Of course Britain is a stable and prosperous place to live ... if it were not, why would refugees fleeing hellish regimes eschew the opportunity to settle in established democracies such as France and Spain and risk their lives crossing the Channel to get here? Canada is stable but boring!

eric tingley, richmond, surrey

It's all rubbish
England is one of the least stable places in the world and that America is even 22nd generous
We are all blindly protective (myself included) of our countries but only because we know there are such huge flaws in where we live
Especially AMERICA and maybe England
I guess it's how you define stable
England has a very stable, and thriving, youth gang culture
As does America

Max, Hertfordshire, UK

Why are so many of you getting your knickers in a twist? This study is not about your personal lives and it is not insulting any particular nation, INCLUDING the USA. It is merely showing you which nations have bigger terrorist threats, national security issues and how stable the government is.

Louise, Surrey, UK

Including the Vatican was ridiculous. Otherwise the top 5 were reasonable. 9 point difference between Zimbabwe and Somalia is hard to understand. The massive amounts of dog excrement should put U.K. lower in the rankings of risk tankings, to say nothing of youth thuggery.

K. Hatcher, Chateauguay, Canada

This "study" is complete nonsense. Anyone can produce a "study" and give arbitrary "points" in any way they wish to push an agenda. Her'e's my study

1. Australia 99
2. Spain 98
3. Ireland 97

Done. That's official now.

Max SHiraz, Chicago, USA

Mitch, you sound bitter and are falling into the trap of querying the survey just because you disagree with it. I currently live in Hong Kong but intend to go back to the UK permanently - I miss the beautiful countryside, the great healthcare system, the fabulous sport, and even the weather. Not sure where you get "shabby and dirty" from. And before we chuck around wisdom, let's be accurate - while a number of UK citizens are leaving, many of those emigrating are "long-term migrants". Nor is it an issue confined to the UK. The French are worried about the number of young people leaving (many of them coming to the UK). And what exactly is "quality of life" anyway? Is it an objective measure or do you get to define it as you wish?

John, Hong Kong,

I live in Gibraltar and I am rather impressed that it came out at number 5 in the list. Cool.

Simon, Gibraltar, Gibraltar

A few weeks back another Brit outfit conducted a 'study' and determined that London was the most wonderfulest city in the world. The criteria, of course, were skewed to favor London. I suspect the same is the case here, but the UK is so shambolic they couldn't rig the 'study' enough to get it a first place. Really, non of these 'studies' are necessary, just look at people voting with their feet. For a first world UK has a huge number of people leaving permanently -- people of its 'indigenous' population are choosing greener pastures instead of a shabby, overpopulated, dirty country filled with foreigners and in which they are treated as second class citizen. I've lived in Germany, Spain, France, and even Bosnia. And you know what, every country on that list beats the UK hands down for quality of life.

Mitch, London,

Hey dcm!!

"nor do we have monitoring of our citizens to the extent that your country does"

That's a bunch hooey as the Buish administration's push to protect the telecoms proves. They know a lot more about YOU than you would ever want to know.

JL, Seattle, WA

With just about the most serious and violent crime rates in the world with its chief policeman on charges of corruption and defeating the ends of justice, another police chief in Court for drunk while driving; he wrecked his State car and police witnesses are now being protected due to death threats allegedly by the chief himself, a former convicted terrorist bomber who killed women and children, and a convicted gun runner)) why is South Africa not near the very bottom of the list? The country is following Zimbabwe, with daily massive power cuts and shortages of fuel, tap water contamination. sewerage in the streets in some areas (due to power cuts) serious diseases and a very high HIV/Aids problem.

There are more unlawful killings in SA than even Iraq. Wake up to the disaster that SA has become.

B J Deller, Marbella, Spain

I would find most of the comments by the anti-gun people funny if they weren't so scary.

How can anyone argue against the right to self defense while boasting of their nation's stability? In England and Wales, where they've surrendered their rights to own guns, are under constant surveillance in many cities, and now depend entirely on the state for their safety, a staggering 0.41 deaths per 100K occurred in 1994. This while only 0.05 deaths per 100K in that bastion of liberty, Japan, where the police actively raid homes of those even suspected of having the means to defend themselves. Indeed, you’re more than 8 times as likely to be shot down in England and Wales, where they simply refuse to join the “mature” countries and surrender their arms totally.

If you can be bothered to check out any objective evidence, see
www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=6166

...and why are you Brits commenting on our laws? Can't you find anything to read but crime statistics?

Patrick, Chocorua, New Hampshire, USA

I can see why the UK is rated higher than the US if threats to stable Government are the main concern.
However, I feel a damn' sight safer walking around central Albuquerque, New Mexico at night on my visits there than I do here in a small town in England.
The UK has more than DOUBLE the US violent crime rate, yet denies its citizens the tools to defend themselves, as enshrined in the Bill of Rights.
Or maybe our crime rate is so high BECAUSE law abiding citizens are proscribed from having the means to deter violent criminals........

Mike S, Whitehaven, England

Re: Guns in the U.S.:

It would be one thing if firearms ownership in the U.S. led to nothing but deaths.

But consider: Roughly *a million times per year* privately-owned firearms are used in the United States by law-abiding owners to *prevent* or to *interrupt* violent attack (and in 95% of those cases without even discharging the weapon). Realize THAT, and it becomes clear that they are a net force for good.

As the U.K., with its crime now surpassing U.S. levels, has learned to its sorrow, the disarming of the law-abiding is not the same as the disarming of the criminal. To borrow a line from Eowyn in the cinematic version of "Lord of the Rings": "The women of this country have long ago learned that those without a sword can still die upon one."

Perhaps I can be excused for feeling this particularly keenly, as I used my privately-owned revolver to discourage what was probably a rape attempt, in 1988.

Sharon, Marietta, GA, USA

So if we cut out countries that are "vatican" in size, the top 4:

Sweden
UK
Netherlands
Ireland

A lot of these numbers are tied as well. How could the top 3, which are tied be ranked as 1, 2, 3? Perhaps they should be considered tied for #1.

James, Astoria, New York

The 'threat' to the US population flowing across the Mexican border does not come so much from the flow of illegal drugs, as from the flow of illegal people....

Mike C, Rockville, Maryland US

I’m intrigued by the number of comments from the Brits expressing dismay at the fact that we Americans dare to comment about, or even read a UK news article, while at the same time, many also suggest, (in some cases rightfully so, I’m afraid), that we need to get out of our own country more and learn more about our friends in Europe and elsewhere. Seems a bit paradoxical to me.For those who are unaware, a link and a headline for this article was posted on the popular US website, www.drudgereport.com. That’s how the Americans likely found this forum.

I have great respect for the British people, and love to visit when I can. This seemed to me to be an appropriate forum to engage in lively conversation about potentially controversial, yet fun topics, with intelligent people from both countries.

For those Brits who wondered, or who are offended by our mere presence on the forum, I hope this helps explain it.

Patrick, Chocorua, USA / New Hampshire

It's truly amazing that many in the US, the UK, and elsewhere seem to have so few worries in their own lives that they're able to spend apparently vast amounts of time commenting on a study of dubious statistical value in a way that demonstrates bigotry and intolerance. I can only imagine how much better a place the world would be if the effort that some here clearly put into maintaining their own prejudices against certain groups of people were actually put to good use solving the world's real problems.

We in the West preach tolerance and acceptance to other nations, yet it's clear from many of the comments that our own house is hardly in order in that regard. It's disheartening and reflective of the decay of Western society that in 2008 citizens of supposedly developed nations judge people merely on the basis of their nation of citizenship.

Roger, Chicago, IL, USA

Countries?
What's the population of these "countries"? How about comparing these countries to some small US states or even cities? Get real. Vatican City is encapsulated by another country that actually funds defense. It helps that most of that country shares the religion of the Vatican, so they are in a safe haven.

Lies, damned lies and statistics.

Ken, Tampa, FL

I would find most of the comments by Americans funny if they weren't so scary.

how can anyone possibly argue for the right to bear guns in the same sentence as talking about the US's stability? At 14.24 per 100,000 the US has the highest level of deaths from firearms of any developed nation. this compares to a rate of 0.41 deaths per 100,000 people in England and Wales. Doubtless most of you want, but if you can be bothered to check out any objective evidence visit:

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=6166

...and another thing, what on earth are you all doing commenting on our newspapers? can you not find anything good to read at home?

tony, london, uk

To James, Bath, UK:

"Nice of the U.S. to turn up to that war when...Germany declared war on you...about 2 years after it all started."

With all due respect, James, I'm compelled to speak up for those Americans who volunteered to fight in the RAF Eagle Squadrons, and in the Flying Tigers. And also for those who died at the hands of the Kriegsmarine on ships laden with Lend-Lease weapons, food, and material, bound for the Soviet Union and the UK. These institutions were all put in place well before Pearl Harbor.

It's true that my country was not there when the first shots of WWII were fired. But neither did she sit and do nothing, as your statement implies. Nor did she choose to side with the Axis, and take this entire hemipshere for her own, which she could have just as easily done, and as Stalin initially did.

All the allies, together, saved themselves. None of them could have done it without the other. The US owes much to the RAF of 1940, but I am proud to say we helped.

Patrick, Chocorua, USA / New Hampshire

Lichtenstein? San Marino? Ireland? And my native Netherlands? Great company, that, but where are the real countries in that list?

Ed Zuiderwijk, Cambridge, UK

I love this!

The headline trumpets that we are the 7th most stable country but the list has us at number 8! Unstable sub-editing, perhaps?

And why are there 393 comments on this? I can't read them all but why so much indignation from Americans? The Times is a UK paper reporting a matter for UK pride.

Even so, I wonder a little about our position. Only Sweden an Luxembourg can be considered nation states in the conventional sense. The Vatican? Well, how many divisions has the Pope? Gibraltar? A UK overseas possession when I last checked, so little in the way of its own foreign policy or much else.

Monaco, San Marino, Liechtenstein? Give me a break. If they are to be included may I propose also the Isle of Wight. The island is stability personified; it's positively catatonic. And it is "overseas".

While I would enjoy having Janes Fighting Ships in my library I probably won't be subscribing for this.

I shall just enjoy the remaining comments. What fun!

Alan, London,

Oh dear. "We don't like where we are in this survey so we're going to throw all of our toys out of the pram!" That seems to be the response from a lot of Americans to the survey. Yariv makes a good point - the rabid comments from many of the American readers are scary. The vitriolic language shows up their insecurities. And spare us the tired old arguments in favour of gun ownership.

John, Hong Kong,

First of all... which country lets more Iraqis in than the USA each year for asylum? Sweden.

Who's responsibility should those people be? USA.

As a Swedish immigrant to the US, I have always lauded the unique freedoms and qualities of the Americans. I think there is no place where social movement is as great as it is here. People can start dirt poor and become rich beyond their wildest imaginations. You cannot say that about any other country on that list, not even in the same ballpark.

At the same time, the US is a paranoid and schizophrenic place. "Oh no! the Illegals are coming to cut my lawn and pick my fruit! Run for the Hills!" Good Grief! The politicians aren't speaking to the same country but two entirely different ones that are just living together. One side values education and the common good, the other a self-serving greed and religious intolerance. It's not hard to see why it isn't that stable of a place at all... look at the housing market if you want proof.

Stefan, Daytona Beach, USA/FL

Why can't you people get over the fact that as Americans we will never give up our right to own "small arms". I don't care if you list the US dead last, we are not going to give up firearms. Just because everyone else has given in to the global elitist, turned over fire arms and sovereignty doesn't me we in the US will. Dictators only fear those with the capability to fight back. Guns in the hand of law abiding citizens is not the problem. Get over it!!!

Bob, Tulsa, OK, USA

Thank You Paul Schofield from Milton Keynes. Just about the only comment that made any sense throughout the list !! Isnt it enough for people to say that they love their country irrespective of the report without slinging mud at each other??

P.S. You can only get a decent cup of tea and yorkshire puddings in the UK....... so there !!

Carol, Leicester, UK

The United States is fifty countries, not one. It cannot be judged on anything like the same basis as any other nation. It's about time we "mini-states" grasped that fact.

Ken Leyland, Liverpool, U.K.

Gordon Brown and New Labour could not have got everything wrong with the economy then. Perhaps the cynical UK media will give us a break from the daily diet of Doom & Gloom.

Bill Rees, Truro, Cornwall

DEAD is 'stable'....

Chris, St Leonards on sea, UK

....and in the news today:

World war three started over a stupid press article. The UK fired three yorkshire puddings at the USA who responded with 4567890 nuclear warheads. Fortunately both sides failed to hit the other (though one person was taken to hospital with a flour related injury, and the UK Health and safety arrested the prime minister as a result). The Americans are suing for the cost of the weapons and the English went off to taunt theFrench rugby team.

IT DOESNT MEAN ANYTHING PEOPLE! lighten up!

Paul Scofield, Milton Keynes,

hi to all
i am a brit who has visited the states from east to west and the US like Britain was a great country but both have lost there way and are both suffering. Both are going down and both have similar problems. Gun crime, kids in gangs, drugs, killings,robberies but the things that have really undermined our way of life is the culture of "wheres theres blame theres a claim", people not help each other anymore, pretty rules, petty govermental jobsworths, cctv everywhere,liberal do gooders, lack of respect,high stealth taxes (yes you have them in the US too,everything on credit,everything now,now, now,high stress,fast lives.You only need to look at the children in both countries. thats Freedom! Personally i have moved with my family to Brazil. i feel safer, people are caring and kind, i am not being watched by a camera wherever i go, i feel very free. Brazil Watch this space. Brits and Yanks always welcome.
maybe its the price we are paying for having so much fun in the 60's

maggie, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

I must confess I haven't the time to read all the comments. But from what I've seen there are a number of common misconceptions. It's a popular pastime among Brits to remind Americans of their tardiness in two world wars. It should be remembered that isolationism can be interpreted as "keep your nose out of things that don't concern you." I for one was extremely hungry throughout WW2 but would have been a great deal more hungry without American aid. Having got the hang of stepping up to stop nations needlessly annihilating each other they now are always far too keen to do so. They are damned if they do and damned if they don't.
I've always interpreted the right to bear arms as the duty to bear arms in defense of the realm. It's a right not an obligation.
Stunning number of comments from across the pond shows stunning sensitivity to criticism only comparable to Australia.
Finally, I left England in 1967 and I've never lived there full time since. That's gotta say something.

crombie, perth W.A. , Australia

As so many have kindly pointed out, the rest of the world wouldn't exist were it not for the Americans, so the US should automatically be at the top of any ranking list, regardless of what it the list is measuring.

Seriously, though, reading the comments on this page has genuinely scared me. I imagine anyone else outside the US would feel the same.
The following quote from Scott of Allentown, PA, sums it up perfectly and deserves to be framed:

"This is THE most free country in the world, those who do not know so have a spoiled child-like view of the world."

Yariv, Telford, UK

I would hardly say the proliferation of small arms has ANYTHING to do with the "stability" of a country.

I would of knocked the US for the lack of stability in our money-supply, our government's un-funded obligations totalling over $50 trillion US, etc.

Knocking the US for small-arms just shows this study to be a complete farce with a political agenda and not worth a second look.

Lucas Goodwin, Kalispell, MT

People:

Please do not take one American's ignorant view of the world and make the generalization that we are all that way. There are intelligent and not-so-intelligent people in every country. Obviously, inflammatory and "blind" comments are typically those that get the limelight and are magnified. However, one's overreaction to such a comment is just as bad as the comment itself. Try to read comments on the whole, and for crying out loud, use your common sense! You know all Americans aren't the same - we don't all dream of big cars and big appliances. Take a Californian and put him in the same room with a Nebraskan, and I guarantee you they will not agree about one single thing. You get the point...

Matt C., Minneapolis, MN

My fellow Americans,
Why are the vast majority of you reactive rather than open to discourse? Listen. Ponder. Read. Learn. Not all is well in the USA. Perhaps because I am an American citizen who does NOT own a television, does NOT drink soft drinks, does NOT own firearms (or believe that my 'highly educated, well thinking, and never bigoted fellow American' should own them.), does NOT use a mircrowave I am not even American by the standards that I read here. The defensiveness of many Americans in their comments here is frightening. It is cause to wonder why we did not score lower. The best approach to life is a realistic, honest one. That encompasses the ability to unflinchinlgy look at ones faults as a country, accept them, and work toward healthy, positive growth and change. The American men sound like whiny little boys in their comments. Please, learn basic grammar, too. The grammatical errors that appear in comments by Americans is appalling.

Katherine, Central Virginia, USA

The US naturally will think this is about them! Well power corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Lucky for them, their power is far from being absolute, so they make it to number 22. It is still the greatest nation, but a desire to avoid criticism is eating into the foundations- in life we have to always do better, or else we start to slide.

Some advice from someone who cares- honesty, sincerity and integrity are the most important virtues. Being number one because you earned it, not for the bragging rights, as something to share with allies who build it together with you as a dream. Also, more concern for safety, quality of life and just having a good life.

Still, the US has a historical aversion to evil and love of goodness. This is the greatest strength and the source of many blessings. Remember to chose the right way all the time.

G Davidson, Kashiwa, Japan

Being 'stable and prosperous' are relative terms. The US still leads in having the most billionaires in the world, owns and holds the most gold reserves in the world, the US has the natural resources to feed the world at least twice over, and has the most patents and invention proposals in the world. US Tech companies employ about half of the world's IT professionals. There are more US universities in the world's top 20 compared to any other country with most of these US colleges having enowments of more than a billion dollars. Stanford University just announced that anyone who gets accepted to this university but cannot afford to go, will get their education paid for 100%. Harvard and Yale have also stepped up with their financial aid package.
I know the US isn't perfect. But regarding this article, they don't give any specifics or examples of what other countries do better and why. Surveys are like polls of our presidential election. Unreliable and all Hype!

Ann, Pasadena, CA/USA

Stable and prosperous? It looks more like a list of tax havens to me.

Yariv, Telford, UK

Looks like a Europe feel good exercise. If you want a stable country with excellent standard of living. - Come to Australia. We should be # 1 and by a long shot. We are not stuck with a history that makes us tribal nor are we scared of advancement and change and we have resources to boot. Plus we have great weather and fine women!! What more could one want?

I call this list a joke, i mean even New Zealand should be up there.

Max, Sydney, Australia

As an American I don’t see the need for the harsh comments about the U.K. here from other Americans. It’s like kicking your mom. They have been our best friends in the world when we need support. The U.K. is a beautiful country. Have you ever been in the English countryside? If not have a look.
http://www.picturesofengland.com/England/English_Countryside

The survey is flawed when it places the Vatican as the top country with a little over 108 acres of land. For gosh sakes my dad’s cattle farm is over 1500 acres over 14 times as large although it’s not a country LOL.
As for arms owned by Americans and the threat to the population posed by the flow of drugs from across the Mexican border. That hits a raw nerve in many American’s as the right to own arms is an American birth right and the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants into the U.S. that hits another raw nerve because we watch our government do little about the borders but put up token fences just so companies can hire cheap labor.

Ed, Lexington, U.S. KY

How extraordinary that this survey trends heavily toward European countries.... Might there be a bit of a Euro-bias a work here?

I could give you studies that suggest that other regions of the world actually have a higher standard of living (and more stable societies) than many Western European countries, but that would suggest that I am silly enough to buy into this notion that obviously agenda-driven surveys count for something. They don't, except of course to push their chosen agenda.

