the world is Venezuela, which topped the list for the third consecutive year based on a projected sixfold increase in consumer prices in 2017.
 
 According to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Taiwan’s consumer price index and unemployment rate stood at 1.4 percent and 3.92 percent, respectively, in 2016, while gross domestic product grew 1.5 percent.
 
 The DGBAS estimates that Taiwan’s GDP will rise 1.92 percent this year, with the CPI set to inch up 1.08 percent. The National Development Council expects joblessness to hover between 3.9 percent and 3.93 percent.
 
 Taiwan frequently performs well in global reports of public happiness, wealth and well-being. In the Global Prosperity Index released in November 2015 by London-based public policy group Legatum Institute, Taiwan was ranked 21st among 142 nations and territories, largely due to the country’s strong performance in safety and security.
 
 The Global Wealth Report 2016 published Nov. 23 by Credit Suisse Research Institute estimated Taiwan’s average level of wealth per adult at US$172,847, a figure well above that of most countries in the Asia-Pacific and similar to those in Western Europe.

Source: Taiwan Today (http://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=6&post=112178)