Is France the best place to live in the world? (IL 2009)

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espoac

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#1 espoac
Member since 2005 • 4342 Posts

According to International Living Magazine, France has the highest quality of life in the world. http://www.internationalliving.com/Internal-Components/Further-Resources/quality-of-life-2010

The U.S. is 7th and the U.K. is 25th (behind Spain and Portugal! :? )

Do you agree with this ranking? I'm not sure if I do but this magazine seems to have at least made a fair asessment. Regardless of if you think forcing people to contribute financially to other's health insurance is fair, it is hard to deny that France's system is pretty good at keeping people healthy. Cultural offereings and cost of living are also important factors.

Another surprising aspect is how bad the US did on the freedom category. IL based this category off this survey. http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=445

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EvilSteveo

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#2 EvilSteveo
Member since 2008 • 1995 Posts

Does France not have allot of problems with immigrants etc in areas of Paris. I know this does not count to standard of living , i also hate to sound stereotypical but allot of times when am in France people are really rude to me. Am Scottish if you want to know.

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Engrish_Major

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#3 Engrish_Major
Member since 2007 • 17373 Posts
Just curious, what does "forcing people to contribute financially to other's health insurance" have to do with quality of living?
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quadraleap

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#4 quadraleap
Member since 2004 • 36581 Posts
I dunno's...if you are French it probably is.
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spazzx625

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#5 spazzx625
Member since 2004 • 43433 Posts
Here's the link for those lazy folks... It's hard to agree or disagree with the article since the numbers they use to tally the final scores aren't an average...
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comp_atkins

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#6 comp_atkins
Member since 2005 • 38696 Posts
i'd have to live in each place for a while to offer a judgement... even then it'd be subjective...
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aransom

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#7 aransom
Member since 2002 • 7408 Posts

France is definitely better than a lot of countries, or else they wouldn't have problems with immigration, but I don't see hordes of people leaving other industrialized countries to come live in France.

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-tridgen-

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#8 -tridgen-
Member since 2005 • 1535 Posts

I disagree, there are many good things, but I wouldn't say that it is the "best" place to live.

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flordeceres

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#9 flordeceres
Member since 2005 • 4662 Posts

The U.S. is 7th and the U.K. is 25th (behind (lol spain) and Portugal! :? )

espoac

Do you have a goddamn problem with this

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GazaAli

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#10 GazaAli
Member since 2007 • 25216 Posts
i wonder whats the rank of Gaza :roll:
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espoac

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#11 espoac
Member since 2005 • 4342 Posts

Health care is usually a pretty contentious issue so I was trying to stear people away from any sort of kneejerk "socialized health care is evil!" response.

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espoac

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#13 espoac
Member since 2005 • 4342 Posts

[QUOTE="espoac"]

The U.S. is 7th and the U.K. is 25th (behind (lol spain) and Portugal! :? )

flordeceres

Do you have a goddamn problem with this

I find it surprising because the U.K. is usuaully percieved as wealthier than these two countries. However in this case, I suppose wealth does not correlate with quality of life.

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clubsammich91

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#14 clubsammich91
Member since 2009 • 2229 Posts
Is indoor plumbing common?
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espoac

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#15 espoac
Member since 2005 • 4342 Posts

Here's the link for those lazy folks... It's hard to agree or disagree with the article since the numbers they use to tally the final scores aren't an average...spazzx625
Thanks for the link. You're right they are not averages and the reason for this is explained under the column for France: "I always wish quality of life indicators could measure a country's heart and soul. But it's impossible to enumerate the joy of lingering for hours over dinner and a bottle of red wine in a Parisian brasserie..." Basically it's impossible to assign a number to the atmosphere and ebb and flow of daily life in a given country. Obviously, this is horribly subjective. But then again how could an assessment of the comparative quality of life in different countries be complete without taking these factors into account? Unfortunately with this subject there is no way to make a complete and objective comparison. You can still have an opinion though! Especially if you have been to the countries under discussion.