Printing such drivel is one thing, but believing it is another; I can't believe that most Britons (or Americans, for that matter) would take such a survey at face value. Do our countries have such low collective self-confidence levels that we need to bolster our egos by faking as though such surveys are factual...and therefore we are "enlightened" people?

This survey is pathetic; what it says about Britain, given that it is being taken seriously by so many people, is equally depressing.

C. Hassel, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA

Dain in Arlington, in fact the majority of forces involved in D-Day where British and Commonwealth not American. The General in charge on the ground was of course Monty.
The RAF also dropped a greater tonnage of bombs on Germany than the USAF.

adam forrester, Chard, UK

I'm ashamed of my species. No place is going to be safe. The ocean is the basis for the ecology we live in and we are all killing it. This little game of Nationalistic Pride I hope will make some extremely happy. I just wouldn't get to smug because when I was child we thought it couldn't happen here. When the US flames out it is liable to be taking others down with it.

Edward M. Berezowski, Buffalo, New York

Never been to EU... spent 2 years in S. Korea though. Found out that our news is censored. Not by official censors, but by commercials. Only 18 mins of news in a 30 min. slot. Well, cable/satellite has fixed that, as well as the Internet.
I have met people from all over the World and I have to say that there are good & bad from everywhere. Except for the islamic extremists, I don't wish any ill to anyone.
However, some have missed a point about our financial strength... compare our debt to our GNP. I dare say we would be much better off than so-called stable countries from the list. (Except for the pedophile-protectionist one at the top) Look, we have endured economic downturns before, and have come back in great shape. This one too shall pass and we will be fine. We will continue to protect and defend those less fortunate. We will also be the first to assist in natural disasters. That is just our nature. Yes, we are proud of our nation, just as we should be. We have done much good.

Kenny, SW, IN

Michael Gray should note that other countries on the other side of the Atlantic have a great deal of good things to say about the USA. Great people great literature great soldiers great regard for freedoms excellent legislature fine research and a huge no of
academic and teaching texts which are the best in the English speaking world.
Well it should be - since arguably it was made in Scotland !......from strands of the Declaration of Arbroath in the 14th century and the "Scotland Schools" act in the 17th -- not to mention the Dundee merchant adventurer money which helped build the US railroads.
Its not surprising we like americans ( despite the fact that y'all cannot play rugby!).....why wouldnt we like nice people?....who helped free then rebuild a shattered Europe ( and japan ) after WWII

Ewan MacRae
Dalkeith Scotland
in the Temporarily United Kingdom

Ewan MacRae, Dalkeith, Scotland

As an American, I will say that it does appear that we are on a downward trend. The main reasons for it lie in the spiritual decline of our people as well as our leaders inexplicably spending us into oblivion every year for the past 50 years. I will also say that there are many kind, gracious, generous and decent people who call America home. People from many lands. If America falls hard (and it may at some point), I do believe the world will be a lesser place for it. To all the fine folks around the world, I say Peace and God Bless!

Chris , Tulsa, OK, USA

I'll be Theo Van Gogh would have been proud to see the Netherlands in the top ten. The gun control laws there made it illegal to defend himself. Too bad they were ignored by the guy who shot him eight times and then nearly decapitated him. I guess stability (or is that "stab-ability"?) has its price.

Mike, Dayton, OH

What planet are you on Ron, London?

Billy Barnett, HK,

To my European friends:
Please stop fretting so much about the Americans fretting about this article. It's true that we like to win, and we don't like coming in 22nd. But that isn't really the point. For many Americans, the right to own and bear arms as private citizens is much, much more than you understand - it's symbolic to us of our freedom as individuals, and our belief in the right and responsibility of individuals to be self-sufficient family protectors, not wards of the state. The fact that occasionally our guns go off at the wrong times or are aimed at the wrong people is incidental to us. We are not statists. We do not believe government or other organized groups should or can be the solution to the vast range of problems that human beings face. So when yet another "study" comes out knocking the US for the very symbol of the freedoms we most cherish, we rebel, and type a lot. Most Americans love Europe and Europeans even if we whine at your incessant Statist naivete.

Milt Hamilton, Seattle, WA USA

As a life long resident of the US its not hard to see why other countries think we are jerks. No one likes a bully, no one likes a know it all. The fact is that certain economies and government work best in certain conditions. And just because we don't approve of how they live there lives don't mean we have any say in the matter. Lets make America an honest respectible country again. We need a diplomat in the White House not an agenda.

Alex, Mission Viejo, USA, Ca

My back yard is pretty peaceful - can it not be relabeled as a country? Based on the top 10, seems like it should be doable...

dray, Triad, NC

It truly saddens me that the countries on the other side of the Atlantic divide have not "one good word" to say about America. All countries have good and bad points. We should be happy for our friends in Europe if they are doing well; conversely, Europe should be sad when America stumbles. We are all in this life together - divided we fall. Most importantly, we should be unified by our common Judeo/Christian faith and Western tradition. Our common foe should be Atheism, Human Secularism, Communism and Islamic fanaticism. Don't you realize we are quickly headed for a fall and Armageddon? Yes, America will finally fall probably due to economics and nukes planted by terrorists supplied by Russia. Don't you know, the UK will be next? Then probably the One World government and Anti-Christ will reign supreme for a while until the 2nd Coming. Once all is said and done, we will all serve under the Lord Jesus Christ and Israel will be the most blessed nation. Fathom that !!!

Michael Gray, Sacramento, CA, USA

God bless America!

Because I have not laughed so much in ages, the comments on this story only serve to confirm what we all knew already. The majority of Americans (well those in the southern and central states anyway) do not have a clue about life outside their own country.

The UK still burns coal in their fires? no central heating or fridges? Ha Ha, America saves the world from destruction? Give me a break.

I would laugh more if I were not so scared that these people see big fridges and big cars as the sure sign of quality of life, despite the millions around the world who suffer and die just so that the USA can keep this quality of life. It actually is a bit sick to be honest.

Never mind, your time is nearly up. The US economy is a mess and the centre of the global economy is shifting Eastwards in a hurry. To coin a US expression "You are out of the ball game".

So enjoy your fridges and SUV's and I will hobble back to my cave, light my coal fire and dream of big fridges.

GM, Brisbane,

Hilarious...sensitive types living in Bloomfield Hills, MI or Naples, FL take one look out their windows and say to themselves, "I don't see anything wrong with this country, what do those Brits think they're talking about?"

Pete, Cleveland,

As an American, I could care less whether or not the U.S. is at the top of the list, but I would note that we don't have bombs going off in our major metropolitan areas, nor do we have monitoring of our citizens to the extent that your country does.

dcm, Washington, DC, USA

The most stable place I know of bar none is my local county jail. Three meals a day free medical care, free TV and a free bed. Plus no crime. No thanks!!

O.W. Nichols, Manassas, USA /Virginia

Cheapshot George, we read a British newspaper online due to a weblink for a provocative article from an American website.

As to the most stable countries being small old countries. I've noticed in researching historical items of interest to me that the small old countries often have had more former names, former boundries and former political systems. This indicates that being small and old does not ensure stability. Now it's true at one time we, the former colonies to the crown of England had a king. And I suppose if the king had listened to the pleas of his subjects "across the pond" we would have a Queen today, pay in pounds not dollars, drive on the left side of the road, etc. etc. Instead a deaf ear was turned to We the People of these United States so We choose a new path. We have private gun ownership (because of British inflexibility) and so it is YOU that we are defending ourselves from. I do not want to become a socialist nation,,,like England has become!

Tim, Houston, USA

to James, Bath, United Kingdom
We joined WWII late, but if you take a look at your arms and supplies, they came from US factories where people toiled day and night. D-Day was planned and carried out by mostly US troops ( not to take away from the fine British and Canadians who also fought and died that day...God bless), but if it wasn't for the US the British wouldn't have gotten one foot step onto European soil. The two biggest operations on D-Day were carried out by US forces, not to mentioned the invasion of Italy was mostly a US effort. The Brits fought hard, they're good soldiers, I've worked with some RAF and RN folks. They have a fighting spirit unmatched by anyone else besides us and they're very classy doing it. But don't short our efforts.

As for the rankings, so what? Who cares. I've been to the UK and the US and I love them both. I would disagree with the gun thing though. The ability to protect myself is important, restrictive laws don't prevent crime.

Dain, Arlington, VA, US

Great news. Let these more stable and prosperous nations pay for everything and stop holding their hands out to us to fix the world's problems.

Jo K, philadelphia, USA

I am the child of a US WW 2 veteran and a British woman, who were married for 60 years. I am ashamed, shocked and dismayed to read the truly malicious mutual slandering of two great nations, both of which I was brought up to respect.

The greatest threat to us all is intolerance.

Kate, Munich, Germany

Nice to see some normal people displaying rational thinking, instead of all this bigotry. I was begining to think you didn't exist

karl, leicester,

Wow, there are a lot of comments. Especially denfensive ones. Interesting survey but does it really matter?

Kijo, ...,

Why do some americans believe complete isolation will be a good thing? what would you do without your european, chinese and japanese cars TVs and other precious accessories? Besides if you shut up shop the world would keep turning, the only thing that would change is your influence as other powers emerge. You only have to look at history to see that.
But anyway you don't give to the world cause you want to, it's cause you have to.

karl, leicester,

I agree on their stability, they should thank the USA everyday.

B Alford, Rincon, Ga

The results are puzzling . . . the northward flow of drugs from Mexico is considered a threat to the USA, but the Netherlands - well known as Europe's drug haven - still scores three points higher overall? So Mexican dope is worse than Dutch dope? That’s odd. And as for firearms availability, which is presumably linked to crime . . . consider that the problems of violent crime in the USA are most prevalent - overwhelmingly so - in the very same demographic that comprises the balance of the population in the countries making up the "most unstable" listings; some may find this to be politically unpalatable - but it’s factually inarguable. Crime among non-Hispanic Caucasians in the USA is comparable to that among the same demographic in Europe.

Henry, Dallas, Texas / USA

How about the USA just get out of the rest of the world, we close our borders, and throw the illegals out. Whatever happens outside those borders is not our issue. So when things like Bosnia or some terrible thing happens in the world, call Sweden and all those other top countries. We take care of our own, period. We aren't perfect here, no one is or no place is, but we are free. I'll take that over being on some list anyday.

Kent, atlanta, GA

So, what happens when say...Russia marches into Sweden? Does 'stability' include the ability to defend yourself?

Rick, Nashville, TN

God, if this were only true. Maybe we wouldn’t be inundated with all these foreigners invading America hoping for a better life. They could be going to one of these 21 other countries.

Gary Ray Lauderdale, Houston, US/TX

It always makes me chuckle when Americans use lack of air-conditioning as an example of 'poverty' in the UK.

When was the last time the Uk was actually hot enough to require air conditioning? I lived all my life in the UK and can't remember more than about 3 days.

Furthermore, this american "X owns 3 TV sets so he must be richer" is innately flawed. I currently live in China. My inlaws are poor rural Chinese. They have two large TV sets. Are they richer than my middle class English parents who only have one small TV?

Matthew Nash, Dalian, China

At least the USA is still a country for now.

The UK just signed away its independence in the Lisbon treaty, and without any vote of the people.

Doug Sterling, Rutherford, NJ, USA

Well, if it means that I have to give up my "small arms" to become rated higher, I would rather be last on the list. A weaponless society is the target of the government...

Jay, Jacksonville, Florida

Tell all the illegals to go to all the other places "better" than the U.S.A. They can deal with them instead of us. How come everyone wants to come here? Because it sucks every places else. But according to this report the U.S.A is very average.

Paul, Pearl City, Hawaii

I am definitely interested in the criteria and definition of "stability" so I can better understand the results. I think the research criteria would change from culture to culture.

For example, since when does having having a more free society (i.e. gun ownership) takes points away from "stability." Even if you don't own guns; does the government have a right to monkey around in your personal business?

Having large government act as a nanny isn't freedom. It's financial oppression at the very least. Too much government intervention into people's lives kills incentive and a sense of personal responsibility, that's why the USSR failed.

Anyway, my point is that there are trade offs and some value freedom over regulation. It would be interesting to have a site with all the data where people can go and weigh certain criteria for themselves and look at the different rating outcomes of nations.

Josh, Keller, TX

"Do you not still burn coal in your fireplaces? Do most in the UK have full-sized refrigerators? Full-sized washers and dryers? Dishwashers".

Is th above list a mark of stability? No doubt with these giant size gadgets the Americans arecontributing so much to global warming . Do not want to believe this after the sad flooding of
New Orleans. Stability is when your life is not disrupted if you lose the job or the house disppaears after the place is struck by tornado in Florida coast etc..

Why illegals? Because they do the job at a wage that no American is prepared to do. Why American company employs so many Indians who are trained in IT, because they can be paid less than the Americans with similar skills.

My friends have to sell all their possession when he was hit by ahuge hospital bill and his insurance comapny can only pay part of it.

If the government can come to help for those who are unfortunately in need that is civilised response and that produces stability.

Rob, Liverpool,

They are calling the Vatican a country? All they do is take in money from the Cathiolic countries and not giving anything back. Let them take care of the poor cathiolic people instead of haveing the countries they are living in take care of them.
And the other countries that rate high, what have they ever done for the betterment of the world? How much have they sent to the countries that have had natural disasters, or given to the Red Cross?
Don, Birmingham, AL

Don Spruill, Birmingham, Alabama

How has this turned into an attack on the UK by Americans?
seriously guys, lighten up. This is about stable countries, not about who has the largest and most powerful economy. You are beaten by almost every country in Western Europe, so dont just go mad at us.

To Vince, from Los Angeles.
We are not mindless drones who have everything done for us. If you are refering to the apparant 'free health care' we 'lazily' recieve for 'nothing', you really need to check the facts. Every taxpayer pays national insurance to the government, who uses it to pay for the NHS. Same as your health insurance, but run by the government. As for things about benefits, well,we believe in equality in Europe. No redlining, no segregation. Its not 'mindless' to give poorer people benefits to help them have a chance in life. Im sure if you were laid off, you would like a helping hand too.
Enough said.
The US is awesome, and I love it, but Americans need to learn to not always win...think China,think economy

Dave, Cardiff, UK

To Greg Grant:

About as much as you like sales tax. It's the same thing.

Peter, Oxford, UK

I have lived in many countries and enjoyed them all. I am Canadian, but didn't see where it placed in the poll. I am thankful that Canada is a stable place to live, but honestly, I would give up everything to move back to the UK, either England or Scotland. Hope this doesn't make me a "Bad Canadian"

Dorothy, Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada (in case you don't know where that is, it's the Arctic.

Dorothy Davidson, Pond Inlet,

"Unlike the Vatican ... the USA actually lets people immigrate in!" Hate to be the one to break it to you John from San Marino, but remarkably few Popes were born or even grew up in the Vatican. They tend to immigrate in.

Calm down all you transatlantic types: it's only a survey, and it sure doesn't change Neil Armstrong's footprint on the moon.

David Masu, Zürich,

For god' s sake will you people calm down. Do you always punch your best friend in the mouth just because he/she says something you disagree with. No one is attacking our sovereignty, way of life or freedom. Everyone is welcolme to there opinion because there is no possible way for someone that is not american to truly understand what it means to us.

We have never asked for any anknowledgement nor favor for our acts of kindness or for our friendship from any nation. So to keep throwing it into people's faces of "where would you be without us" is totaly uncalled for. I have been to Britain and other parts of Europe and besides Paris I have never had anyone spit on me or disparage the US unless something was said to put them on the defensive. So please stop running down the Brits because I consider them my/our friends and find them to be a wonderful people. I, like most Americans are loyal and staunch friends to have and are still willing to stand up for that friendship.

Mitch, Atlanta, US

Though this is a supposedly objective rating, criteria still reflect differing values that alter the scores.

The proliferation of small arms in the United States is deemed bad by many around the world (and in the US) and "cost" us some points, but it is deemed constitutional and normal by most in the US. It is simply part of our heritage and culture because we hold freedom so dear.

This culture, despite various shortcomings, has a history of defeating oppressive regimes, especially defending our allies.

Interestingly, the countries labeled as the most stable and prosperous still exist thanks to the US. We certainly can learn a great deal from each other and improve, but do not mess with our guns, lest there be no one left to save you again. Ja, Da?

By the way, it is sincerely very sad to see the growing trend of these fine European countries losing their own cultures, to the point of extinction one day. Please recognize and reverse this, as you do have so much to offer the world!

Charles Smith, Columbus, Georgia, United States

Many countries have enjoyed stability and prosperity thanks to the Pax Americana. Not that many of the beneificiaries of her efforts would acknowledge it. They couldn't bear the humiliation. You know you're doing something right when so many envy, resent, and hate you. Cheerio and all that.

C. W. Shorter, Columbus, Ohio

I really don't care what this ranking survey has to say. Every country has its good and bad points.

JMS, San Antonio, TX/ USA

@Noah, Montreal, Canada

So, people living below the poverty line is someone else's fault? Not theirs for the poor choices that they made in life? This is truly socialist thinking at it's source, envy of the rich. Sorry, but wealth distribution doesn't work, it just drives the rich to invest in other countries where they don't penalize them for being successful.

However, I can see how the US ranks where it does, there are a lot of countries hostile to the US, and it's immigration is out of control.

Shane, Fort Worth, US, TX

B.T.W. - Most of the Americans reading this article obtained it from a right-wing web site (http://www.drudgereport.com); formulate your opinions of the comments to this article accordingly.

At least some of US(A), have visited other countries (beyond the beaches of Mexico) and are aware that the U.S.A. could stand to improve.

Ben D., Albuquerque, NM

I feel a need to weigh in on a few issues, first to my fellow Americans, On the matter of prosperity if you consider our true tax rate, not the phony crap they publish take your fed tax rate then add your state and local don't forget your property and excise taxes oh and for good measure through in your sales taxes, now add on your 401K and your health premiums and deductables and see what that % is and compare that to what the rest of western culture pays now you have a truer comparison of tax rates. As to freedoms Very similar but very different we have way to many people in jail or been in jail for crimes of morality ie drugs prostitution, and not nearly enough in for real crimes. Thought police or media as they are more commonly known are rampant on both sides of the pond. And our national debt in USA is staggering. As to our wealth consider if you will your net worth and assume you couldn't sell your house for what you owe, still think US is richest? most credit most debt yes.

Jeremy, shelbyville, indiana

As an American I am embarrassed. Not of the study, whch is not tha bad!. Anyone who doesn't know that there are wildly divergent lifestyles due to class differences in the US, which affects average, is simply not paying attention. But the defensiveness? If you don't believe the study they why should you care? And if you do, then why can't we just work to improve it? You can't POSSIBLY really believe that our country is the best of all possible worlds -- are you living the best of all possible lives? Nothing you'd want to change? Aspiration is the key to progress, so aspire already! Or shall we stagnate to death, droning on and on about WW2 (which we entered late while our British cousins were being bombed so could we please quit with the unattractive smug)? And so we have to degenerate into the old "Well, we're the best!" "Well, Yanks can't spell!" foolishness AGAIN? Which poor people is that helping?We may not always agree, but this blatant, Net-typical rudeness is appalling.

Pauline, NY, NY

This is all petty small time thinking going on here. Its easy to see why the "Human Race" is facing the problems it is. Besides killing and hurting ourselves we are for the most part also killing the very planet 'we' all live on. With the driving force being money and power and control people of this planet are very shortsighted for the most part. The ridiculous bickering here is a perfect example. My country is better than your country" blah, blah, blah, yadda, yadda yadda......I mean come on, how can anyone from the UK or the USA think they have any problems. Anyway you "cook it up" there both great places for the most part! Move to Darfur if you want to see miserable.........

