Guam?? It is a US territory, not an independent country.

jim McClellan, Honolulu, HI

Oh Please. 6 of the top 10 aren't even Countries.just tax dodging suburbs

Sister Mary Godzilla, Vatican, Vatican

This is about as interesting as "miss universe." Can't imagine getting all aroused either way if your "country" is listed high or low. Existential bull donkies....

Mot Nolnoc, Mastodon City, Western Siberia

fake results for sure !! Malta should be far below 50th place....u have to live here to experience our poor qualities !

carlo, sliema, MALTA

Come to New Zealand everyone ... no war, good way of life, nice beaches, food, western lifestyle, gun control, honest government, lots of fresh water and natural forests and bush. Whoo that sounds good ...
you can stick your wars and petty bickerings .. i'll stay here and enjoy the view!!!!!!!
Number 11!!!

kevmo, auckland,

The ranking system does not make sense. I see countries like UK with terrorist attacks, threats, and terrorists cells having a high ranking and countries like Bermuda with no threat of terrrorism, one of the highest income per capita, very low crime, being ranked low. What are your criteria? Also what about countries like Barbados, etc. Your ranking appears biased, and subjective.

Franc Bold, Hamilton, Bermuda

I'm very proud with Malta ranking in the 21st place. In my oppinion it's a very good result considering that we have been independant for 44 years and just 4 years in the E.U..... and only 3 months using the euro currency. This is definately a very good certificate for our government, prime minister Dr. Lawrence Gonzi and all Maltese citizens. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!

Daniel, Naxxar, MALTA

Let's face it........... Luxembourg, Andorra, Vatican, onaco, Gibraltar, San Marino, Liechtenstein as far as I know are ALL small countries and they managed to score far more than with all due respect to Malta!! In ithis case, I'm afraid that it is shame for your Government !!

Jefferson Hayter, Beckenham, U.K.

Well done Malta!! Thanks to our Prim Minister Dr. Lawrence Gonzi and to our President Eddie Fenech Adami!!

Mark Azzopardi, Gargur, Malta

Incredible little big Malta!
No natural resourses whatsoever , a population bordering on the 400,000 mark and independent for only 44yrs. A great certificate to the nation. Well done and keep it up.

Mark Bonello, SWIEQI,

Well done Malta. Independent from Britain only since 1964 and members of the European Union for just these last three years we made big strides forward. Thanks to our dedicated politicians and to the maltese people as a whole . Lets strive to keep it up.
Joe S. Bailey - Sliema, Malta.

Joe Spiteri Bailey, Sliema, Malta

I have been studying in the UK for these past five years and from my little experience I cannot believe that the UK scored eight in this study. There is something wrong here!!!!! The country is on a verge of collapsing because of people not being able to pay their mortgage, mediocre political decision making, lazy British people, lack of creativity, lack of passion, illegal immigrants, a unique British approach to multiculturalism and last but not least a poor managerial class. Also the education system and the NHS are a complete mess. Besides all this we do not have to forget the Billions spent in the Iraq war.

Jane, I would like to ask you a simple question, 'why do so many British people live in France, Spain, Italy, Malta and other European countries?'

Jane, next time make your mathematics right! Well I forgot that the only thing that Briton excels is selling it self.

Briton should score at the bottom of other EU nations.

George, Egham, United Kingdom

I would like to see Malta a little higher in the list. Hopefully soon. Haha!

Roderick Cutajar, Hamrun, Malta

It's really positive to learn that our tiny island Malta socres higher rates than the normally refered to The Big countries. Very well done guys. Special thanks goes to our Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi for doing wonders for our beautiful island.

Maria Muscat, Mosta, Malta

I am Maltese. I am very proud that such a tiny country with only 400,000 population rates better than france, Canada, US, Belgium, Spain, Japan, etc, etc ...
Well done to our government who has just been confirmed for another 5 years in office. Well done to our Prime Minister Dr Lawrence Gonzi

P Carabott, Mosta, Malta

You see? Despite all the propaganda. You have to say, well done Europe. Really, well done :-)

It just goes to show the USA once again, that despite how much bickering and insults they want to throw at western European countries, and some even to the UK we know how to do business better, we know how to run our economies better, and consider this has all been done with WW2 only ending 70 years ago? Fantastic achievement, I'm so damn proud today of the UK.

Thanks for the article, i'm from UK but my woman is a conservative Texan (she's beauitful though!) so i'll enjoy winding her up with this one!! GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!! And lets look after Europe guys, come on ! :-)

Lloyd Harrington, Oswestry, UK

Complete nonsense.

Jason, New York, NY

For all of those Americans who have constantly bragged about how we have the best health care system in the world etc., the truth is out and has been out for a long time. They are full of it. The Western European nations have wealthy economies, free health care, even if a person loses their job, etc. The people of the United States have been lied to and are continuing to be lied to. I told a buddy of mine some twenty years ago that the the day will come when Americans pay for gasoline what Europeans do, and still will not get health care, even after losing their jobs. That day is just about here. Gas runs 5 bucks in some places in the U.S. now. Will the greed and
graft of the politicians and corporations ever come to an end in the U.S.? Stay tuned.

Bobby, Long Beach, U.S.A.