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DoomZaW

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#16 DoomZaW
Member since 2007 • 6475 Posts

Does France not have allot of problems with immigrants etc in areas of Paris. I know this does not count to standard of living , i also hate to sound stereotypical but allot of times when am in France people are really rude to me. Am Scottish if you want to know.

EvilSteveo

Strikes en mass as well from what i've been told

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clubsammich91

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#17 clubsammich91
Member since 2009 • 2229 Posts
i wonder whats the rank of Gaza :roll:GazaAli
I bet it was higher up when Yasser Arafat was leading,
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weezyfb

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#18 weezyfb
Member since 2009 • 14703 Posts
they are pretty bad to the religious folks
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espoac

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#19 espoac
Member since 2005 • 4342 Posts

[QUOTE="EvilSteveo"]

Does France not have allot of problems with immigrants etc in areas of Paris. I know this does not count to standard of living , i also hate to sound stereotypical but allot of times when am in France people are really rude to me. Am Scottish if you want to know.

DoomZaW

Strikes en mass as well from what i've been told

This is true. Once in a while the rail workers will go on strike and transportation throughout the country becomes almost impossible for a short while! However, it's worth noting that the French have more or less adapted to these interruptions in daily life and these strikes have much less impact (economic, social) than if they were to happen in say...the United States.

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GazaAli

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#20 GazaAli
Member since 2007 • 25216 Posts
[QUOTE="GazaAli"]i wonder whats the rank of Gaza :roll:clubsammich91
I bet it was higher up when Yasser Arafat was leading,

yea good days...
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one_plum

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#21 one_plum
Member since 2009 • 6822 Posts

I'm surprised not one Scandinavian country made the top 10

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deactivated-5f9e3c6a83e51

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#22 deactivated-5f9e3c6a83e51
Member since 2004 • 57548 Posts

Hooray for France. Nice country so it makes sense.

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chaplainDMK

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#23 chaplainDMK
Member since 2008 • 7004 Posts

I think this is wrong. As far as i know Luxemburg, Switzerland and the Scandinavian countries are the most wealthy on avrage (better life quality). England also far up.

Maybe im just remembering old data

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UserBane

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#24 UserBane
Member since 2010 • 994 Posts

i wonder whats the rank of Gaza :roll:GazaAli

I don't believe Gaza is a country.

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spazzx625

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#25 spazzx625
Member since 2004 • 43433 Posts

[QUOTE="GazaAli"]i wonder whats the rank of Gaza :roll:UserBane

I don't believe Gaza is a country.

The Gaza Strip is a country...
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GazaAli

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#26 GazaAli
Member since 2007 • 25216 Posts

[QUOTE="GazaAli"]i wonder whats the rank of Gaza :roll:UserBane

I don't believe Gaza is a country.

Palestinian Authority, call it whatever you want, its still sad.
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All-Madden09

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#27 All-Madden09
Member since 2009 • 227 Posts

hell no, they are rude and you have to pay tons of money for snails.

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BattleTurtles

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#28 BattleTurtles
Member since 2009 • 2406 Posts
I would have guessed Sweden. I've never been there so I don't know, but it seems... good.
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gameofthering

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#29 gameofthering
Member since 2004 • 11286 Posts

Does France not have allot of problems with immigrants etc in areas of Paris. I know this does not count to standard of living , i also hate to sound stereotypical but allot of times when am in France people are really rude to me. Am Scottish if you want to know.

EvilSteveo

They were not very kind to me either when I was there :(

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roleplayer2004

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#30 roleplayer2004
Member since 2004 • 921 Posts

You can't be serious. Everyone knows that Holland has the highest standard of living in the world.

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clubsammich91

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#31 clubsammich91
Member since 2009 • 2229 Posts
[QUOTE="UserBane"]

[QUOTE="GazaAli"]i wonder whats the rank of Gaza :roll:spazzx625

I don't believe Gaza is a country.

The Gaza Strip is a country...

Gaza Strip is the country, Gaza is the city.
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sonic__323

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#32 sonic__323
Member since 2007 • 23684 Posts

I highly disagree.