Dale Poniewaz, Milwaukee, USA/Wisconsin

Take away the US foreign aid and then lets talk. It often seems that most of the world is on the US welfare list.

de, Akron , OHio usa

I studied and worked in America and was amazed by the ignorance of ordinary Americans who thought that as EngIish I had not seen colour telivsion and not driven a car. I mentioned to them that the television sets they use is japanese and the cars they prefer are from japanese companies, the argument veered away, and the question of their country's might surfced. I said that rice-eating vietnamese guerillas defeated them and that their gas price was controlled by men with strange robes in Middle East.
A large percentage of Americans have no passports, and many of my professors never left the country ..
I could buy an automatic submachine gun across the counter with some identification but not tablets for digestive problems which I could buy in Britain across the counter. The nation with smart people has banks which sold sub-prime mortgages which my grandmother would have spotted.
Finally China holds a large dollar reserve which they can flood the market and ruin their economy

Simon, LONDON,

Give me a break!
What does the population of the top ten equal?

Less than California....

We could have a stable government if we had ten people....

ric, valley cottage, ny USA

Hello all my European friends! I have a quick question -- how do you like the Value Added Tax? The reason I'm asking, I'm confident we'll have something just as onerous if/when Hillary or Obama are elected.

Greg Grant, Jacksonville, USA/Florida

@karl, birmingham,

How can they white working class leave the uk? They can't afford it.

The vast majority of uk citizens going abroad are highly skilled people (usually graduates), or wealthy retirees, in search of better jobs and living conditions.

Jeff, Manchester,

This is great. The snooty Brits have convinced themselves that they are more "prosperous" and "stable" than the US. That's fine with me. Someone needs to spread the word to all the millions of illegals we get every year so they can head to the UK. I guess it depends how you define "prosperous". If you are a lazy mindless drone who needs the government to think for you and provide everything for you, then you might find it very "prosperous" in quite a few leftist countries. Wow, the US has a little economic down time and everyone comes out of their holes to claim how horrible it is in the US. The US will bounce back just like it always has.

Vince, Los Angeles, USA

To Katie from Denver, CO:
You write that we don't deserve a high rating until we start to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor in this country.
I spend first 33 years of my life in the country where gap between rich and poor did not exist. Then I left that country because as a result of that "everybody equal" policy everybody were POOR, but not rich. Wonder about what country I'm talking about? Soviet Union.
Be careful what you asking for

NewAmerican, Saint Louis, USA

Yeesh, you Americans need to let up and enjoy your life and stop complaining about such an 'insignificant' study. As someone who lives in the unhappiest country for children on the Western Hemisphere, lighten up! Some of you are particularly myopic - these are the most stable countries, not the ones who boast the greatest wealth and standard of living. All this rubbish about your 'freedom', which most of you take pride in, is utter tosh. Remember, America, that you were once under extreme segregation at times and are perhaps still are. STABILITY. Look at how much your dollars are worth.

You are a whinging bunch for people that appreciate the integrity of air conditioning and your other 'commodities' that you take forcefully from other nations.

On stability, well done for making other countries unstable in your trace of civilisation. Remember Mossadeq, Chilean Coup, Diem, etc. God Bless America.

Just let up, take this survey with a grain of salt and enjoy your just exploits. End rant

Anon, London, UK

???? The US has 'resorts' that are larger then some of the countries listed in the top 10. Highly dubious article.

Scott, almont, USA

Park one ot these little Utopias next to Mexico and watch what happens.

BW, Westminster, CO

A country's murder or crime rate would seem relevant to a "stable and prosperous" rating, but how can the legal private ownership of guns, of itself, negatively impact such a rating?

Also, isn't a monarchy or other form of lifetime office-holding more stable than a democracy, and isn't that basically why the Vatican ranks #1?

It's one thing to ignore liberty in a "stable and prosperous" rating; it's quite another to be hostile to it.

DWPittelli, Adams, MA, USA

Tom Doran, you are correct in your assessment. I have just returned from three years in graduate school in London. My personal experience in accommodation, quality of life, and health care (NHS) does NOT support the ranking of the UK over the USA. "Social achievements" as a driver at best would be subjective. I witnessed first hand deliberate "skewing by design" by academics in research while in the vaunted Ivory Towers.

Jacque E., Washington, DC

The price of living in freedom is that we lose some safety.

So far, in America, that has been an acceptable trade-off.

However, the Patriot Act, 24/7 Surveillance, terrorists under every bed and our disproportionate fear of crime are indicators that we have forgotten that handing over our rights will not make us safer.

I’ll take the lower rating if it means preserving my freedom and right to privacy.

Willis, Naples, Florida

I have visited Europe three times and generally enjoyed it tremendously.

Our immigration (legal and illegal) is out of control, we have many racial issues, government debt is astronomical, our cultural deficits are damaging our children, we started (and need to finish) an unprovoked war, the left wants to rob us of our rights and freedoms, we are heavily dependent on foreign sources of energy, manufacturing jobs are being lost at an alarming pace, and I always dream of retiring in Ireland.

"I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man."...Thomas Jefferson. There is no place like (this) home.

James, North Stonington, USA/Connecticut

Is Iraq considered a "stable" country??????

BOB, LA,

If you don't like your country, you have two choices: do something about it or leave.

Peter, Paris, France

I think it's hilarious how most of the comments on here are by disgruntled Americans so angry about how their beloved nation could ever not come out on top! Patriotism is admirable, but Americans have some kind of obsession with their country that they cannot acknowledge its faults and have to criticze other countries. Perhaps if more of them travelled (around only 10% have passports) they would not act like such children/sore losers.

This isn't a survey about which is the best nation on the world, rather about which is the most stable and prosperous. The UK is very stable however, I agree this survey seems to be subjective.

I think the survey's conclusions could be accurate (have not lived in many of the places mentioned but have done business research), but people seem to be missing the point that it's NOT about "where is the best place to live" - of which in my personal opinion, neither the UK nor the US fits that bill.

Helen, Manchester,

WHAT NONSENSE! Switzerland downgraded for its lack of social achievements? In other words let any tom, dick & harry
in and give them a shed load of benefits whilst they destroy your stable country from within and you'll move up to EIGHTH!
Come on*** VATICAN CITY! As Mr McEnroe used to shout
YOU CANNOT BE SERIOUS!

C Cooper, Beverley, East Yorkshire

Amazing! One day articles about the flight from England to countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada, then the next an article about the "Utopia" that is the UK today. Am I to understand that the constant barrage of stories about feral youth, massive inflation, filthy streets and overpriced, undersized houses are untrue? I grew up in England and I live in Canada. I am not looking forward to my visit to England next month. It's an overpriced, overcrowded sinkhole.

Bernard, Winnipeg, Canada

Another Times fantasy piece. Unlike the Vatican (first place) the USA actually lets people immigrate in!

John , San Marino, CA

There are no differences in the safety or prosperity of Finland and Sweden. Yet Sweden is no.2 and Finland no. 29.

This report is a joke.

Will, Helsinki, Finland

why are all the americans here so offended that the US is not on the first place? who cares about some stupid poll?

Delphine Verhaeghe, Largs,

Note that this is a "stability and prosperity" list.
It is not a list of where I personally want to live. That list has the USA at the top.

Jennifer, Pennsylvania, USA

After 400 years of global colonial oppression, the Brits finally have a clean conscience.

Helen Back, Washington, DC

Article and comments all very interesting ! Curious that widespread ownership of firearms should count against the USA - makes one feel that there is a hidden agenda here somewhere!
Now.....has anyone actually, really, met any person who is or was afraid to visit the USA because of the widespread ownership of firearms ?

Lewis Thomas, High Wycombe, Bucks UK

I have lived in Sweden, Norway, and the USA. Of all three of those countries the USA is by far the best in terms of economic freedom. Of the three the US has the best health care system although the worst way to pay for it. Norway comes in second in terms of easy accesss. With Sweden you may as well be dead to get into a doctor...they have alot of gatekeepers to get to a doctor in Sweden. It was always so easy to get my child into a US doctors office when sick..in Sweden its a real pain in the rear.

Sweden is supposed to be family oriented. Where are the family restaraunts? Where are all the entertainment venues? The malls and shopping here are like eastern Europe..terrible consumer market really. They give you all of this vacation here is Sweden without anything to do so thats why everyone leaves the country when they have time off....Sweden easily ranks number one on the boring scale.

Roger, Stockholm, Sweden

Nigel, you are spot on when you say that you see the U.S. falling fast. Our country began its free-fall when Teddy Kennedy (or some other worthless politician), announced around 1965 that we needed to look more like the rest of the world. Most of the people that have come here since then care not a whit for what our founders set in motion and only want to sap the milk and honey. And, unfortunately, due to our failing educational system, many native-born Americans have no appreciation for their heritage and history.

Imogene Dunn, Tulsa, OK

Steve in Devon:
I do not think Americans are particularly sensitive. Was the fellow's information incorrect? Do you not still burn coal in your fireplaces? Do most in the UK have full-sized refrigerators? Full-sized washers and dryers? Dishwashers? Central heating and AC? Having lived in England, both in London and in the Southwest, I can say that the commenter was right. Whether one thinks these items are necessary is another argument, but the fellow was not wrong.

Cris, Tampa, Florida

More, more! I love Americans. I could read their "we are the best" posts all day. Great stuff.

Matt, Nottingham, UK

So let's tell the Mexicans, Saldureanos, Guatemalans, Cubans, Dominicans, Haitians, Jamicans, Ethipoians, Mali, Egyptians, Hmong, everybody from Islamic Arabic and Iran, Russians, Serbs, Bosnians, Turks, Palestinians, ( not a country) and Brazilians, Colombians, Venzuelans, Ecuadorians, Peruvians, Bolivians ...... and so on, becuase they are all here.

Rick, Miami Beach, Fl

Just two questions:

Who set the parameters for this study, commissioned and financed it, and then scrutinised the report before passing it fit for publication?

Why is it not self-evident that the UK is one of the most stable and prosperous countries in the world?

Jo, Devon, England

It's great to know that wealthy Americans are happy about their positions in life, but what about the 36.5 million American citizens that live under the poverty line? For a family of 4 to be living under the poverty line, they would have to make a total household income of less than $21 200 per year. This is barely enough to support 1 person, let alone a family of 4. I find it a little naive of Rick from Nashville to think that the US poor have a better standard of living than the UK's middle class. Not only is Rick forgetting about the tens of millions of Americans that live under the poverty line, he is also forgetting that 47 million Americans do not have any health insurance. The U.S. is the only wealthy, industrialized nation that does not have a universal health care system. These statistics explain why the US is ranked 22nd on the list. My country isn't perfect, by any means, but people like RIck and Mickey should take their heads out of the sand.

Noah, Montreal, Canada

Surprising that in all these comments no ones spoken of simple math.

The 'top ten' are actually the top three. They range in score from 99 to 97. If the pattern exhibited is continued in the rest of the scoring, the US is actually in the real top ten--at least as far as this survey goes. The US is actually at position 7--along with every other country that scored 93.

What we see here is yet another example of Europeans lying to themselves to make themselves feel better. It's a sad thing that's all too common these days.

jack, Covington,

Thats great. Finally the rest of the world can do their part for world peace, global warming and any other malady that people want to blame on the US. Let these prosperous countries pay for global warming, carbon offsets, kyoto treaty rather than shaft the United STates with the bill. IF these countries are so damn great and prosperous, then nows the time to pay the piper!

jw, salisbury, usa/md

Wow, that's got the cowboys shouting about their personal freedom and their big weapons. I guess that will be the freedom to bear arms that resulted in the deaths of a string of Presidents, Martin Luther King and John Lennon.

steve C, Stafford, UK

So the United States was "graded down" for our citizens ability to protect themselves in their homes? And - our greatest threat from our failure to maintain our border secure is drugs coming across? It is not the drugs - it is the 20 million people of unknown backgrounds, agendas and health that destabilize us.

Suwan, Hooterville, USA/IN

Yes, well how would it rate if the factors included social mobility, individual financial opportunity, racism, educational opportunity, career mobility, personal asset acquisition, religious tolerance, just to name a few. What about the US constitution's adaptiveness to amendments like the civil rights act (60s) and fair housing act (90s). Consider also that every major eduational institution practices affirmative action. And the numerous powerful lobbyist groups and special interest groups all have a forum in Washington. The US has at least paved an infrastructure for the pursual of economic survival and acquisition of wealth for all. we may not be perfect, but at least we TRY.

Sara, Greenville, ND, USA

The standard of living in the United States is on the "down slope" because the self serving Republicans and Democrats that are supposed to be representing us are representing only themselves. They don't worry about health care--theirs is free. They don't worry about saving Social Security--they have a plan that pays them "full salary" for their retirement and the list goes on. As a world traveler, I can honestly tell you that we are in a tail spin downward spiral. Our inner cities are in ruin, our education system is in ruin, the only health care plan available to the citizens is one that makes our doctors filthy rich.
Did anyone notice that the Fed bailed out Bear Stearns with taxpayers money? They bailed out "Bear Stearns Co." which is NOT A BANK. The Fed bailed out the same companies (under the Bear Stearns umbrella) that have caused the sub prime mortgage meltdown and made billions in profit at the expense of the middle class. Removing all incumbents would be a good start.

George Peckham, Ft. Pierce, USA/Florida

I'm amused at the amount of comments on here that are so defensive from Americans. I get that we are the most prosperous nation, and the best thing since sliced bread. But in no way could we claim we are more stable than that of the "old guard" nations of Europe. We have the worst drivers in the word, far too many guns, tons of inner city violence, and we are always just one "politically incorrect" remark away from a racial riot in certain parts of the country.

Case in point, a few weeks ago there was an All-American High School Football(american) player in LA that was gunned down by a gang member (who just got out of prison). Why? Because the gang member pulled up in his car and asked the kid what gang he was in, and when the kid didn't answer (he was on his cell phone) the idiot shot him, because he assumed he was in the rival gang!

Yes, we are the epitome of the word "Stability." That is, until someone smudges your Puma's...

Chris, Reston, Virginia, USA

Steve, Torrington, Devon said:
"I'd like to comment more, but I must go to the mines with my wheelbarrow and get some coal. Then I can boil my cauldron, sprinkle in some washing soda crystals and wash my pauper's rags. If there's time before it gets dark, I'll walk into town and try to beg some money and wisdom from any American tourists that might be slumming it. They're easy to spot."

Steve, you're much too subtle; people will assume you're joking!

To those wondering where Canada appears on the list....Sorry, didn't see you there. Catch you next time, eh?

William, Marietta, USA/GA

I tell you what stability is. I was studying and working in the USA during 1970s, and Nixon was in the thick of Watergate scandal. He used all means to stay in power , would not go and kept on lying that he had no part in the Watergate building break in and did not know about it at that time. The impeachment hearing was going on was going nowhere as it was obstructed by partisan Republicans. Then one day the special prosecutor's office found out he left 20 mins of tape unerased in which he was talking about the break in and how the news can be managed. Even after this, he did not immediately resign, no one could fire him and Senate impeachment hearing was deadlocked andno one knew what to do. That was instability. He resigned only when he realised he was in a corner without escape route.

private wonderful health care? wait until you lose the job abd then get a serious health problem.

Norman, Manchester,

An ethnocentric rating system -- as an American I would _give_ points to the US for the Second Amendment (the right to keep and bear arms) and lower Britain's and Canada's rankings because of filthy NHS hospitals and Canada's throughly inadequate medical planning (A city in Canada with half a million people has fewer beds for premature babies than one in the US with 50,000.)

John Cosello, Peabody, MA USA

Why do the americans need to be so defensive, does the truth hurt so much?

Dr. M Lee, Bristol,

Am surprised that the US is 22nd given how deplorable social services have become. Not that alone but when you consider the cost of College education in relation to per capita income, and the cost of living as well as the state of the economy, I am really surprised. Am not sure what that does for most Americans whose egocentricism and narcissism will hinder them from embracing reality.

Angelo Matthews, Cambridge, USA / MA

Is it April 1st already ??

This kind on nonsense can only be made up.

RJA, Nottingham, Dis-UK.

The survey seems to be measuring current political stability. But what of the future? What will Britain's future energy and food security be like? - and our over-dependence on the financial sector?

Dave, Wrexham,

I wander if all of these countries opend their borders to the rest of the world how many people would move to Sweden over the USA?

Jason, Louisville,

Ill thought out comments above - every 100 years or so the world changes.. Britains time as a colonial power is seen in some respects as a great success for the development of the world but in many more is deeply regretable. your comments above show a lack of historical understanding which many others, not just Americans fail to grasp. When Britain power fell did the world stop turning - no - America -a young and ambitious country replaced us -you are not the same great nation you once were - your protectionist ideaology and arrogance mirror not just the British Empire but the Romans and Greeks. Silly silly comments that in 20, 30 100 years will seem more naive than ever before.......

watch out for China and India my friends........

jamie, london, England

"These bogus rankings come and go: twenty years back you would have learned that the US and the USSR were just about even economically.

We all know how <that> worked out. "

yeah we do -

USA
Total u.s. future debt obligation: $59 trillion
Public debt: $9 trillion
External debt: $12 trillion
Population below poverty line: 12%

Russia
Public debt: $90 billion
External debt: $45 billion
Population below poverty line: 7.8%
(couldn't find future debt obligation but i would guess it's "slightly" less than $59 trillion)

Yes, a lot of Russia's wealth is due to oil, but the numbers still don't lie. Americans have to get used to the US not being the greatest country in the world. To the contrary, our great country has lost its standing for myriad reasons and my guess is that over the next 10 years our standing will be even lower.

Tim, NY, New York, USA

To borrow a paragraph from the great PJ 'Rourke

"Americans hate foreigners. Americans hate foreigners because Americans are foreigners. We all come from foreign lands, even if we came 10,000 years ago on a land bridge across the Bering Strait."

Too many non Americans America can be a tough place to live. We don't have the extent of a social safety net European countries do of course that doesn't stop the Democratic Party from trying.

We don't have 100 vacation days off a year, free health care
nor bad teeth, I might add.

We also don't have a cast system. Our US Senate is filled with millionaire blow hards but explain how a red neck from Arkansas who grow up dirt poor became the US President?

Yes there are lots of bad things in America, crime, American Idol, survivor and Democrats.

But the best thing about America is if you really want to succeed, you have the environment to do so, regardless of were you come from or were you have been.

Chris, Tomball, USA/Texas

If we in the United States are so low on the totem pole, then why do we have more immigrants to our country than all of the other countries in the world COMBINED? Hmmm, who does these studies anyway? When I see Mexicans putting a new roof on the Vatican, then I'll pay attention. lol

Rick, Cadiz, Kentucky

Apparently while Deb from Phoenix was badmouthing her country and knocking our leadership in the field of science last evening, she missed the broadcast of the Shuttle Endeavor departing the Space Station. Without the leadership of the USA, there would be no "International" Space Station.

When the Vatican or Monaco put a man on Jupiter, then I'll be impressed.

Len, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

So if the USA is such an all encompassing, stand out brilliant place, better than everywhere else, how come you are all reading a British newspaper?

Sorry, cheap shot, couldn't resist.

This is not a list of the best places in the world or the best countries in the world. This is a list of the most stable countries in the world. So it's not surprising that small, old countries are the most stable - they are easily governable and have established a functioning system over a very long time.

