Solomon Islands rated 135th best place to live in the world

Solomon Islands is the 135th most desirable place to live in the world, according to an annual report by the United Nations.

In the Pacific, Australia ranked 2nd, New Zealand rated 20th, Samoa 94th, Tonga 99th, Fiji stood at 106th, Vanuatu (126th), Solomon Islands at 135th, and Papua New Guinea rated 148th.

According to the UN human development index, Norway is the best place in the world to live while Niger is the least desirable at 182.

The index shows that life expectancy in Solomon Islands was 65.8 years while the adult literacy rate was 76.6 percent.

Afghanistan was regarded the second least desirable place to live, just below Sierra Leone in third from bottom place.

The 182 countries were ranked according to the quality of life their citizens experienced.

Criteria examined included life expectancy, literacy rates, school enrolment and country economies.

The report used data collected in 2007.

Of the larger economies in the world, the United States is rated as the 13th most desirable place to live, while the UK takes the 21st spot.

The index rates countries listed between 1 and 38 as having “very high human development” and 84-158 with “medium human development”.

Source: UNDP