Hum.... got to wonder about this list, the Falklands (UK) are not a country for that matter neither are

St Pierre and Miq (FR), American Samoa (USA), Anguilla (UK), the Virgin Islands (UK), Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (USA) Gibraltar (UK), Montserrat (UK) or Guam (USA)

Singapore, the Vatican, San Marino, Monaco, and Andorra are all city states

so of the list 14 don't even count

JR, London, UK

The title of this research should be added REGIONS between "countries" and "in the world".

Abraham Kwik, Tanapag, Saipan , CNMI,USA

UK ranked 7th? Maybe if you are a Lord.
I doubt the serf's would rate it in the top half.

Tim Casey, Pall Mall, TN , USA

I live in Hong Kong but according to the list would be better off and in a more stable environment living on various islands in the middle of the South Atlantic or Western Pacific Oceans. Need to think about that one.

bill morgan, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Good grief people! This is study couldn't possibly be accurate in any way, shape or form. I cannot believe the audacity the good, yet somewhat skewed staff at Jane's, have shown by publishing such drivel. Too many territories are included in this study, that are not independent and should not even be considered. This report bears zero credibility and should be viewed with tongue in cheek.

Garry P., Pembroke, Ontario, Canada

And...people are breaking laws, risking their lives, uprooting their families and giving up 'home' to get into what country? Gibraltar? Vatican? Iceland?

Ed, Greensboro, NC

Weren't there recent riots in France and huge protests over transit contracts????

brian, milwaukee, wisconsin

it's nice to see my country Portugal in such a good position!!

rui pedro, colne, lancashire

Strange that the survey should rate Britain as stable when it is currently festering with resentment against EU contributions, Government spending waste, taxation levels, crime, council tax incessant upward re-evaluation to name but a few items.
It is strange to see us rated as wealthy when most of us are poorer now than we have been for all of our working lives.

D Cage, Highworth, Wilts UK

Quit Your griping. To the second letter, read the list, Australia is number 19. South Korea has propblems. To all others, the article said it separated countries, territories and other semi-automonous areas. That's why US territories, among other are included. They included the Gaza Strip as a separate entity, for instance. Get real. The USA is not always going to be at the top of every list that says greatness or good things. 24 is not bad out of 235.

Don Waggoner, Kissimmee, Florida

If you bothered to read the whole story you would see "A one-year investigation and analysis of 235 countries and dependent territories".
Amazing how quick some people are to criticize others.

Robert, Latham, NY

Montserrat-A very stable country if you like volcanos!!

robert, sao paulo, brasil

Hello...Times, what about Slovenia??? Country holding EU presidency??? And by the way it is not fair to count every your territory as a country.

Marko, Ajdovscina, Slovenia

American Samoa is a "territory" or part of the US; and, Western Samoa (Samoa) is a country and under protection of the UN

Guam is a" territory" of the US
-not a country

Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands is a holding of the US, not a country.


Jane's Information Services needs to get it's information straight

Mary, Las Vegas, USA

I find it interesting that the top 30 are almost all European countries. Seems a little skewed and biased. Australia, South Korea and others arent listed.

David S., Santa Maria, CA

Why are places like Gibraltar, American Samoa and the Falklands included?!?! They are places, not countries. Britain and the USA should include these territories.

Ben, York,

Saint Pierre and Miquelon is a curious inclusion — territory of France, 25 km off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, population ~6000, per capita GDP $6800. Stable, I suppose. Prosperous, mainly an economy based on fishing which is now is serious decline.

I'm assuming of course, the headline "...stable and properous..." is actually supposed to be prosperous.

Gunther, Toronto,

For any would-be expats, you may also want to check the Gini coefficient which shows wealth distribution, transparency internationals corruption index and the economists quality of life index. This would give a balanced picture of how stability and prosperity can be measured.

Dan Hathway, san rafael, argentina

Some of these are not really independent countries at all- Montserrat, the British Virgin Islands and the Falkland Islands are British colonies or territories, while Guam and American Samoa are U.S. colonies- Their "stability and prosperity" is really as much a reflection of the countries which they are colonies of as it is anything else-

-Since when has Cyprus become "stable" by any definition?

Scott Benowitz, Rye, New York , U.S.A.

Up through the top 30, all these countries are so close to each other that someone traveling between each one would hardly notice any real (non-cultural) differences in prosperity.

Andy, Lexington, KY, USA

Nice to see Portugal coming in at a relatively lofty 18th position. Only just below Switzerland, with infinitely better weather and very much friendlier people. So at least i haven't "traded down" too significantly.

peter koeb, odeceixe, portugal

One must question the credibility and reliability of Jane's information Services when it does not include Bermuda in it's top ten list, let alone it's top fifty. Bermuda has one of the highest standards of living and has consistently been in the World Bank's, and other internation institutions, top ten countries in terms of wealth and quality of life countries.

Michael Mapp, New York, U S A

Btw, these 'prosperity' figures include the houses that we own - yes the very same ones that could well crash.....
it also doesn't include the £43billion of debt (including Northern Rock) that the UK is riding on.

Janes is UK based, and therefore susceptible to political bias and motivation. It is also not an accurate reflection of where this country will be in 18 months; ironically when Mr Brown is getting nearer to having to hold a general Election.

Drew, Manchester,

And?, not very interesting if you havent included what we were all measured on. I suppose beating the yanks is something at least.....:-)

Lee, Manchester, UK