Americans carrying handguns will not break the back of terrorism nor prevent an invading army. How many more high school shootings and ugly crime rates will it take before you find other ways to reinforce your machismo? Yes, you have a right to bear arms. Does that mean you should? Do you genuinely think that the US is a SAFER place because you can all have weapons? Who are you defending yourselves from? 99.99% of the time it is each other.

George, London,

It is interesting how you so quickly report findings like this without giving the actual specific criteria upon which these scores were determined. I think one should be very suspicious before believing the statement, "Jane’s system ... was based entirely on objective analysis", I'd be willing to bet that somewhere behind these figures lies a biased socialist viewpoint against the US.

Earl, Lexington, KY

Why are 700 a day leaving? Some mbecause they can afford to, cashing in assets in a high wage economy to get better value in low wage countries; some because they are curious about other countries, fancy a change etc.; and some because they are disillusioned about how Americanised our way of living has become.

AngryBob, Essex, UK

This is not news, this is commentary. I'll take *opportunity* over your "Socialist Utopia" anyday. As a U.S. Marine, I've seen how the "other half" lives around the world, and over all, I'm not impressed. The U.S. still has more freedom and opportunity, which is why we have such an immigration problem. While we have our problems, our standard of living is still outstanding, despite what you think you know by watching your state run news channels and CNN. I truly enjoyed seeing England and talking to the folks there, but I would never give up what I have here for what you can offer. God bless you all just the same.

James Anderson, Jacksonville, North Carolina

If all these other places are SO wonderful, why is the U.S. STILL the number one destination for immigrants? If the U.K. is SUCH a wonderful place, why does the majority of the few wealthy Brits move to SPAIN? Your taxes are abysmal (or was "high taxes" a positive in your scoring basis for this drivel notion of "social success"? And people have been fleeing your country to the point that Ireland had to lower taxes to nothing to get ANYONE to come back. My Welsh ancestors left there nearly 400 years ago and NONE have ever gone back. Must be a good reason.

David Spurlock, Lemoore, California, USA

The Proliferation of small arms owned by Americans does not cause any instability, rather the opposite. Such a statement shows the "Progressive" bias of the reporter and his work should be read as a policy wish list, instead of serious research.

Mark Tice, Durango, U.S.A. Colorado

I'm so surprised that Russia did't appear in the end of the list as usually happened! As for US - UK, guys you're living in best countries of the world - and you're discussing a little difference of 4 points? That's funny.

Constantin, Moscow, Russia

If all these fired-up yanks are so content in the knowledge theirs is the best country in which to live, why are their comments so insecure and childish? They should take the publication of a opaque, abstract report more seriously.


No, cancel that. They might start bombing us. That seems to be their usual answer to criticism.

William, London, England

Thank god for the Britts, when a world tyrant threatens, they are super allies. But, we fought two wars against them to keep their bad ideas out of the U. S. Most of the flawed liberalism in this country originates from the Britts, we don’t care how you do it over there.

Wayne, Fernandina , Florida USA

To the gentleman who doesn't know anyone who wants to live in the US. Perhaps he doesn't know of the 11 million illegals? Many of them risk life and limb to be here.

Keith, Chicago, IL

For the record. The Russians beat the Germans and the British paid for it (and finished paying off a couple of years ago). The US beat the Japanese which is interesting given what they have now done to American industry.

OS, london, england

"""I just can't see how our small arms (legally owned or not) would prevent our government from going totalitarian. It takes a lot more than pistols and (even) hunting rifles to resist modern military firepower.

Take Iraq as an example. Insurgents there have IEDs, suicide bombs, AKs, mortars, high explosives, etc. As law-abiding US citizens, I doubt that we have or will ever be allowed to have what it would take to resist a modern military force.

Hello! This is the 21st century and armament has changed
over the past couple of centuries!


Max Yakov, Newark, , CA USA""""

I love how the socialists blow up all things to the absurd. personal ownership of guns in the U.S. was at the begining a protection from outside forces that may try to overtake the new American country/government. It could also be available to stop an internal takeover but that was a small consideration.

Tom, Alexandria, Va, USA

Great, I'm so glad that the "official rankings" are in. Now people can stop swarming over our borders into our "undesirable" country and go to Canada instead. Except that when Canadians want top-quality health care, they all come to the "undesirable" U.S.

What a joke.

Anthony, Bronx, NY

"Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein. "

Right, well only one of those - Hitler - was a threat to Britain and having lost the Battle Of Britain he would have been in no position to take the Island. Nice of the U.S. to turn up to that war when someone sunk your battleship, though, and Germany declared war on you. That was about 2 years after it all started.

( Tojo, Noreiga, Hussein, Tojo, Miolosevic, Mussolini - singger).

James, Bath, United Kingdom

It won't cost us $20k either. Most of us have healthcare. My co-pay is $10.

Max Killinger, New York, USA

I have read the above and understand why the world can never achieve true peace. It so reminded me of being back in primary school, all you people be ashamed

dave, Romford , Essex

Yeah... is it realy so? The only arcticle in the newspaper can lead to such hot and annoying rumours ! it is absurd guys, all countries are good if you was born there and love you counry.
Drink beer and relax better instead of spending you nerves(they don`t be recovered) on this useless and long argue!
live in peace. bye!

Sergey, Moscow/Russia,

Does anyone know how many private sector jobs have been created in Sweden in the last 50 years? (Yes, I do mean 50 years.) Check it out. The answer is about 0 (zero). So what kind of prosperity criteria are we using when the "jobless recovery" in the US has created millions of new job each year.

J, Portland, USA/Oregon

"The US gets downgraded because we're free to have firearms? Give me a break. All countries who are NOT so free should be downgraded instead. This is an obvious political statement and not a true picture of where life is better."

It isn't a standard of living survey or personal freedoms. Its about stability. Why are you lot getting so worked up about it? The survey says that the US is a very stable and prosperous place to live. Whats the issue? Are you really that bothered if Luxembourg is higher up?

Matt, Leeds, UK

God bless America - it must be amazing to live in a country where people are so proud to wave the flag. The comments above show why the US are so successful - the need to win is staggering. Sadly dignity in the face of not being placed first has completely left the building. The Australians say the Brits are whinging poms - they should listen to the Yanks whine about coming 22nd in something.

Brave comments about how they secure the world - they do without the US we would be up to our necks in it. But the US don't do it for our benefit - oil and power drive us all - and the US is bigger than everyone and more driven than most. Two world wars were fought to enable the destruction of the old European empirical orders and the building of a new American empire - no land was taken but huge areas of the globe are so heavily influenced by Washington the US basically rule them.

Good on them - we'd do it too if we could but we're only little fellas now - 7th on a pointless list.

Colleen Hammond, Stafford, UK

<i>Mr Le Mière said that the US had fallen down the scale ... partly because of the proliferation of small arms owned by Americans </i>

This whole "study" sounds more and more like leftist British perspective.

I am an immigrant to the US, one of a million a year for the last few decades. Fortunately, I didn't read this "study" before I immigrated!

Kevin P., Austin, TX, USA

This study is a joke!

How can there be an objective analysis? The study subjectively assumes that owning guns and having troops outside your country are unstable factors. I think that's subjective.

How do you objectively score on politics and external relations?

Joke! Joke! Joke! Why is this a story?

John, Troy, Michigan, United States

why are all the white working class english people leaving if the uk is so great...
parts of birmingham where i live resemble a third world country,not long before it kicks off then...
thanks labour,thank you very much...........

vote bnp,our only hope....

karl, birmingham,

When they assign the "Most Stable" label you will notice the population of the top is...? Not much! If you consider a more populous nation such as the US, the stability goes down (#22). Why is this? There are substantially more people and the economy is utilized to the fullest in provision for the masses. The top ten are really nothing more than miniature retirement countries wherein minimal services and financial wherewithal is reduced! Try taking this survey using a more balanced approach. Say; the comparisons between the most populous vs. the least and see what the stats will be then. As it is now, this is a joke!

Gary A McAvin, Tower City, USA, PA

Tt, they are lining up to come back here because the dollar is so low and anyone from Europe can come in here and buy real estate for peanuts.

GW, New York,

Janes must regret that the tiny country in the Peter Sellers movie, "The Mouse That Roared," was only a fiction. Since it was able to secure a big subsidy from the United Stetes by staging a phony attack on the U.S. and then immediately surrendering, it established itself as a stable, safe haven with lots of resources to support noble social goals. Oh yes, and no need to budget a cent for military defense since the American taxpayers footed the bill for that.
Seriously, any rating based on "social achievements" is highly subjective and based on the raters' perceptons. I would rate this "study" as pure junk sociology.

Tom Doran, Scottsville, Va, USA

Envy breeds a lot of hate.

Some of you outside of the US have no clue. Let me clear of some facts that you have stated.

1. There is no crimilization of left center parties--or any polictical party in the US. In fact, about 25 - 35 % of the Democratic party are left leaning to some degree.
2. The 2nd ammendment is derived from European thinkers like Locke, Rousseau, etc. Personal ownership of guns is a defense for citizens against criminals and its own government. Guns are neither good nor bad. It is the people who wield them. I (a good citizen) need defense against criminals (bad people) who have obtained their weapons illegally. They will always have guns, because they acquire them illegally.
3. You should check your government's stats on crime rates since they banned personal ownership of guns; also Australia's.
4. Government cannot provide health care as well as private companies. Name one governmental agency that does it's job well--other than the military

Shawn, North Platte, Nebraska, US

The U.S. got a score of 93 vs the TOP 10 score of >97. They all get an "A" so it is not as bad as it appears. Plus, how many of the TOP 10 liberated enslaved people living under an evil dictatorship? The U. S. contributes more to the world than all the top 10 combined in aid to eliminate suffering.

Jim, BOULDER, CO

Please publish this report heavily throughout Mexico & Latin America, and the other 30 countries whose illegals flood over our borders. I can see it now - 1 million Mexicans invade the UK in 2009. I wish.

Tom, Charleston, SC USA

Gavin Sutcliffe, London, UK,
You speak the total truth.

All these American's getting wound up go on about money and being the richest, having SUV's and air conditioning. No wonder they hate 'the leftists'.

Maybe the Swede's can go home to their more humble surroundings and enjoy life as a family unit with their community living together in a nice pleasant area.

Do you narrow minded American's not understand that not everyone wants a life which is measured and rated by wealth. The US (and UK) are now so dominated by self serving, selfish, individualism that we leave our own relatives to die in care homes because we don't want the hassle of looking after them whilst earning mega dosh.

The happiest people are those surrounded by people who care for them, with good friends and pleasant living conditions. Ask the depressed celeb whose OD-ing from drugs and slitting their wrists why they are unhappy. Because they feel lonely and sad despite being wealthy beyond their wildest dreams

Jamie, Halifax, West Yorkshire

YES, the survey is right! In fact, the US should be rated much lower. Please, stay there in your wonderful countries, and don't come here. Also, tell all the young people that get work visas by the thousands and come here every summer to work to stay away, they will probably get shot. In fact, call the Mexican government and tell them to send all their workers to your country because the US is so bad. Please spread the word to all the other people that constantly immigrate here to stop and instead go to your utopia. PLEASE before it is too late.

Michael, Maryland, USA

The US is the best country because we are free. You socialist liberals in Europe miss the point entirely, that is England lost the colonies, and you STILL don't get it.

It's true you have greater risk to be killed by guns, will have a harder time paying for the world's best healthcare, will not get a scholarship to the world's best university system, won't be able to afford the best private schools for your kids, you wont get much dole when you are capriciously let go from your job, etc...; but that is the two sides of the coin when you live a free country or stated another way: plenty of room to excel and to fail.

If you don't like it our citizens are free to leave and go to socialistic countries where the government can take better care of them than they can themselves. However with the exception of a few spoiled millionaires the rest of world wants to come here.

john, St. Joseph, Missouri

Having recently moved from MI to CO, I can tell you there is no economic opportunity in some areas of the United States, and we don't deserve a high rating until we start to narrow the gap between the rich and the poor in this country

katie, Denver, CO

There are terrorist groups in the UK but there are effective security forces to deal with them

Suresh Venkat, Toledo, Ohio

Aren't the Americans sensitive when they find that America isn't the be all and end all of civilisation. I would also remind Keith, Houston, that WW1 lasted somewhat longer than 1917-1918, WW2 started well before 1942 and the British were supporting Stalin against Germany for a lot longer than The USA. There are parts of the US that I would consider moving to, New England being one, but there are many parts of the UK that I wouldn't consider moving to, London being at the top of that list.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

Jamie,

Those who own firearms are citizens, those who do not are SUBJECTS! Pretty simple stuff.

Regards,

Jase, Houston, TX,

Asia is the future, friends. Countries like Japan, Malaysia, Singapore know the value of people. If you want a properous nation all inhabitants must share in a common purpose ana all should feel valued. Thats how national pride is forged not in blind flag worship and xenphobia. The US and Uk are doomed if, unlike Venezuela and progressive Asian countries, they ignore the poor. UK as 8th is a total joke and as for the Vatican, its no surprise that a bunch of over priveldged people living in a coccooc is considered stable.

Jim, Tokyo, Japan

Well if the fact that we (Americans) own a large number of weapons counts against us, then I will take this ranking. We are the freest country in the world, regardless of what this listing says. I wish that we would start moving in the direction of more freedom once again. We are no better then Europe or any other country, we are just further behind on destroying ourselves. If we have learned anything from the past it is that less government is better and more government leads to more government. Please world, awake to this and stand up to your governments! Whether it is them taking your guns, watching your every move, controlling "unsociable behavior", or taking over private enterprises. STOP THEM NOW. Before we all end up in servitude to them.

Brent, Tucson, AZ

This report is based on stability and prosperity.

The US is on the verge of recession and is no longer the world's No.1 economy, it's now the big, communist Asian country. Sorry.

Judging by the reactions of Americans to the report on here then I would say the US is very unstable.

I cannot belive someone actually boasted about having air conditioning. I mean come on!

Rob, Greenock, UK

Time is not far when china and india will control global economy.People from USA should learn from UK that how they have accepted the collapse of British empire. US already owe billions of dollars to china in trade deficit and to rest of the world.US already owe millions of lives which they have taken in Vietnam, Iraq , Japan and Afghanistan. In order to fill up your SUV's fuel tanks, i hope you yankies will not find some other iraq.

Ali, London, UK

I have lived in and travel regularly to UK and Netherlands. There is no comparison in the economic standards of living between those countries and the U.S. In the U.S. the so-called poor are given a better standard of living than the middle classes must earn in those countries. Visitors to this country constantly marvel at the size of the average citizens' homes and the low cost of food, clothing and necessities in comparison to their own countries.

As for the violence and social underachievement that supposedly afflicts this nation, it has always been thus, in the eyes of the more docile European subjects and their ruling class. There are certainly costs associated with the preservation of freedom and the exercise of free will. Americans have always shown a greater predeliction for bearing them and have thus been spared the cataclysmic social upheavals that periodically punctuate Europe's "idyllic good life."

Rick, Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.A.

Let's see, I'm 65 years old, wife 57 years old. Both are College graduates, dvanced degrees both of us have very good jobs, earning over $150,000 per year, many financial investments because we scrimped and saved to invest. Never been on the dole. Married to the same wonderful woman 34 years. Own $450,00.00 house and two cars. Have access to so many TV channels that I could never watch. Own guns, and belong to a gun club with a shooting range. Have six TV's in home, two cell phones, six land line phones in home. Have clean, fresh, running water. Airconditioning in home and cars. Have shopping centers everywhere. Have gas stations everywhere. Have restaurants and fast food outlets everywhere. Served in the Marine Corps. Think nothing of spending $150 to $200 on meals and drinks at a fine restaurant. Grew up in New Orleans for the first 40 years of my life, and my family still there got back on their feet after Katrina on their own. Boy life is rough here in the US.

Mickey, Montgomery, Alabama/USA

"That's fine, Keith... You can keep your socialism. Just remember... most of Europe would be speaking German right now if it weren't for the US. How quickly you forget... "


Except that, Contrary to the USA schools indoctrination, the USA was actually late for both the previous world wars, and largely got in the way during both of them when they finally agreed to join the side that was most likely to win.

Also, more British soldiers had been killed by Americans, than by Iraqis up until well after the "Mission Accomplished" banner was flown on the Aircraft Carrier just off the USA Coast for an entirely fake and false photo-op.

Ken Hall, Barrow in Furness, UK

Max Killinger, New York, USA said:

"The top 10 countries would be speaking German if it wasn't for America." (+ the UK + the USSR + India + China etc etc)

I laughed out loud at your comment, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg do speak German! The uneducated ravings of the brainwashed American are truly a joy to behold.

In fact, if we are going to get picky (which I am), English is a Germanic dialect, so you Yanks are all speaking German right now!

J Roberts, Manchester, UK

On judging the countries on risk factor, I think Jane's ,which I have the upmost respect, for is comparing apples to oranges. People that are willing to give up individual freedoms
for the purpose of increased security must be happy living in a
nanny state where the state takes care of its citizens cradle to grave. Personaly I would like to enjoy my freedom to protect myself and not depend on the government to take care of all
my needs. I think those that prefer a country like Sweden
should move there and take all the illegals with them and that would reduce or risk factor.

James Tilton, Sarsota, USA/ Florida

No, Tim, without the USA most of Europe would be speaking RUSSIAN, not German...

C Phillips, New York, USA

This cannot be true-Millions are lining up to come to the USA; that should be good enough reason to tell you what is the best out there..are you considering things like opportunity, economic freedom ( free enterprise) and many other things>??" This is a biased study !
T

Tt, Coldwater, MI

As usual, "non-political" means "my biases are the mainstream and yours are partisan."

So, valuing state control of the economy (Sweden) over free enterprise, "inclusion" over assimilation, and police states (UK) over self-defense, the authors of the study give themselves away.

Americans would rate countries differently, reflecting their biases as well, but I would hope that we would not have the self-delusion to assume that we were being apolitical.

Kevin Murphy, Los Angeles, USA

This study should be a wake-up call to the world! Why should such an august institution such as the UN - in charge of defending and protecting humanity - be headquartered in such as a poverty-stricken, unstable hell-hole?

I propose that we re-locate the entire UN operation to Sweden. and I, as a loving and caring American, would be more than happy to drive the UN to the airport to make sure it gets out of this slum safely...

Bob, Queens, NY, USA

22nd, and people continue to take risks and in some cases die to be a part of the American experience and fulfill their own American Dream. I'll take this ranking serious when people are flooding over the borders to get out of the U.S. Until then, we still live in the greatest country on Earth.

Randall, Herndon, USA / VA

About the health coverage and quality.
Simple get a global Insurance like Sanitas in England or Spain, that covers you in all US hospitals and doctors for a franction of what it costs in the US, and has and extra $2 mil on coverage in case of fatality for around E235 per month.
Find me one of those in the US for less than $4400 a month per person. No limits not restrictions around the planet.
See what Sanitas charges and ask why they can do it at a profit there and not here:
http://www.sanitas.es/sanitas/segurosExt/simulacion/mundi_millon/precio

You can also get an European Health Insurance card and be cover any place at any time for a modicum of $255 a year. YES, a full YEAR.
Or you can go all the way out and get private coverage if you please:
http://www.aaro.org/images/stories/2008_annnual_premium_%28healthcare_plan_%26_assistance%29.pdf

Fred A. Wilson , White Plains, New York, USA

I find it hilarious that all the Americans feel the need to come back with such classic comments as "stupid double decker buses" and the like - how fragile must your egos be to feel the need to defend yourselves so vociferously?! As a point of interest, I've travelled extensively in the US, and have to say - UK beats it every time. At least you don't live in fear of every idiot who feels a need to carry a gun to "protect" themselves. And as for the food - US cheese is plastic. That's all there is to it!

