Most desirable country - annual survey - PhillyBlog

Diana3 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-28-2007, 12:22 AM

I thought this was interesting. I was surprised about Iceland, as it's never looked too desirable when I've changed planes there. It's looked cold. The Netherlands is #9 - don't know about other countries not listed.

"Iceland has overtaken Norway as the world's most desirable country to live in, according to an annual U.N. table published on Tuesday that again puts AIDS-afflicted sub-Saharan African states at the bottom.

Rich free-market countries dominate the top places, with Iceland, Norway, Australia, Canada and Ireland the first five but the United States slipping to 12th place from eighth last year in the U.N. Human Development Index."

niel · #2 (**permalink**) 11-28-2007, 12:50 AM

Iceland? Norway? Who the hell compiled this list, the Winter Warlock? Iceland is an interesting enough place to visit, but I can think of few things more hellish than being consigned to live there: isolated in the North Atlantic, with months of winter darkness, almost no greenery to alleviate the miles and miles of black volcanic rock, and no city life more hopping than Reykjavik.

lbphilly · #3 (**permalink**) 11-28-2007, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niel

Iceland? Norway? Who the hell compiled this list, the Winter Warlock? Iceland is an interesting enough place to visit, but I can think of few things more hellish than being consigned to live there: isolated in the North Atlantic, with months of winter darkness, almost no greenery to alleviate the miles and miles of black volcanic rock, and no city life more hopping than Reykjavik.

The U.N. Perhaps they'd like to move their headquarters there.

LittleMike · #4 (**permalink**) 11-28-2007, 11:06 AM

I was thinking about taking a vacation to Iceland in April. Has anyone been there? It looks like a neat place to visit.

frankdialogue · #5 (**permalink**) 11-28-2007, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diana3

I thought this was interesting. I was surprised about Iceland, as it's never looked too desirable when I've changed planes there. It's looked cold. The Netherlands is #9 - don't know about other countries not listed.

"Iceland has overtaken Norway as the world's most desirable country to live in, according to an annual U.N. table published on Tuesday that again puts AIDS-afflicted sub-Saharan African states at the bottom.

Rich free-market countries dominate the top places, with Iceland, Norway, Australia, Canada and Ireland the first five but the United States slipping to 12th place from eighth last year in the U.N. Human Development Index."

Has the US slipped below the Democratic Republic of Congo or the Central African Republic yet?...where does Zimbabwe rank?..how about Israel?

Diana3 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-28-2007, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleMike

I was thinking about taking a vacation to Iceland in April. Has anyone been there? It looks like a neat place to visit.

Friends visited there a couple decades ago for a month - rode a jeep around & loved it. Iceland supposedly has the oldest parliment in the world and a lot of other interesting features. I find it fascinating but have never gotten around to visiting (so many interesting places, so little time). It's always been expensive & will be more so now with the dollar having taken a dive. But sometimes IcelandAir & the country have specials promoting tourism. So enjoy!

CaptainAmerica · #7 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diana3

Friends visited there a couple decades ago for a month - rode a jeep around & loved it. Iceland supposedly has the oldest parliment in the world and a lot of other interesting features. I find it fascinating but have never gotten around to visiting (so many interesting places, so little time). It's always been expensive & will be more so now with the dollar having taken a dive. But sometimes IcelandAir & the country have specials promoting tourism. So enjoy!

I heard that Iceland's government keeps documented records of every citizen's personal lineage going back to the time of the Vikings.

CaptainAmerica · #8 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by niel

Iceland? Norway? Who the hell compiled this list, the Winter Warlock? Iceland is an interesting enough place to visit, but I can think of few things more hellish than being consigned to live there: isolated in the North Atlantic, with months of winter darkness, almost no greenery to alleviate the miles and miles of black volcanic rock, and no city life more hopping than Reykjavik.

I bet you don't have to worry about getting carjacked or murdered by a "thug". The school's are probably a little more civilized, also. Probably not many rapes, either.

charliebucket · #9 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LittleMike

I was thinking about taking a vacation to Iceland in April. Has anyone been there? It looks like a neat place to visit.

Iceland is a great place to go. The landscape is awesome,
clean air and the people are super nice. Good fun in the capitol city, and lots of open space to help remind us all that we live crazy hectic lives and should make more time for ourselves. Its the kind of place the changes you for the better.
Go....buy a ticket right now.
You wont regret it.

dagmar · #10 (**permalink**) 11-29-2007, 12:44 AM

Agreed, cbucket. I posted this in the other thread:

I've been to Iceland a couple of times--there's just something about it. It's the only place I've been where I became obsessed with getting a place there, my friends thought I was nuts. I don't know, it's got some kind of magnetic pull. Must be that crazy geography. New Zealand is my #2.