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Nifty_Shark

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#33 Nifty_Shark
Member since 2007 • 13137 Posts

France is alright but I would never want to live there.

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aransom

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#34 aransom
Member since 2002 • 7408 Posts

France is alright but I would never want to live there.

Nifty_Shark

Same here. I would someday like to visit Omaha Beach, and Pont du Hoc.

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auron_16

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#35 auron_16
Member since 2008 • 4062 Posts
I've always wanted to know, what do French people call French Fries?
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aransom

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#36 aransom
Member since 2002 • 7408 Posts

They're not called Pound Puppies in France. They don't have pounds, they have the metric system. They're called Les Puppies Royal. And in Morocco, Morocco Mole is just called Mole.

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wurd

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#37 wurd
Member since 2003 • 634 Posts
I've always wanted to know, what do French people call French Fries?auron_16
they call them frites. UK may be wealthy but it's one of the densest populated major countries in the world, the public transport and road infrastructure suck, the weather sucks, the diet is very poor, theres very little disposable income after the incredibly high tax rates, there's high stress, immigration legal or not is very high, crime rates are the highest in europe and britsh press are infamous for belittling their country and the people who live there. You will find very few people who say UK is a great place to live. There are around 600,000 people arriving every year in this over crowded country but nearly 400,000 leaving to immigrate in Australia, US or the Med.
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deactivated-57e5de5e137a4

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#38 deactivated-57e5de5e137a4
Member since 2004 • 12929 Posts
Quality of life is completely subjective to the individual.
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bobaban

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#39 bobaban
Member since 2005 • 10560 Posts
At least Canada made the top ten. It has all the convenience of the US, but less people.
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BiancaDK

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#40 BiancaDK
Member since 2008 • 19092 Posts

site seems professional enough

kudos to france for beating country, i never woulda thought

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F1_2004

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#41 F1_2004
Member since 2003 • 8009 Posts
I'd go with most livable cities lists, since they seem more popular and there could be significant differences in living conditions of various cities in a country. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World%27s_most_livable_cities Vancouver ranked 1st-4th :D hellz yeah
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metroidfood

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#42 metroidfood
Member since 2007 • 11175 Posts

No, because you have to live with French people.

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Mr_Cumberdale

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#43 Mr_Cumberdale
Member since 2004 • 10189 Posts
I think this list sucks. Many of the countries should be in a different order. :(
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cjek

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#44 cjek
Member since 2003 • 14327 Posts
I love France. It's such a relaxing place to be. Even their roads are so much more relaxing. UK motorways are like driving on broken glass.
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EMOEVOLUTION

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#45 EMOEVOLUTION
Member since 2008 • 8998 Posts

any place is a good place to live as long as you mind your own business and don't step on any toes..

other wise.. things might get kind of questionable. Unless of course.. you're an evil tyrant with the authority to execute anybody that stands in your way.

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BiancaDK

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#46 BiancaDK
Member since 2008 • 19092 Posts
Not 1 scandinavian country in the top 10 this list is about as useful as wet toilet paper
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_rock_

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#47 _rock_
Member since 2007 • 7071 Posts
YAY, Australia is number 2 8)
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Pixel-Pirate

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#48 Pixel-Pirate
Member since 2009 • 10771 Posts

Heh. Funny, because everytime I've voiced my desire to live in France, I'm told it's a terrible country, that all it's people are miserable, that people live in shacks, that it's only good for visiting etc.

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one_plum

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#49 one_plum
Member since 2009 • 6822 Posts

Heh. Funny, because everytime I've voiced my desire to live in France, I'm told it's a terrible country, that all it's people are miserable, that people live in shacks, that it's only good for visiting etc.

Pixel-Pirate

Seems like English-speaking countries hold some kind of grudge against France.

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deactivated-6127ced9bcba0

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#50 deactivated-6127ced9bcba0
Member since 2006 • 31700 Posts

I've heard that many French people speak English.