Emily, London, UK

Every year the UK is ranked near the bottom of the eurovision song contest because no one likes us. Please could America be allowed to enter as a one off, then the UK wouldn't come last. Thanks

T Wogan, London, UK

To the ill informed: The US is bound by alliance to defend three of the top ten nations. Three nations, which belong to NATO and all fought against the Axis in WWII. Three nations which actively support our own nation's defense. Why are people so ignorant? Two of which are active in ISAF and sent troops to Afghanistan, one of which is involved in Iraq. The Cold War is over, let's get off of it. Sweden is non-aligned, yet is actively engaged with US forces in the Balkans. These are great nations on the list. The micro-states are very wealthy nations for their size, don't take it personnally. I've lived in Europe for 3 three years, and I've been to several of the nations listed. I loved my time there and felt safe. In the US I'm scared. The nation is stable, but not as others. The US is a good country, but I honestly feel as if other countries are "onto it". I've been to Australiia and rather have my family live there. Shooting & bank robbings all common to Georgia!

Albert Foley, Warner Robins, GA, USA

Oh we'll have our nanny state soon. We'll see our freedoms erode for convienience, safety and apathy. Our chains will rattle lightly as our NWO government secures us my fellow tax units. Enjoy! ^_^

mauricio, Ely, Nv

Hey Europe, let's revisit the topic of stability in 10-20 years when a) a majority of your countries are Islamic states due to the extremely low birth rate among native Europeans and the extremely high birth rate of immigrants--particularly from Muslim countries and b) your quasi-socialist governments and all the promises made fall down around your ears. I'm not saying this to be offensive or xenophobic; I'm saying this objectively and matter-of-factly.

As for the reason there are so many Americans reading this UK website, it's called the Drudge Report.

Jack, Detroit, MI, USA

It should be noted that the United States and Britain are the world's number 1 and 2 financial aid donors. Deduct the enormous sums of money these two nations give away and they would lead this list by a long shot.

J, Steamboat Springs, Colorado

How many wars have the British and Americans fought together? How much of our Bill of Rights is derived from the "Rights of Englishmen?" I read British commentaries online from time to time and I am often amazed at how poorly the British understand Americans. Reading the postings here, I am thinking it works both ways.

James, North Stonington, USA/Connecticut

It's not a competition, but American materialism is over-stated.

I write novels--best-sellers in my genre. The pay is roughly a third of what I could be making as a database programmer, which is my profession by training and I could brush up and go back to doing. We still have a lot of nice stuff, but we make less money by choice.

A lot of our friends are in the military. The pay is lousy, they could make much more money in the private sector tomorrow. They do what they prefer instead of what pays the most.

So do many of our people who live in small towns and rural areas by choice. They look poorer on paper than they are, because they grow or hunt most of their food--by preference.

There are a lot of people here who *are* poor and miserable. Or materialistic. But the numbers don't tell the story.

Julie Cochrane, Kennesaw, GA, US

As an American I realize that my country was founded by great english men. our gov't and our culture share a lot with western europe, and i appreciate our heritage. I dond't care if the UK is considered "better" that the US in certain criteria, and i don't care because we are basically brother and sister countries, if the UK is good at something I consider that good for all civilized western countries.

The greatest alliance in world history is the US and the UK. there should never be bitterness between our gov'ts or our citizenry

Andrew C, Philadelphia , USA / PA

There is only one way to measure prosperity. Gauge how much the average productive citizen retains after taxes relative to G.D.P. Then compare the percentage of disposable income that is spent on necessities to other countries.. Add household equity. Of stability; the states with the most restrictive gun laws have the most crime and mayhem. Your problem is the Chancellor can raise your taxes by picking up the phone!

Art V, St. L, Mo. USA

Just the very sentence, "The bottom 10, surprisingly, do not include Iraq" tells me all I need to know about who wrote this and their ignorance, invalidating any other editorial comments the writer may make ( whatever happened to simply REPORTING, without editorializing??)

As for the actual study, HAHAHAHA, the gun ownership part tells me all I need to know about the agenda of the makers of the study...Anyone who does any research at all will find that legal gun ownership INCREASES stability through lower rates of violent crime.

And lastly, Switzerland losing points because of "social achievements"????? Ahem, by whose standards are you assessing "social achievements"???

what a joke.

Pauline, Palo Alto, USA

" I make about $250K a year,"

Is that like 20K euro these days? Not very impressive.

James, Bath, United Kingdom

This must be the silliest and most arbitary list anyone has come up with. Lighten up everyone! Its about as relevant as my list of favourite places to go on holiday!

Nick, France,

G R E A T ! Now, hopefully, the thousands that will do anything just to come to our country everyday...legally and illegally...will go to one of these other thriving countries. Others might think twice about leaving their own country now...people like Steve Williamson, Manchester, UK. Great news. However, millions of Americans will wake up, read this, and be depressed all day. We must be loved and thought 'best' you see, just to get through the day. This is bad.

Leif Jensen, Prescott, Arizona, USA

Yeah, right. How is it then that the U.S. has all the cars and you have all the parking spaces? And just where is your largest market? I do see a lot of your product being marketed in the largest economy in the world. The rankings do not matter. Without the U.S. economy the rest of the world crumbles to it's knees. And that is not prideful arrogance. It is a fact of life.

Mike, Columbia, SC, USA

Americans, why be upset over how someone ranks these countries? Nobody should be so insecure as to require their ego be propped up by some fool's subjective analysis on what makes a place stable or not stable.

It's nice for people to puff their chest out and point the finger, behaving as if they have something on us, but otherwise it is totally worthless. Why be upset about it? Just have a chuckle and move on. It's not a big deal.

Jason, Buffalo, NY, USA

Anthony,
I'm sure that the Brits are all impressed with your "stuff". Mark from Peterburough is right; there is more to the quality of life than the pursuit of material possessions. We are blessed here in the U.S. with a great deal of wealth and good fortune; but we should take stock of the human condition. As people have more things I find that in general they are less fulfilled.

Jeff, Kansas City, USA/MO

What's all that "prosperity" worth if you haven't got freedom with it. I'd still rather live in the U.S. We don't have a nanny state like all those European countries.

JWS, Tulsa, OK, USA

Surprisingly, what has not been mentioned here is that social inclusion has clearly played a major part in the rankings process. Social inclusion is varied across European States, but something that Sweden (and the other Scandinavian States) excell at is the ability to 'include' all people as part of a modern, forward-thinking society.

There is nothing wrong with creating a prosperous, inclusive society - far from it. And it rather staggers me that there are so many petty-minded, antagonised Americans commenting here on what is NOT meant to be a 'contest'.

I'm born and bred in the UK, but do not consider it any longer a great place to live. And this is fundamentally down to the belief I hold that we've too closely followed the American self-serving materialist model for many decades now, and forgotten exactly how important community and the value of human life really is. A stable society is one that values all of its citizens, and Sweden (among others) manages to do this well.

Gavin Sutcliffe, London, UK

Not having read all the comments, I may repeat someone's but, I understood that UK had one of the highest violent crime rates in the world due to the fact that it is now virtually illegal to defend yourself in any way against attackers. Guns have been stolen from the people, swords, any sort of self defense implement are all illegal, so how can such a place rank as a great place to live?! Not only that but the government helps a criminal sue you, the victim of crime, if you hurt the criminal while defending yourself! Always check who is behind such "research." Usually garbage

Keith Gardner, McDonough, GA, USA

Vatican is number one? 100 acres and 800 people. This is not a real country. As for the U.S., I will take out Vatican and move us to 21. Not bad when you have 350 million people.

G, Houston, Texas

That's fine, Keith... You can keep your socialism. Just remember... most of Europe would be speaking German right now if it weren't for the US. How quickly you forget...

Tim
A "gun tootin'" Red White & Blue American - not Republican

Ok... Just for you.... YEEE HAWWW. You happy?

Tim Nash, Denver, CO

Why are all your Americans reading an English newspaper anyway? Nothing worth reading in your own?

Giovanni, London, UK

"you'll also have to accept that your risk of being murdered is five times that of a citizen of almost any Western European country" - Tony Volpe

Sorry, Tony, but that simply isn't true unless you are an inner city drug dealer. For the 'average American,' the chance of being murdered is lower than for a citizen of almost any Western European country.

John, Chicago, Illinois

Another horrible and biased report covered by the Times to show how ''good'' the UK is compared to it's pimp the USA. I think the UK is experiencing a prolonged period of self-denial on how bad things are (compared of course to other developed countries).

In short:
If the UK is so great, how come 700 people a day are leaving?

Helen, Virginia, USA

Andreas Andreou, Nottingham, UK

For all of you talking about gun violence in the U.S., you need to understand that 99% of this crime happens in very isolated pockets of the cities where drugs and poverty create a cess pool like environment. I grew up 1 hr outside of Boston, my parents never locked the door of our house, my dad still leaves his keys on the front seat of his car. I was not rich growing up and this is the experience most Americans have growing up away from the cities. The school shootings recently are a whole other issue. I really believe that these are the result of the drugs that people are being put on by drug dealing doctors but I guess we will never know what goes on in the mind of a psychopath.

Dan, Boston, USA/MA

I will now paraphrase all such future articles, to save the Times the trouble of reasearch and writing: USA, bad. Everyone else, good. USA, evil (if evil exists which, of course, it does not). Everyone else, good. (Let me restate--"good" implies some sort of ultimate moral association...let us say, instead, "Everyone else, 'not USA'"). USA, creates global warming. Everyone else signed Kyoto (just aren't enforcing--anyway, the evidence against man made global warming is "cooling" off). USA, not nice. Rest of world, very nice--especially if they are post modern, post Christian (or post any other religion) socialists. That should do it!

Nick, Wilmington, DE

Risk of being murdered is 5 times as high? I could talk a walk in London and get hit by one of those stupid double decker buses and die? So what? Look, if you want to just believe what the media tells you, then good, you stay there in the UK. If you want to see what the US really is like, have some balls and take a trip - make your own judgments, don't just sit back and be spoon-fed information.

Are you sure this list is the most "stable" or the most likely to accept what is being spoon-fed to them from the govt and media? Sad, but, at least these sad clueless people are on the other side of the ocean.

Marc, Norristown, PA, USA

News Flash to all. If the U.S. decided to stop sending aid to every other nation out there, monetary, military etc... for the next 5 years, what would be the response? The entire world would be complaining about how uncaring we Americans have become. The fact of the matter is when ever there is a natural disaster, or genocide or any other problem in the world, everyone, looks to the U.S. for help. Maybe we should pull back, keep our money and resources for our own medical care, and let the folks of England take over the leadership role of the world. My guess is they couldn't take the pressure and responsibility very long!!

Ray Downing, Fishers, Indiana

Reading the comments, a lot of people are missing the point. It's a study on the stability and prosperity of a nation, not on it's greatness.

But some people have seen this as an opportunity to compare UK and US etc, complete with silly digs, factless opinions and the usual stereotypical rubbish. There's 4 marks in it for goodness sake!

And for the record, despite the economic problems of late, the UK economy has had steady growth for over a decade, it's only in the last year that that stability has faltered.

Matt, Warwick, England

This is a great list... as long as no troubles break out.

What happens to these top 10 nations if all of a sudden there is an attack (either by terrorists or an invading army)? Aside from the UK, every one of them would be calling on the U.S. to come and rescue them.

It's easy to have "social achievements" like "free" medical care for all when you don't have to pay for a military, i.e., you rely on someone else to do the heavy lifting for you.

Jamie, Orlando, FL

I am amazed at the rabid comments from the gun tootin' Republican American's.

1st you are reading a British newspaper online (which is interesting in itself) and 2nd most of your products, wealth and low prices you owe to China and other nations who basically live in poverty and squalor to subsidise your existence. Most of whom you have bullied into submission. China being the exception as it has turned the tables and is now the world's most dominating power. Even the U.S. toes the line to China.

Many Brit's have rued the day we supported the U.S in the major conflicts since the second world war as all we have earned from the U.S is derision and abuse. And on the anniversary of the worst massacre in the Vietnamese tragedy all can see that America's point of view was always the 'land of the free to do as we please'.

Your anger at the American sun setting is understandable but just be big enough to take it on the chin for once.

P.S. sorry I used so many big words.

Keith Manaton, London, England

This thread just goes to show how bigoted and small minded people really are. "My country is better than yours" what a pathetic argument, surely there are better ways to spend your time?

Then we wonder why the world has so many problems.

Dominic, Jackson ,

Why are the Yanks so defensive? There are many, better countries in the world to live than the US and the height of civilisation is not guns, SUV's and airconditioning!!! How shallow are you people?!

Mark , Peterborough, UK

The UK ahead of the US? Rubbish.

Our country is 2x the country yours is. France is even better than the UK. In fact, the UK may be at the nadir of its geopolitical influence at this point. Basically you dance to the tune that the US plays. Sad, really.

Redneck Randy, Nashville, TN

I suppose privacy issues and the right to defend one's self weren't taken into account. Seems that Jane's is promoting a big brother type of government and favors this brand of stability rather than the rights of the individual.

Pretty typical.

Vaughn, GSO NC USA,

This is pretty hysterical. Life for me in the U.S. is better than it could be anywhere in the world, because I'm willing to work hard. I make about $250K a year, I'm about to buy a new 3000+ square foot home on almost a half acre of land in Westchester county for $750K, have a brand new SUV and a sedan, and have the best in satellite TV, cable internet access and the like. I would never live anywhere else. I hope all of these moochers from other countries looking for a handout here go to the U.K. or Canada instead.

Anthony, Yonkers, New York

Having lived in Europe for six years of my adult life (split between Germany and Belgium), I still think that the United States is the best place to live.

I laugh at the gun ownership statistic being used as an argument against the stability or prosperity of the United States. Take a closer look and you will find that those areas with high legal gun ownership tend to have lower crime.

What is next - you will be giving us fewer points for stability because we have free speech?

Bill, Fairfax, Virginia, USA

Is tax rate for individuals and business included in this analysis/ranking? Is economic freedom a factor? Access to medical care and the level of care available? If you have to wait 2 years for a root canal, longer for cancer surgery I would rather pay for it myself or purchase my own health insurance than depend on government-sponsored health care. Just like others have said here - why is there no border patrol in Sweden to keep illegals out? No waiting list in Liechtenstein for work or study visas? The cultural diversity and geographic enormity of this country defies comparisons like this. Even when things seem at their worst here - it's ultimately better than living in Sweden.

Diane, Big Rapids, Michigan / USA

Well, if the taxes if the US were on a par with the top ten of this list, then the US taxes would be closer to 40-50 percent.

John, US, US

Hey Nigel Cummings, Miami / Brighton, US & UK.
You discribed France to a tee!
(I see a large amount of people who prefer not to work and just collect welfare and live in council housing.)

John, US, US

Why are all these Americans complaining that Luxembourg, Monaco "et al" are not real countries? Size isn't everything you know! Or do you think Rhode Island is not a real U.S. state coz it's not the size of Texas? The comparisons are valid as the survey is comparing sovereign states recognised by international law.
Postcard from a small country.

Neil, Luxembourg,

Well as the UK is such a pit we can at least take cheer from the fact that we produces the Times - so many Americans seem so keen to read it, doesn't the greatest country in the world produce newspapers worth reading.

I'm visiting Florida for a family holiday at the end of May - I've got serious doubts about going having read these comments. The stability problems would appear to come from the bitter and twisted response to the idea that the US doesn't come first in something.

Calm down ladies put your handbags away - and GET A GRIP!
You're displaying why alot of people outside your country hate Americans - who'd want to meet this bunch on a dark night.

Grow up the US has problems, so do we. If it bothers you that a foreign poll places you 22nd look at the way that gun weilding nutters running rampant on college campuses are reported across the world. Our view of you is as distorted as your view of us.

Chill out, come visit, - you can't bring your guns though!

Colleen Hammond, Stafford, UK

What nonsense. Jane's must have factored in all the oil sheiks, Russian oligarch pirates and other looters into the UK rating. NuLabour's policies are destroying the middle class in the UK. Indigenous English people are leaving the UK almost as fast as eastern Europeans fled the iron curtain after the fall of the wall. Countries like Switzerland, Austria and Germany have a larger middle class, less crime, and far more stability than the UK. I do agree that drugs and illegal aliens flooding into the U.S. is causing an epic disaster and sleazy politicians are doing nothing about it. The same thing is happening in the UK. As far as small arms in America and crime, I will take the USA over the UK any day. At least in the USA, I can defend myself. The laws in the UK favor criminals and crime is soaring.

Franc, Palm Beach , USA, FL

Well seeing how upset Americans are for not coming first as is their God-given right, I just hope this thing doesn't hit the Chad, Somalian or Sudanese blogosphere, as they came near the bottom. I mean, then the skin will fly.

Let me tell you.

James, Bath, United Kingdom

One of the things the author points to as a reason the U.S. falls down the list, private ownership of firearms, is (in my opinion) indicative of the cultural bias that permeates this "study".
Self reliance, can-do attitude and self responsibility of citizens are some of the things that make the U.S. a GREATER nation, not the opposite.

Anthony Gray, London, KY

read How to Lie with Statistics (1954) by Darrell Huff. ;-)

The ranking in this list does not square with the state of British schools, health, crime figures, and all those factors that contribute to making the average Briton the least happiest person in Europe - or is that another lie...

Janes should stick to helicopter spotting.

Stephen Pain, Odense, Denmark

Richard is right...never thought I'd say that about a limey! They are not saying which country is better than another, they are just pointing out the statistical facts that other countries are more STABLE than the US. Smaller countries have an eaisier go of keeping things stabalized. We (Americans) can not even stabilize the complete chaos on our southern border. To include Mexican military incursions to assist drug/human smugglers, mass school shootings, serial killers and other such acts. But with a little defense for us backwoods, uneducated, gun carrying war hawks if they took the whole of Europe from the Atlantic to the border of Russia, doubled it in size, including their statistics then it would be a more fair comparison. But the reason we have so many personal firearms is to keep our goverment from getting to comfortable with power. So there is always a trade off. So maybe if we socialized and gave a lot more power to the government we could make the top ten.

Mitch, Atlanta, US

I have had a smile like a Cheshire cat all day!! but I feel there are a few things that need clearing up so the insane ranting can continue.....

It may come as a surprise but the majority of the Countries within the top 10 are fairly well liked and therefore do not need to be protected by America (sorry to say but when people tell you to butt out they actually mean it)

America did not win the World Wars single handed (there were a few years a war before you guys finally got stuck in)

The ability to send the global markets south due to the inability to count is nothing to be proud of

The ability to bomb a country the other side of the world should take more time than the ability to supply aid to a flooded region of your country

the ability to "protect yourself" should not be at the expense of innocent lives caught up in the cross fire

I think that it can be summed up with the quote of the day " America punishes the weak"...god bless you and your 2 SUV's

Steve Williamson, Manchester, UK

"US lies 22nd and Switzerland, normally associated with wealth and untouchable stability, is rated 17th, losing points in the assessment of its social achievements" Did that tells you what stardard they use to rate? Surprise! Surprise! What make them think Iraq should be at the bottom 10 Surprise! Surprise!

Esther Chan, Bellevue, WA

Hey! did anyone notice that the US dollar is worth like monopoly money? That means that the US will be as poor as Chad if present trends continue. Per-capita I mean.

Soon fire-arms will be too expensive for the average american, and then all bets are off. No more complaining then.

Let me tell you.

James, Bath, United Kingdom

Great! The United Kingdom aka "The Land of Milk and Honey"

jayil, london, uk

That's great news. Maybe some of the illegal aliens that flood our nation every year will begin heading to the Vatican, Sweden, Luxembourg, Monaco and Gibraltar. We appreciate the help guys!

Ron, Atlanta, GA

I'd be interested to see all the criteria used in this study to measure "stability". At first glance, they study seems more reflective of the personal beliefs of the authors than any objective and generally accepted measure of political and social stability. Violent crime rate, or homicide rate I could understand, but how does personal firearms ownership, in and of itself, factor into "stability" it at all?

The personal firearms criteria might also be one of the reasons for Switzerland's fall in rank. The Swiss do have a relatively high rate of personal firearms ownership (at least compared to the rest of Europe). The article's kind of vague on other reasoning, but it appears that since the Swiss haven't achieved all the authors' pet "social achievements" they get marked down. The authors' progressive social ideals may or may not be good things, but how does another country's refusal to move in that direction mean that it is less stable?

Fred Graf, Ledyard , USA / Connecticut

It seems to me that the USA delivered most of the top ranked nations from speaking German and will probably deliver them from Islamofascists. Not bad for #22. Now, let's develop a realistic rating system.

Myles, Columbia, SC

Stable = Repressive, Least Stable = Less Repressive

and Al Gore gets the Nobel.

JBouti, Boise, Idaho God Bless the USA

This is a "scientific" assessment? Rather, it seems: of the organization (Jane's), by the organization, and for the organization." It is their OPINION. Bully for them.

Given that several of the listed paragons of stability were the stage for some of the 100 million or so deaths during the last century, I will continue to reside amongst all the small arms here in the US. Absent the gang-bangers and drug dealers, more people are killed on their oh-so-green bicycles - by far - than by firearms in the US. I will bet on the stability that ensures.

steve, pittsburgh, USA

England is a great country no doubt but why are so many of its former citizens living here in Florida ? They tell us because they wanted FREEDOM.

Roman Jelinek, Zephyrhills, USA

The top 10 countries would be speaking German if it wasn't for America.

Max Killinger, New York, USA

"Anybody from outside the US with a good thing to say about them?!


Eb Blune, Sydney, NSW, Australia"


Nope. Not a thing. Though thankfully they do fall hook line and sinker for their own never-ending propaganda. If they didn't more of them would feel compelled to explore beyond their own borders. Perish the thought.

Ian, Middlesbrough, England

I'm wondering where Australia placed, seems they should be quite high up there?

I imagine the United States is docked points due to heavy violence and poverty in certain regions. I doubt this rating is based solely on the comfortable midclass suburbs. The lack of affordable healthcare, which I as an American find frightening at times, probably contributes to the 'low' ranking. .....and my neighbour who is a gun freak does diminish my sense of security.

Paul Tijinder, Wisconsin,

It is a sign of the times that countries that are the worst human rights violators in terms of disarming their people are rated high because of it.
"proliferation of small arms owned by Americans" We are freer because of it oh ye of diminished intellect.
When there should be sanctions against them they are actually praised.

Clay Cross, White Hall, USA/ AR

Yes, give up your guns and become like Australia, Scotland, England and Wales. All have a higher violent crime rates than the United States.

Don, Kansas City, USA

You can create any number of polls, statistics, and warm fuzzy hyperbole you need to make yourselves feel warm and better off than we awful Americans. You can think of us as surly, disrespectful peasants who don't know their place. Or you can think of us as ultra-barbaric and violent savages.

You see, it doesn't really matter to us what you think. We just don't care.

Personally, I'll take my freedom anyday over your "superior" European lifestyle.

I thank God my ancestors had the sense to get on that boat in 1620 and to throw you and your over-taxed, forelock tugging ways out. Keep telling yourself you're better and we'll keep laughing. We do love a good British comedian over here.

joy, huntington,

The places in the US with the most restrictive gun control are the places with the worst levels of crime. Statistics that I've seen recently show that when the UK finally banned private ownership of handguns, home invasions with people present went up 400 percent. The thing we've noticed is that criminals don't obey weapons bans....

MCY, Omaha, USA

The EU is stable only because of America. Take America out of the picture and the world economy crashes in 72 hours and 1/2 the world starves in12 months. Take any country from the "top ten" out of the picture and it's a blip on the radar. Get some perspective.

Anson, Saint Paul,

Perhaps the survey should have been made only including grown-up countries. Then the US would not appear and we would not be having this silly argument.

Peter

Peter, George Town,

Perhaps a little light can be shed on Switzerland's surprisingly low rating by the words of Orson Welles as Harry Lime in "The Third Man" :

"Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock!"

Kevin Browne, Reading, Berkshire, England

"The Americans are right to support private gun ownership. If that law is taken away, then only the criminals will own guns. Don't confuse criminals with law-abiding citizens"

Gun related deaths PER YEAR per 100,000 population:
USA = 14.42
Germany = 1.24
England = 0.41

Pity the evidence does not agree with you, there can be no other explanation for such a high figure from the only country in the western world without tight gun controls. Or is it because there are 35 times as many criminals in the US as there are in England? That alone would make the USA a much less stable place.

4,000 troops killed in 5 yrs in Iraq sparked outrage among the Americans yesterday, in that same timeframe 150,000 American men, women and children were killed by guns. 150,000!!! How can anyone justify that with talk about a 2nd amendment that was written in a time when the phrase "bear arms" was used only in a military context.

Do Americans really believe that gun control will not lower that figure?

GM, Brisbane,

"Richard, Portland, Oregon"

I would suggest you google Patriot act and see for yourself just what it says.
There are a couple of sections which have been declared unconstituional by your courts that is apart from the many powers given which require no judicial oversight.

But of course you will be ok because "you have nothing to hide".

WAKEY WAKEY

Andy, London,

To Jim, Denver: I have admiration for your nation in many respects. But it is naive to think that freedom and opportunity are unequivocal positives. Your theoretically greater culture of opportunity is accompanied by social safety nets which many Europeans regard as inadequate. And if freedom includes the freedom to consume and pollute in a largely unrestrained manner, you may find that it is not too long before the standard of living to which you and your compatriots have become accustomed rapidly deteriorates.

The luxuries of both freedom and opportunity must be matched with responsibilities to each other and to our environment.

Karl, London, UK

It seems to me that instead of concentrating on who is the best, we should respect each other and find ways to solve our common problems. I love my country, but I do not believe there is any need to proclaim the superiority of my country over another. These ratings are nonsense. If you like where you live, great. If you do not like where you live, either change it, or leave.

David, Roanoke, VA / USA

Steve in Torrington. I have lived in the UK (London/Cornwall) for some years and travelled throughout the world for 35 years. The U.S., by far, is the best place to live in the world. If you don't think so, ask the third world. They ALL want to come to the U.S.!!! This also applies to the rich countries. For every American going to Canada, ten Canadians come to the U.S.! Your Tony Blair said the measure of a country is how many people are trying to leave and how many are trying to get in. What makes me sad about the UK is how coarse and rude the youth of your country have become in the last twenty years. How sad.

joe kemp, Bugtussel, Alabama, USA

Do you notice that all the "good" countries are the size a postage stamp and have their ass protected world wide by the bad ole USA and other nations with some kaunas?

Give me a country supported by rich tourist and a few hard working wealthy folks and I'll be on the top.

Dave Everett, Highland, Ar

To Don in Chicago,

Don't mistake your Swedish friends' love of Chicago for a love of the U.S. ;-)

Eric, Chicago, USA

What a joke. This survey is sooo skewed.Some of these countries are the size of a large ballpark, and would be overrun in 30 minutes if not for the "big" powers standing behind them. How does the UK rank so high when you have so much turmoil with the Muslims who are working, successfuly, to impose Sharia laws? And what about the living standards of the working class? To say that small arms or handguns is a problem in the US is to miss the real point. We have a problem with criminals. According to the Justice Department, 87% of our crime is committed by criminals that are on parole, let out before their time is served, convicted of minor crimes via plea barganing, etc. In the US you serve 8 years for murder, 6 for rape and 4 for child molesting. THAT IS OUR PROBLEM!
And the other factor lowering our rating could be eliminated by BUILDING that damn wall and sealing off Mexico. Fix these and we will move into 2nd place behind the Vatican (one of the ballpark states).

Michael, Maryland, USA

It is really easy to be stable and prosperous when you have your big brother, the USA protecting you with our military defense. I have a feeling these countries would not be doing as well, if they had to spend thier own money on defense of thier own country.

Still funny how everyone in the world wants to come to the USA, instead of these other countries.

Joe McBride, Fort Dodge, IA

Yeah! Steve. Obama the socialist will save us all. I take it Steve you want the government to give you something? I guess you can’t work for it so you want a free check. You must be young and dumb. Damn people are getting lazy and dumb and i thought we had more kids in College. Oh yeah I forget they teach kids in College now days that they need a government job to survive. Tax me PLEASE i feel dirty!

Harry Fur, Johnson, US

"Low score due to the proliferation of small arms owned by Americans?" LOL - that is a RIGHT we have, almost UNIQUE in the world! As a Jewess in the US, may I remind everyone that criminals are stopped by FIREARMS, not by talk? And that America wasn't won with a registered gun? That is why all REAL Americans put our 2nd Amendment FIRST!

Wendy Weinbaum, Houston, TX, USA

Dick, if we do dislocate our shoulders by patting ourselves on the back, at least it won't cost us $20,000 to get it put right. I think I've made my point.

julian, shrewsbury, uk

In studies of this sort, there's always a readily available metric to make a target country perform more poorly. Ironic that Jane's Information Group, an organisation that mainly deals in weaponry, should decide to include weapon possession by individuals as a negative! Individuals are not their target customers, I suppose?

Jon, Filer, Idaho

ooooo, something struck a nerve.

I love the rubbish "guns are good" talk. Yeah, that's why thousands of normal citizens get shot every year in the US.

And what's with this abject criminalisation of any political views that are even slightly left of centre?
Sweden scored well I guess, because such things as family life, standards of living etc will be better than the US. This is because the priority is on providing healthcare for all and supporting everyone.

Otherwise you end up with the US. The rich people are fine, but if you lose your job for 2 months, come back here and tell us that all is good when you can't even afford basic healthcare.

Jamie, Halifax, West Yorkshire

To GM, Brisbane,
"There are 30,000 people killed by guns every year in the USA......conclusive proof that lack of gun control = lots more deaths by shooting. There is no argument to be had here."

Good to see that you've settled the debate for all of us once and for all. And you are absolutely right, provided you are willing to ignore the tens of millions of disarmed citizens cut down by Hitler, Pol Pot, Stalin et al, and the hundreds of thousands of times per year that firearms are used for justifiable self-defense in the USA.

When these statistics are included with yours, "common sense gun control" becomes much less attractive to some of us, even to the point of making us willing to finish outside the top countries in this scholarly "global assessment".

As for me, I'll stay here at home in America, work to restore and preserve that indepent and self-reliant spirit that once made us the envy of the world. And I will NEVER be disarmed.
Patrick Boswell, NH USA

Patrick, Chocorua, USA / New Hampshire

I was going to comment, but I am too worried about being murdered and I can't afford healthcare if I'm dead.

People outside of the US need to live here for a while to gain perspective not given to them via the MSM.

/Never knew anyone that was murdered. In fact, I don't know anyone that knows anyone that was murdered.

300MM people and the problem exists in a few areas and in high percentages among minorities. I don't go to those places.

Michael, Midland, GA, USA

Rating systems often produce odd results. One test of any system or model is - are the predicted results consistent with what we observe in the field? Do they pass the common sense test? It's hard to comment much not knowing the system used to develop the rankings, but take a look at the top 7. The system certainly seems to favor VERY SMALL states. The UK is the first state of significant size on the list.

Personally, I don't think the UK is more stable than the US, but the UK's score is 97 and the US's score is 93 so I'm not going to argue about it. There's enough uncertainty in exercises like this there's little value beyond categorizing countries into rough bands or groups.

Ariel, Bay City, USA

How extraordinary. Did the NRA distribute this article to their membership? Seems that nearly every American comment here is to exclaim how wonderful it is that they are free to carry arms. Of course, the fact that they are much more likely to be shot than anyone living in Western Europe isn't a factor that should be considered. Or that their kid is much more likely to be shot by one of his classmates in a mass school shooting.

More fundamentally, the Americans also seem concerned to protest that they have more freedom and that "everyone wants to live in the US" (extremely doubtful - I don't know anyone that does). Where does the article or the survey even mention freedom, or desirability as a place to live? It's about STABILITY. The American writers of these comments are not a good advertisement for the reading comprehension achievements of the American education system.

Richard, London,

This study is comparing apples to oranges. There is no comparison between the United States and Liechtenstein, for example, in terms of demographics, economic diversity or many other categories.

Moose, Charleston, West Virginia

Trust you Americans to be defensive that the US is not in the top 10. The fact is that just about every western country is closer to an ideal than the US -- Americans like to think that the world needs them but the fact is that the world is in its present state because of the US. What is good about your country? Your education system is elitist, your health system is not existent, and you have a puppet president. Give me the UK or Australia any day.

Emma, London,

This rankings are clearly meant to show which countries are "better" to live in. If one ignores Country #1 (the Vatican) I'll wager that far more people migrate from Countries 2 - 10 to country #22 rather than the other way around; people vote with their feet, which largely puts the lie to this so-called ranking's validity. Moreover, it's not the flood of drugs coming into the USA from Mexico that's the major problem, it's the flood of Mexicans (10% of Mexico's population!) and other illegals heading north that's the major problem. As for "the proliferation of small arms owned by Americans" . . . clearly, by rating this a negative rather than a positive, the statist/socialist bias of the academics fabricating this bogus assessment is shown to be both overt and based on an abysmal ignorance of the USA.

Hank, Austin, Texas

If the UK is so great, how come 700 people a day are leaving?

Helen, Virginia, USA

For the record - if it wasn't SPECIFICALLY because of US "interference" you would not be enjoying the stability you so gladly take credit for.
Don't be quick to forget Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein.
In the course of a few short decades it has been American resolve and blood that has provided the blanket of freedom you so gladly tromp on today and, to be clear, never for personal conquest. We never took any land and were gratefully given enough to bury our dead. That is all.
So enjoy your measure of stability while you have America to cover you when the going gets tough. Your economy, stability, and freedoms will quickly and collectively erode commensurate with the demise of the American civilization.

Quick repeating everything the media programs us to think. Think - if there is or ever was an agenda or objective - it would be to divide and conquer. If that would be true - then the most effective means would be to misinform a candid world.

Keith, Houston, TX

Good, maybe they will stay away!!

Duke N, Omaha, NE/USA

If the National Health and the UK are so wonderful, why do you all have such uniformily bad teeth?

We are awash in Brits with technical training here who can't find a job back home. Stop patting yourselfs on the back---you might dislocate your shoulders.

Dick Tuck, Providence , RI

If America collapses, the world soon follows. If Holland, the UK,Sweden, etc... collapse, I don't see the world dive into a downward spiral. The world NEEDS America and it's consumers. History has shown us Europe/Asia is incapable/unwilling of cleaning up its own backyard(Nazi's, Communism, etc..). At the end of the day, I'll bet on America everytime!

Otto, Miami, USA

Get off 30000 deaths due to firearms. Funny that roughly 20000 are suicides and the other 10000 are homicides (you are twice as likely to intentionally shot yourself as someone else is to shoot and kill you). I once checked the rate of Euthanasia in the Netherlands and the suicide rate by firearms in the US. The rate was nearly identical. I also checked the crime statistics between the US and the UK. With the exception of murders the US was lower or equal to the UK (in many cases it was lower).

I like the ability to protect my property and my well being. I think firearms even if I don't own one give pause to criminals as enough of the population does carry one legally. Funny how the muggings, etc in my area are always in gun-free zones and not outside of those areas.

Ronald, College Station, TX USA

Interesting how Monaco got on that list. Clearly none of the judges has ever lived in Monaco. Only those who have lived in MC for over 10 years and left which is probably a revolving 75% of the expat community would know it has no place on that list. Switzerland is a great place to retire! The UK is not a bad place to live if you earn over a 1,000,000 pounds per annum. Realistically, for the average person who wants to work hard the US is where you can get the biggest bang for your buck. Like one of the previous posters stated, it's what you are looking for in life and what you make of your circumstances that really makes the outcome "stable" in most developed countries. I know people who live in Africa and love it and they would never move to Europe or the US unless they were forced to.

Thomas, Princeton, NJ

Yeah, but who wins the most Olympic medals? And who has the prettiest flag?

David, Toronto, Canada

Well David, two points.
Canada doesn't usually win the most Olympic medals
And when it does win them they usually have to be handed back!

Alan Kelly, Stockholm, Sweden

Because the U.S. protects the countries in the top 10 with its might and financial benevelance, their citizen/do-gooders sleep easier at night and prosper more during the day. God Bless America!

Fred Little, Pendergrass, Ga USA

if you have lots of money, the U.S. is a great place to live as long as you don't mind locking yourself away in gated communities. for the poor it's a terrible place with low paying jobs with few benefits and little vacation time. plus the poor are at the mercy of a corrupt legal system where only the rich can escape. no money in the U.S. = crappy life.

Peter from Buffalo, Buffalo,

I just glanced at the top 50 list. France -- with all of its race riots of the last few years -- is ahead of the U.S. Interesting . . .

Steve, NYC, USA

Gun rights make the USA more stable.

Outlaw guns and only outlaws will have them.

Rick, Allentown, Pennsylvania

The US will not regain any degree of prestige until it disarms its people and stops murdering innocents in countries that get in its way. The fact that the average American risks being murdered by a neighbor with a pistol on any given day is utterly ridiculous.

What's worse is that the US government does little, if anything, to help the needy with healthcare. Americans in the north go to Canada for medical treatment on a regular basis, because the US health care system has failed them.

With any luck Obama will win the election and bring us back from the abyss.

steve jones, Ruidoso, New Mexico US

Perhaps a more telling assessment would be to compare each state in the US to the other countries, especially Europe. The chasm between Alabama and Northern California would be similar to the difference between Serbia and Liechtenstein.

Raney LaSusa, Texas, USA

Lichtenstein, Monaco, The UK beat the US???
You should warn folks not to be drinking coffee when they read this because I almost spit it on my keyboard, I laughed so hard.
Guys I have lived in the UK, and in Switzerland 1 year for each due to work.
Obviously the authors of this article don't count opportunity and personnal freedom very highly. They like to be wrapped in the warm blanket of the Big high tax socialist nanny state. Obviously they forgot WWI and WWII, the Cold War, and the Balkans war, and apparently they missed the high energy prices, miniscule living space accompanied by very expensive housing, and expensive food. Then there is Vladamir Putin the New Czar of Russia, to deal with... Dont worry us Gun nuts will continue to provide military defense for you bedwetters over there.

What is the unemployment rate in Jolly Ole these days??
The US is so much better its not even funny, come visit me sometime.

John Thomas, Wilmington, DE/USA

I would not want to live anywhere but America. I have several acres of land a big house, two nice SUVs and plenty of toys and gadgets. I also have plenty of cash saved for retirement. I attained all of this without help from anyone. America is only a great place to live if you have the talents to make something of yourself. If you have no desirable skills, talents or ambition then America is going to suck for you. America punishes the weak, lazy, stupid and unskilled and rewards those with desirable skills.

m brown, Louisville, Kentucky

Single comment for people comparing individual countries : grass always looks greener ....

A. Khan, NY, New York,

Good grief! Aren't Americans a sensitive lot. Ill informed about Europe too (do they actually know where it is?)

I just had to laugh when I read, '...richer and freer than Europeans, who mostly don't have such basics as central heating and air conditioning, full-size clothes washers and dryers, dishwashers, or roomy cars with automatic transmissions...' Oh dear, our lives are so diminished!

I'd like to comment more, but I must go to the mines with my wheelbarrow and get some coal. Then I can boil my cauldron, sprinkle in some washing soda crystals and wash my pauper's rags. If there's time before it gets dark, I'll walk into town and try to beg some money and wisdom from any American tourists that might be slumming it. They're easy to spot.

Steve, Torrington, Devon

Well I'm not going back to the UK!

Paula Hill, Montreux, Switzerland

I wouldn't give two cents (Euro cents) to live in Luxembourg, the Netherlands, or the UK.

The Americans are right to support private gun ownership. If that law is taken away, then only the criminals will own guns. Don't confuse criminals with law-abiding citizens.

Joel Stark, Freiburg, Germany

I am not surprised about the UK being 8th... the only surprise is that the United States is so high. I would have thought that the firearms, disperate social groupings, gangs and the huge prison population would have pushed it down further.

The issue of guns is mentioned by Americans in their comments. The positive attitude to them is a given and part of the nations belief structure. The issue is not the attitude of the populus, but the core fact that the firearms are there. In other more mature societies like the UK they are not.

If you ignore the minor states it goes to show what i think a significant (yet silent) proportion of people in Britain already know... it is *the* best place in the world to live.

Like the 17th-19th centuries... i do expect the 21st century to be seen in hindsight as the British century. We are ideally positioned for the global economy.

Rob, London, UK

Sweden???

I am a frequent visitor to Sweden and host to many of it's citizens here in the US. 7 of 10 would become US citizens within the first month of being in the US 9 of 10 within a year. It doesn't take long to find out how supressive a high tax socialist country really is. It's like once they see the US for themselves and not through Cnn & the BBC they have a sudden change of heart and mind.

Don, Chicago,

"I'll take my gun rights and a 93 percent stability rating any day.

JBS, Sunnyvale, CA"

Yes JBS, but you'll also have to accept that your risk of being murdered is five times that of a citizen of almost any Western European country. Russia is worse though.

Tony Volpe, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

"If the United States is ranked 23rd, why do most people want to come here?"

- John, Cornelius, usa--nc

I would love to know where all the yanks claiming that most people want to live in the US get their information from. Is that what your government told you?

Anybody from outside the US with a good thing to say about them?!

Eb Blune, Sydney, NSW, Australia

It is important to note that this study/ranking does not take into account freedom and opportunity. If it did, the rankings would be much different. As is common with most ill-thought out 'soft' studies, the results don't carry a lot of weight.

Jim, DENVER, USA

"Mr Le Mière said that the US had fallen down the scale, although it still scored an average of 93 out of 100, partly because of the proliferation of small arms owned by Americans and the threat to the population posed by the flow of drugs from across the Mexican border."

American's have had the right to own arms for over 231 years that right has never destabilized the entire country no matter how many Americans owned arms. News you can walk into Wal-Mart and buy a gun in the U.S. but with that comes "personal responsibility" that most Americans exercise. Despite the popular view in Europe and Asia the U.S. is not the "Wild West" where people walk down the streets with guns on their sides everywhere. People we have the right to own arms is that bad? Or should we give up that right to a nanny government like some countries in Europe and Asia have?
As for drugs coming across the Mexican border into the U.S. is that any different than the flow of drugs into Europe or Asia?

Ed, lexington, U.S. KY

This article gives me a big chuckle when every member of my family/friends still stuck in Iran, dream of one day being able to emigrate to no other country in the world but the USA!!!

Europe, being an ally and business partner of the regime controlling Iran, would generally offer them a visa which they would gladly take and use as a springboard for their application process to the ultimate land that they know will offer them the best hope for freedom and an opportunity to pursue a semblence of happiness at last.

padideh, Denver, Colorado, USA

If not for the US do the top 21 exist? Kind of thinking Europe was okay with us knowing fire arms in WWII and I.

John, Rice, wa

I have worked and lived outside the US for the last 10 years, and I can tell you, although US is not perfect, it's the best place to live (I am not biased, as I am not born/raised in the US)

HC Chrysler, Crestwood, KY

The esteemed panel rather discounts the ability to stamp out genocide in one's own backyard.

R Thomas, Texas, US

Aren't the majority of those on the list like Luxembourg and Lichtenstein small tiny countries. The Vatican and Monaco are city states and principalities.

So are they trying to tell us that we should get rid a countries and became small city states like in the olden days?

Zolton, Calgary, Canada

whoever wrote the report has not really "lived" in the UK. The single snapshot is not too bad but the album is full of ugly and alarming pictures.

mike gee, bournemouth, uk

The survey was carried out by a United Kingdom firm and the United Kingdom came in "top of the line"? Gee,what a shock,
lol.

Those Brits do love to toot their own horn.

America is low and as an American I see it going really low in the future. A callous disregard and indifference to the slaughter in Iraq will come back to bite us.

kaja, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.

Americans have a lot of guns, eh? Yep and we fought for that right and if that makes us a little more on the dangerous side, so what.

Besides we keep having these problems with yet again another King George. Might pay to be heavily armed these days.

Ramm, Loveland, CO USSA

Right, and they all produce so much for so many especially in areas of medical advancement and pharmaceuticals. That's why people fly from the US to Sweden for health care and why Canada is such a producive power house for medicine.
I just met a guy recently who needed serious medical work done and he said he was going to go to Canada to get it done because up there it's free. Right.
It used to be astonishing to hear in words and see in writing the various grades of silly revisionist hysterical drivel produced by the Left. But no more. I've too long.
So Cal Mike

So Cal Mike, Irvine, CA./USA

Where did Canada stand in the rating?
I'm sure it would be above the States, but also it surely couldn't be further down than the top ten.

G. B. Logan, Kitchener, Ontario

GM, Brisbane. Your response is a bit badly worded, but I think you are trying to say some nonsense that the 2d amendment is only about guns for people who drill and organize to fight. There is no, repeat NO, historical support for that argument at all. The 2d amendment assures the citizenry the right to keep and bear arms personally. Any other interpretation is modern revisionism and not based on facts. Not to say that there are not plenty of ignoramuses decrying gun ownership.

This rating is system is arbitrary and is not based on any systematic approach to the topic. If you say that the country with the most people having hat size 7 is the most stable and prosperous, you will also get a list. Isn't that wonderful and oh so convincing.

So where would Sweden be if they couldn't sell boatloads of Volvos and Saabs to Americans? Eating treebark, or quickly shedding all their socialist ways. Learn some economics before you swallow this bilge.

ATG, San Juan, USA

Oh, sure...you always hear people saying "Let's move to Liechtenstein-- land of the rich and free!"

This supposed study is laughable. Anyone with common sense and a worldy education would be able to see that.

Liz, Alpine, NJ, USA

There are reputable studies that show decent citizens being armed blunt crime. Having a less than top rating by a group from a thoroughly socialist country does not impress anyone living in the real world, the world outside the school yard one the lefties inhabit.

Joe Clark, Mesa, AZ, USA

This is GREAT!!!!! Maybe we can convince all the illegals crossing our southern border to take a plane instead (shucks...I'd help to pay for the tickets). Perhaps Sweden could use 20 million more residents...or maybe Liechtenstein. No, how about Monaco? I wish to high heaven that they all did NOT want to come here. California has between 3 and 5 million illegals. That's over 10% of the population of this state is here illlegally from another country. The ER's are so inundated with those here illegally and unable to pay that hospitals are being forced to close, as it is the law that no one can be turned away, regardless of ability to pay. Let's see, now...20 million more residents for Gibralter...hey, sounds good to me!

Janet Fuls, Cottonwood, CA USA

One of the reasons that Sweden is stable is that it has always been a very homogenous society. Until recently. Now that the Muslim population is beginning to grow, that stability will start to erode. It has already.

Debbie Sym, San Francisco, California USA

Interesting... Upon first reading this article, I wanted to say many of the same things as most of the commenters here. But I think that the comment from Nigel made an excellent point. The US is in free fall but not because of what the study itself says. We are in free fall because of a failing indoctrination... I mean education system and overall socialist "gimmie, gimmie" mentality of the American left. Despite our best efforts the US Government continues to infuse itself more and more into our lives, while completely ignoring its primary function of protecting our basic fundamental rights. And with half the country believing that it is all George Bush's fault and spouting the Liberal talking points as the commenter Jeff did (what a good little sheep), we may never recover.
- When was the last time a Socialist (modern Liberal) built a civilization?

Norman, St. George, Utah

After the Islamization of Europe is complete in 15 or 20 years - after the natives have become a minority and have been reduced to supplication for their basic rights - they won't be so quick to count the right to personal protection by firearms as a negative in subsequent studies.

Neil Melbrooke, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Nigel, you spelled "intelligent" wrong...

Just a tip from one of those stupid Americans...

Dave, Denver, USA

Perhaps we should see the similarities between all the nations and territories in the top 25 or 30 as opposed to harping on a few differences and taking such offense to what a private company has published. There are many dangerous global threats to all of us in Europe and North America, our economies are remarkably similar, and we have a long and valuable shared history. Its time we get lean, get upset, and get some things done.

Cole, Beaumont, Texas

We have more people living in a couple of cities than those at the top of this so-called list. How they run their countries is not even analagous. We also have states who run their own shows to a large extent (despite the democrats trying to grow the federal gov), and they have their own economics. Adding 50 economies together and coordinating them is much more complex the what the Leader of Lichtenstein does.

I bet people don't even realize our military as been protecting most of these nations for the last 70 years.

This is THE most free country in the world, those who do not know so have a spoiled child-like view of the world.

This list is UTTERLY RIDICULOUS, and is just fodder for nerds like us to argue about over the internet...that and the fact that there is little info on the group that did this should be a big red flag. And, yeah, i have been to 4 of these countries, and let me tell ya, I wouldn't move to any one of them for the world.

scott, allentown, pa

Lumping all these tiny countries first rewards them for being freeloaders with good geography. The Vatican, Luxembourg, et al. do not have to provide any defense budget for themselves, benefit mightily from the vast economies of their neighbors (without which, for the most part, they would have nothing), and, were they a little less well placed, most of them would (involuntarily) be part of some larger, less "stable and prosperous" country. Placing them ahead of the real countries which do all their heavy lifting is a joke.

Rod, Niceville, FL

To George Warren of Philadelphia, PA, that quote was never said by Washington. Google it. There are several anachronisms that indicate that the quote is bogus (for instance, the mention of "prairie wagons" 70 or so years before the West began to be settled). I support the 2nd amendment, and when people use obviously false quotes to defend it, it only gives ammunition to the other side.

John Smith, Washington, DC, US

It is interesting that the vast majority of the most stable nations are constitutional monarchies.

Leo Jones, Holyhead, Wales

I have lost no freedoms because of the Patriot Act. I don't know anyone that has. If someone has had a freedom taken away, they must have have committed a crime!
I have traveled all over the world and I love many places. I still consider America the greatest place on earth!

Linda, Rogersville, USA / AL

I just can't see how our small arms (legally owned or not) would prevent our government from going totalitarian. It takes a lot more than pistols and (even) hunting rifles to resist modern military firepower.

Take Iraq as an example. Insurgents there have IEDs, suicide bombs, AKs, mortars, high explosives, etc. As law-abiding US citizens, I doubt that we have or will ever be allowed to have what it would take to resist a modern military force.

Hello! This is the 21st century and armament has changed
over the past couple of centuries!

Max Yakov, Newark, , CA USA

"partly because of the proliferation of small arms owned by Americans"

Most Americans see this as a plus, the more armed honest citizens the safer America will be. This reaks of a anti-gun slanted survey.

"Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence. The church, the plow, the prairie wagon, and citizen's firearms are indelibly related. From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to insure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and the pistol are equally indispensable. Every corner of this land knows firearms, and more than 99 99/100 percent of them by their silence indicate they are in safe and sane hands. The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference; they deserve a place with all that's good. When firearms go, all goes; we need them every hour". -George Washington

George Warren, Philadlephia, PA

Over the years I've been to all of the top listed, but I would not want to live in any of them!

John Black, San Diego, CA

Deb in AZ

Just what personal freedoms have YOU lost because of the patriot act?
Please tell us how that loss has affected your day to day life.

Richard, Portland, Oregon

yay Monaco

Despite whatever country you live in I think people should be proud of where they live and that happiness is what you make of it.

Richard, Short Hills, USA / NJ

Jeff in New York-
Well said! The patriot act has stripped freedoms from Americans. I agree that a few posting on here would
benefit from visting other places---that is if they owned
a map.

Deb, Phoenix, AZ

Using the criteria listed above, I'm surprised Cuba isn't listed as numero uno. They've been so stable for the last 50 years they're still all driving 53 chevys if they drive at all.

frank, bisbee, az. USA

Every nation has problems. For the United Kingdom, look at this;

http://foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=4059

Second, I would imagine that most Western nations have similar ratings though.

Lastly, some have stated that you can't know a nation if you haven't been there. So no a priori knowledge? Well, do you think Jane's traveled to every nation they listed? I would doubt it, especially given the cost. Also, how long do you have to stay in a nation to understand the nation? And couldn't your visit be atypical? I have been to TJ, but i don't apply that to all of Mexico.

Rorik, San Diego, CA, USA

Can I get a state by state comparison for the US? Also why is owning a firearm considered a deteriment?

The real question is what defines a bad place to live? Numbers are fine, but what do they mean? Is this like school where a 90+ is an A. What about being in the top 10%? .

I don't consider the US the absolute best place to live. I also view a 93 as pretty damn good. I am happy where I live and while I have complaints they are not so groundbreaking as I am miserable to live in the US. I am also an American and having lived overseas consider it not my home.

Ronald Gardner, College Station, TX USA

Has Jane’s Country Risk considered that with the "threat to the population posed by the flow of drugs from across the Mexican border" the United States would be much more unstable if not for "the proliferation of small arms owned by Americans"?

I'd be willing to bet that a lot of Americans recognize our right to bear arms as a "stabilizing factor".

Kix Adams, OKC, OK, USA

I'll take my gun rights and a 93 percent stability rating any day.

JBS, Sunnyvale, CA

How very interesting that all but one of the comments on this article are from the other side of the pond.

Rick, I can assure you that there is indeed an England now, contrary to what you profess above (or is it below?), and that England is a fantastic place to live.

Of the top 10, I've been to 9. I've also been to the US on several occasions and, personally, I would rather live in ANY of the top ten than the USA. Sorry guys, nothing personal! To be poor in the US is a horrendous thing.

Paul, Manchester, England

Right on Jeff from New York... Rick & Kelly and the rest of the Gun Show of the U.S.and A...get off the gun ownership issue. I like how you pride yourself on the fact that less than 6 million guns have been involved in crimes. Doesn't that concern you? 6 million gun crimes? (These are likely based on the statistics of reported guns...nevermind all the illegal and illegally obtained guns.)

Frankie D., Minneapolis, MN

If they are so stable/prosperus, how come we (USA) still pay the majority of the United Nations, World bank, Red Cross, Aids help, Disaster help, etc., expenses???

DBZ, Grand Forks, ND USA

Hey, come on. We're stable. Honest? Is it because of our criminal roots? Our brutal football. Our sharks? Spiders? What is it? I tell you we're stable. We're stable.

Andy Cunningham, Melbourne, Australia

My first thought as I clicked on this story was that the UK would be at the top and the US would be somewhere in the middle.

Ah well... even if this assessment comes close to the truth at least I won't be living under Sharia law any time soon. I'd much rather live in an America that people despise rather than a little island where people are pushed around by a bunch of foreign religious zealots.

Five of the most unstable countries listed are Islamic, precisely the religion (and politics) that will be a very major force in the UK for years to come.

Vince, Portland,

All I have to do is drive 10 miles and cross the Mexican border to see the way America would be without the right to bear arms!! Rampant corruption and blatant flaunting of the rule of law...without the 2nd Amendment, the U.S. becomes Mexico North with a higher economic standard of living!!

DON, YUMA, AZ, USA

Sounds like another ridiculous computer-generated report based on questionable criteria.

Lots of people in the area where I live in the USA don't bother to lock their doors, they leave their car windows down when parked in town, and never look over their shoulder when extracting cash from an automatic teller machine.

Sounds pretty stable to me.

Byron, Palm Beach County, Florida

What an absurdly politicized, completely subjective ranking system. Obviously the notion that the proliferation of small arms is a negative is an instance of cultural bias, as Americans certainly consider it to be a sign of cultural strength and of personal freedom.

Does the fact that most countries in Europe will be Islamic by the end of this century even count against them?! Does anybody not think extinction is a negative?!

And somehow the fact that Europeans are losing the ability to engage in self-government (thanks to the anti-democratic EU) doesn't count as a weakness!!

Don't kid yourself: Americans are much richer and freer than Europeans, who mostly don't have such basics as central heating and air conditioning, full-size clothes washers and dryers, dishwashers, or roomy cars with automatic transmissions, all of which are givens in America, even for most poor people. I have lived in Europe, and I was astonished at the lack of modern conveniences.

Clint, St. Louis, MO

You have to be kidding.
The United States remains the most stable and desirable country in the world. What other country are they lined up around the block to get in legally or otherwise. A dictatorship may be stable, but what does that mean. Get a clue. The United States remains the pinnacle of the world, at least until the socialist Democrats get involved.

Daid Wehrly, Anacortes, USA/WA

Why isn't Canada in the top 10? Surely it's as stable as the UK. Oh wait, Harper is a Conservative. That explains it.

David, Raleigh, NC

It's not the right to defend yourself with firearms that is the issue. It's the need to own those very weapons to protect yourself in a nation that has a prison population of 2 million. If you have to sit in your house armed to the teeth, it may not be the number one place to live.

Jeff, Kingston, New York,NY

I think the UN should move to one of those more prospersous and more stable countries..... I guess there safer too...

john, york, pa

Oh my goodness... those top countries can't count! The Vatican? For crying out loud, I know it might be technically labeled as a country, but it consists of a bunch of bishops and the Pope! Also, name another country that donates as much as the United States to disease research and charities.

Brian Shea, Fort Irwin, CA,

How stable can a tiny country with no nuclear weapons be in the world today? This list is ridiculous and meaningless.

Bill Johnson, Calcutta,

Jeff, yes I have been to the major countries listed
as well as many others, both free and non free . I think you need to read something else in addition to the NY Times and watch something else other thn the majors and the BBC. Its really not close.

chris, Cleveland ,

First the selection of criteria and how to rate them is entirely subjective. So the mere basis of the preparation of the report is designed to get get certain results.

Second, I challenge the authors to provide the report's methodology to two distinct groups of people next year. Each group must work completely independently and without contact with the other group. Let's see if the two distinct groups come up with the same ratings.

Third the presumption that stablity is good is plain wrong. The world evolves. Countries that 'stabilize' are doomed to become backwards nations. So if the US stabilized when slavery was legal I suppose the report's authors would find that refreshing. I didn't think so. So the ideal score on a stablity test is somewhere in the middle. Not too stable to rot, but not so unstable as to be chaotic.

rcj, baltimore,

Funny to hear all the US readers getting worked up over a survey.

Howard, Manchester,

I am so excited to hear that people in Bucharest don't have anything to worry about but the credit problems and the economies of countries such as England, France and the US...
This survey is highly politicized. Bureaucrats in Europe and elsewhere have long ago surrendered their freedom to the government. How about the taxation rate in those top ranked countries? What is the percentage of take home money after paying taxes to the government? They won't talk about that.

Ioan, Youngsville, USA

Yeah, well 9 of the top 10 have favorable tax laws to individuals or corporations or both...do you think that has anything to do with their rankings?

George, Sarasota,

Perhaps the statistic of 30,000 deaths attributed to firearms in the US had something to do with it

tim, brighton, michigan

If it were not for the USA sticking it's neck out - and occasionally getting it chopped many of these "all around stability" countries would be "all around facist" or "all around communist".

Yes, the war in Iraq is a disaster, but a lot of horrors have never occurred because of the courage of the "unstable" nations of the world.

DH, Portland, USA

How on earth does the owning of licensed firearms by law-abiding citizens DROP the stability rating of the US? That's ridiculous.

Of course, this story confirms what I brought back from living in Europe for years. That is, they love news stories that prove they are "better" or "more stable" or "more free" than the US, as if they have an inferiority complex. Although most Americans commenting on here may find it funny that the firearms drop our "stability", I seriously doubt a news story ranking the US above other countries in any way would ever be considered a major news story--if it was even reported! Life is good--who cares what statistics say??

Ethan, Atlanta, GA

Rick, Chicag - As a supporter of the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution you are no doubt aware then that that particular amendment declares a well-regulated militia as "being necessary to the security of a free State" and therefore gives people "the right of the people to keep and bear arms." only in this context. This amendment only echoed was in common law at the time and comes from the English laws on an army's ability to defend its country.

It has nothing to do with the rights of an ordinary member of the public to own a semi-automatic weapon in case somebody breaks into their house or their 15 year old son wants to take it to school at kill their classmates.

There are 30,000 people killed by guns every year in the USA and as for homicides by firearms it is 3.98 for every 100,00 people. Compare that to 0.02 for Japan and 0.15 for England for example and it is conclusive proof that lack of gun control = lots more deaths by shooting. There is no argument to be had here.

GM, Brisbane,

Dear Nigel from UK

I suppose that Europe has a sprawling economic base that allows it to not have to welcome the folks that make it a "door mat" of the world? Sad to see from across the pond but you (EU) now have a serious problem of over-socialization and will soon become extinct as a class due to Islamification, et. al.! Wake up and see what you've spawned - it's always hard to see when it's yourself that has been fooled.

As for the small arms - I'll take last place on the list and keep my freedom to protect myself over wealth which can be taken away ;-)

Good-ay mate -

Mikie, Orem, USA, Utah

Perhaps if they had said the strong public safety threat posed by heavily armed urban gangs I would have been able to take this study seriously.

People owning guns does not make a country unstable or unsafe. Is reckless criminals wildly spraying automatic weapon fire in heavily populated neighborhoods, and heavy drug use that does.

Chris, Toledo, Ohio

This whole scale is based on countries have the most social programs---enough said.

cole, mpls, usa

If the United States is ranked 23rd, why do most people want to come here?

John, Cornelius, usa--nc

Sweden's rating belies the reality that huge sections of the city of Malmo are off-limits to the police and the government and are effectively ruled by immigrant (read: Muslim) gangs who impose their own juvenile version of Sharia...(native Swedish women are compelled to wear the head-scarf in these areas, just as non-Muslim women are in many Muslim countries).

The fact that the liberal Swedish media has effectively blacked-out this state-of-affairs does not negate its reality. 'Jane's Country Risk' is apparently dependent upon insufficient sources of information (the mainstream media) to derive its conclusions. Those conclusions are therefore without credibility.

Medgar, Sterling, Va, USA

How is it not a politicized analysis, when the number of individually owned firearms in a nation moves it toward being rated as unstable? Might that be why Switzerland got downrated?

Instability and poverty do not a necessarily go with guns in the hands of the citizenry. Jane's might do well to read the literature on the topic. There have been several "natural experiments" in the U.S., when similar states and cities took opposite actions with respect to gun ownership. Increased crime may very well lead to increased gun ownership if that's a legal option. But increased gun ownership may, in turn, lead to fewer home invasions when the owner is at home.

Doug Hensley, College Station , Texas/USA

These bogus rankings come and go: twenty years back you would have learned that the US and the USSR were just about even economically.

We all know how <that> worked out.

Cruel hard stubborn fact: MILLIONS keep trying to enter the US illegally and otherwise, and the educated elites of the world stand in line to get visas to live here, rather than in the tiny "paradises" this nonsense survey compares us with.

Anna Keppa, Lexington, MA, USA

Most of those countries don't have 12 million illegals draining their economy.

Franik, Lynnwood, WA

This comparison is absurd. My ancestors emigrated from two of the named "Top 10" countries. Nice places to visit but I wouldn't dream of going back to live. (Have you actually BEEN to Sweden? Socialism is an acquired taste). For all its imperfections, the USA has housed, fed and clothed more people than any other country in history. More importantly, we value something other than money, despite the naysayers. (God knows we give enough of it away). Can you imagine a world run by Stalin? Hitler? Kim Il Sung? I'll sleep like a baby tonight with a warm bed and a clear conscience.

Rick, Duxbury, Massachusetts, USA

It's interesting that the Netherlands would be ranked above the United States, given that the Dutch failed sufficiently to protect Muslim critic Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who fled the country for the protection of the United States. It seems that a country that produces political refugees should, as a rule, be ranked below countries that receive those refugees.

Steven, Falls Church, Virginia

Gee, what would we do without the UN telling us how to think about other countries?

Shish Kabob, NYC,USA, USA

of course the "best" countries are the size of postage stamps. whatever.

matt, seattle, usa

If after reading this article you want to believe the UK a better place to live than the US you need to take the time to read a few UK papers. Read the UK daily mail for a week and tell me things are more stable in the UK. I love the British and they are the best friends we have. It is unfortunate that the British have become a country of Victims. If you are a criminal in the UK you can purchase a firearm within five hours of deciding you want one for three to five hundred dollars US, ammunition extra. As far as stability the UK is undergoing the same housing financial crisis as the US and have a huge crime problem. Oh and don't forget if you live in London and have a plastic sword you must register it and inform authorities where you plan to store it. God Save The Queen.

Richard , Miami, Florida

Profileration of arms in the U.s. should give the U.S. high ratings. It means that we have the right to bear arms, and we are not under threat of being bullied by our government if they become totalitarian. It means that individuals can protect themselves against criminals and intrusion.

That one statement of proliferation of arms" shows the bias of the researchers. It is politicized if countries get lower ratings for its citizens having guns. That's a fundamental right of a human being-to have arms to protect oneself against harm or excessive use of power.

Jeff Brown, Plantation, FL

I often wonder what would happen if you could partition the US into populations that were equivalent to those of the Vatican, Sweden, Luxembourg, Monaco, Gibraltar, San Marino, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands and the Irish Republic. How many equivalent populations could you find in the US that would beat any of those ten. And what would happen if each of those locations were subjected to similar immigration situations, or other situations.

These lists and the equations they use, and the metrics they use, all seem rather superfluous when you factor everything else in. It's all like some grand beauty contest for a populace.

Stretch out these standings with projected demographic realities so you can guess who most likely has lasting good attributes relative to the bad ones.

But snapshots and superfluousness is what the news cycles are all about, heaven forbid anyone tries to understand a picture bigger than the one they can get in an hour of watching the tube or surfing the web.

Ethan, Clearfield, Utah

Why does the second amendment count against us? I can understand if other countries don't want to allow their citizens to be armed, that's their perogative. To count that against us here in America and then say that the report is in no way politicised is contradictory.

Tyler, Charleston,

I lived in the UK, whoever put this report together obviously doesn't get out much...the UK is a pit to live in. Uncontrollable congestion, rampant taxation, poor food, meger housing, miserable weather, not even close to being a nice place to live in.

SilasSez, Dallas, Texas

Gee, I guess that Switzerland was really demoted because of all of the assault rifles in the hands of the general population there... Most unstable and crime ridden...

Duff, Dallas, Texas

The right to self defense is a reason for *lowering* the US' rating?????

Oh, now I understand, this is an "objective", non-political report.

LOL

Chuck Semler, Washington DC, USA

Leftists are closet aristicrats.They therfore hate the idea that normal people have the right to employ fiearms to defend themselves. Can the people Vatican City choose their leaders?

Jeff, Winston Salem, NC,USA

"...partly because of the proliferation of small arms owned by Americans..."

From My Cold Dead Hands (That is where you will have to pry them from in order to take my firearms from me)!
I say hands because you may well expect to find at least one in each hand and expect the process of removing them to be expensive in terms of finding & training replacement storm troopers for the ones I take out before they get me).

Perhaps this is a uniquely American point of view, but it is rock solid and is NOT up for negotiation.

Kelly Banks, Austin, TX

As a proud American and supporter of the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution, I have to disagree with the last sentence of the article.

To consider the wide ownership of guns as a negative is politicisation (using the Queen's spelling). There are around 300 million guns in the United States and I dare say that not even 2 percent (6 million) have been involved in crime. If guns really were a problem and caused crime the U.S. would be in perpetual anarchy.

But of course to consider all of our guns and lower our rating, that wouldn't be politicized (U.S. spelling). Its obvious that the raters are bringing in their own assumptions and political views.

Then the U.S. is dinged for illegal drugs crossing the border. Thats not the problem. We have the same problem you Brits have. Our government is selling out its citizens in favor or legal and mostly illegal immigrants. Were loosing the U.S. and your loosing England. Maybe the Kinks song is right "theres no England now."

Rick, Chicag, U.S.A.

Have any of you guys actually been to any of the countries listed? I doubt it. You think we have personal freedom in the USA? You can say that even in the face of the Patriot Act, of the RIAA lobbying congress for life sentences for downloading music, of the suspension of Habeas Corpus?

Get off Drudge and get out and see the world sometime. You might learn something about real freedom.

Jeff, New York, USA

Proliferation of small arms? I guess having the right to defend yourself rates your company lower than having a country that defends the welfare and rights of criminals.

I'm glad these polls keep politics out of it. I got worried for a second there.

Mark, Indianapolis, IN

Those of you that live in the US and think it is still economically stable are simply fooling yourselves. The high price of gas and the housing market are just a few indicators of the downturn. Jobs are sent overseas and we have lost are edge in science. If we don't get it together soon we will be further down the list.

Deb, Phoenix, AZ

Vatican, Luxembourg, Monaco, Gibraltar, San Marino, Liechtenstein...

Is this supposed to be funny?

Who can take this seriously?

Wallace Berry, Tampa, FL

Does that mean that we can now apply for political refugee status... or perhaps we should simply sue the crown for letting us go off on our own in the first place?

DH, New York, NY

Interesting how all of the countries ranked higher than the U.S. are there becuase of either being saved by us or protected by us.

Alex, New York, USA

Well, this is all a rather difficult scale to come to grips with... for example, the "proliferation" of privately held arms in the US as being a "stability" issue. Had the population in Darfur been as heavily armed as US Citizens, when the government turned on them... they might have maintained stability instead of the genocide that they are facing.

I assume genocide is a cause for a rather low ranking on the scale of course.

An armed population is the ***only*** hope against a government gone bad, as they all eventually will. The wisdom of facing the rather troublesome, yet workable issues of an armed population in a pre-tyranny era are but a small price to pay when faced with the eventuality of government out of control, even if it is 100 years down the road.

Mike Powers, windsor, ca

I go to the UK frequently. We are way more stable. This reminds me of a list in the nytimes which rated cuba's medical
system as better than ours. This is one of those agenda driven anti-American news stories. And AOL should not publish agenda driven attacks on our own country.

we have far more social mobility than any country,

we are more prosperous.

Our medical services are easily the best.

and we take the most responsibility in the world.

it is idiotic that this "survey" doesnt take the above into account.

Some of the countries that are ranked so high would have immense problems if it were not for the protection, innovation, and technology that we have provided in the past.

Lee Tabin

lee tabin, highland park, ill

"US had fallen down the scale, although it still scored an average of 93 out of 100, partly because of the proliferation of small arms owned by Americans"

While they talk about objective analysis without political bias, comments regarding gun ownership in the US as a basis for downgrading its status in the standings is being hypocritical.

Only a liberal/socialist, one world government minded individual would consider the "proliferation" of small arms in the US as a negative. The proliferation of weapons, of any sort, in the hands of the "criminals" is what really matters. It does not take a gun to kill someone effectively. It takes a gun to defend ones country.

Mr Smith, Heartland, USA

complete garbage if people get in inner tubes to float 90 miles through shark infested waters to get to America then i cant imagine how bad the rest of the world is if this place is only 22

marcus, colorado springs, co

Although it is certainly true that the United States has its problems, I've always been completely dumbfounded by assessments like this one that claim to uncover the stability and ranking of a region.

There are undeniably places no one wishes to live, however judging the quality of a place is very subjective. Some of us value certain aspects of a place over others. Declaring the rankings of countries without a providing a background on which factors are used to place those countries is just poor science and statistics.

Andre de Cavaignac, New York, NY

silly studies like this are the arguments over beers at a bar or pub. It is not worth the pages written on it (or the type I just wrote over my keyboard).
bye

crenshaw, austin, tx

Yeah, but who wins the most Olympic medals? And who has the prettiest flag?

David, Toronto, Canada

The US is the only country that guarantees the Rights of its citizens, under its Constitutional Republic System. The rest of the countries mentioned at the tops are under Mob's Rule (Democracy), where majority can change the law at will. I'm originally from Thailand, and Mob's Rule is in full swing at the moment, stepping all over the minority. In Thailand, if you're among majority getting caught with breaking the law, what do you do? You change the law! It's tyranny by a majority. That's Democracy. I rather live in a country where my rights are guaranteed under the Constitution. Among these, are Lfe, Liberty, (and responsibility), Pursuit of Happiness, and Equal Justice for all. And the US is it! Yes, limited government, and maximum individual Liberty and responsibility. As far as, I'm concerned, the US is "Heaven on Earth."

Kat, San Diego, California

Interesting survey. Of course, many of the Top 10 Countries are protected by the USA and other militaries, without which defense their stability and prosperity might suffer, somewhat. In any case, I certainly recommend that those looking for a nice place to live consider moving to any of the Top 10 Countries. Many of us in the risky, impoverished USA would love to wave farewell to folks who would prefer residing in a more gentile, enlightened nation.

Khalid, Las Vegas, USA / Nevada

If these are more prosperous, than how come the US is still the richest?

Don, Sanger, USA

What's really funny is that the State of Texas is more stable militarily and economically than most European countries. The rankings are a joke. For example, security of a government is enhanced (not diminished) by the ability of its citizenry to possess small arms. As for Europe's stability, have you forgotten the past 90 years?

Mike Carnegie, Dallas, Texas

It does not matter how prosperous these other countries get. You cannot have true econimic freedom with personal freedom. God Bless the USA!

greg , Sanford, MI

Thank goodness. Maybe some of these 'stable' countries can start solving some of the world problems and paying the lions share of relief and security efforts.

Vondutch, Golden, CO

It is funny how small arms ownership was a negative in the study. They should have made small business ownership, low unemployment, and high productivity a negative too if the intent was to trash the stability of the US.

Vondutch, Golden, CO

This is total tripe! No evidence backing it up whatsoever. And if all those places are better than the USA why are so many people trying so hard to get into our country.

Rod Howell, Simi Valley, CA

"Mr Le Mière said that the US had fallen down the scale, although it still scored an average of 93 out of 100, partly because of the proliferation of small arms owned by Americans and the threat to the population posed by the flow of drugs from across the Mexican border."

Please.... is this an example of bigotry on the part of Jane's, a UK-based company, or what? Fact is, London is a more dangerous place to live in than any US city, and more people are shot in London than in New York. In the US, unless you sell drugs, use drugs, or hang out with people who do, you have a better chance of being killed by lightning or bees than by gunfire. Isn't the same thing true in the UK? The shootings are criminal on criminal!

The difference between the US and countries like the UK, etc., is that we don't (yet) have a government that is trying to run every facet of our lives... but they're trying!

John Clifford, Seattle, WA USA

What a bogus article. Does anyone of the 21 other countries listed above the USA, feed or protect the rest of the world?

Michael Kemp, Junction City, Oregon, USA

Socialist Utopias, all.

Claude, Havana, Cuba

This study is nonsense!

Try rating which country everybody in the world wants to go to and see where the U.S. stacks up! Everybody is fleeing countries like the U.K. and all the "Cradle to Grave" countries because they are being inundated by people looking for the great handouts at the expense of the populations. Yes, we have our issues, but I'd rather be here than "There!" (Whereever "There" may be!) BTW: Memphis is also really is a horrible city to live in!

Norm, Memphis, Tennessee

So, one can cherry pick the criteria and we should be surprised at the outcome? Such loaded rankings as political structure (what does that mean?), social trends (according to whom and on what basis?), external relations (on whose account?) and military and security risks (for places people do not want to go to live?).

Some study. I'll be sure to bookmark it for future reference. Last I checked, the United States is the preferred destination, by an overwhelming margin, by people seeking freedom, opportunity and a new life.

Kurt, Minneapolis, MN, USA

I see the USA is falling fast. I'm a Brit living here and it's rather amusing. I see a large amount of people who prefer not to work and just collect welfare and live in council housing. The US has fallen so far and lets anybody in and when they get in, they are bombarded with advertising and they all have new giant telies, giant SUV's with spinning wheels, and gold teeth. There are few intellegent people here and within 20 years, the US wil be the doormat of the world. With the falling dollar, most of these people will be just serving the more wealthy tourists, who will come here on "Safari". Rather sad that they have done this to themselves.

Nigel Cummings, Miami / Brighton, US & UK

I love how some people think they are experts on countries they don't live in, Richard. Despite economic challenges, the U.S. economy continues to grow and grow and grow some more--despite the hyperventilating and fear mongering on the left.

Dawn, Montague, NJ/USA

I find the results of this survey a little wonky.

The UK is overcrowded, expensive, polluted, it has high rates of petty crime and the weather remains appalling. I recall a fairly recent survey that indicated around 50% 0f Brits, given the opportunity, would emigrate!

I am very fond of the UK but I now reside in Dallas, USA. I love it in the US and would never return to live in the UK.

Timothy , Dallas, Texas, USA

The US gets downgraded because we're free to have firearms? Give me a break. All countries who are NOT so free should be downgraded instead. This is an obvious political statement and not a true picture of where life is better.

Doug, Portland, USA, Oregon

Would I leave the USA to reside in one of these "stable" countries? Absolutely not! Just exactly who and how were these coutries rated?

H Simone, Paradise, Texas, USA

England is a country with one of the highest credit mountains in the world. No foundations to its economy & crumbling moral standards.

The credit landslide has commenced. To include France & the US in the comparison is absurd - both countries have equally run-down economies.

Richard, Bucharest,

Wow!!! This is impressive. I assume that all of our illegals will now move to these countries and give our country a chance to recover from this devastaing news.

Ron, Danville, USA / Indiana