World's kindest country revealed

People walk through Ireland's capital city Dublin.

Ireland is the world’s kindest country, a new study has found.

A recent report ranked 125 countries based on seven categories to measure each country’s contribution to the greater good of humanity.

The list takes data from international agencies such as The World Bank, UNESCO and the United Nations to judge each nation in the areas of science, culture, international security, climate, health, equality and world order.

Compiled by British independent policy adviser Simon Anhalt, the study ranked Ireland top of the Good Country Index. It also won the category of ‘Prosperity and Equality’ based on data relating to the country’s UN volunteers abroad, development assistance and open trading.

 

	Science & Technology	Culture	International peace, security	World order	Planet & climate	Prosperity & equality	Health & wellbeing
1. Ireland	20	7	33	4	45	1	9
2.Finland	7	18	53	12	14	3	12
3.Switzerland	6	32	71	10	16	2	10
4. Holland	18	2	97	3	23	8	2
5. NZ	10	25	37	17	7	41	17
6. Sweden	8	14	111	8	3	4	8
7. UK	1	12	94	9	30	9	6
8. Norway	40	24	58	7	4	14	16
9. Denmark	14	9	88	5	26	35	5
10. Belgium	15	1	100	16	56	5	3
11. France	12	26	92	18	10	28	15
12. Canada	28	20	106	14	2	30	4
13. Germany	11	5	109	1	29	33	18
14. Austria	2	4	104	2	43	24	31
15. Australia	16	38	89	13	6	36	14

 

Australia ranks 15 overall for its contribution globally, scoring highest (at number six in the world) in the category of ‘planet and climate’ based on data relating to hazardous waste exports, greenhouse gas emissions and biocapacity reserves.

According to the data, Australia performs worst when it comes to 'international peace and security,' coming 89 out of the 125 countries in the survey.

Related: OECD reveals Australia's best place to live

Rankings in this category were determined from data such as the number of peacekeeping troops sent overseas in relation to GDP, weapons and ammunition exports and internet security.

Libya comes in bottom of the list, ranking as the most ‘selfish’ nation of the 125 surveyed. It was followed closely by Iraq, Vietnam and Azerbaijan.

The brainchild behind the rankings, Simon Anhalt, says the survey is not interested in determining how well a country is doing but rather how much they are doing.

“The trouble is, most countries carry on behaving as if they were islands, focusing on developing domestic solutions to domestic problems. We’ll never get anywhere unless we start to change this habit,” Anhalt says.

Related: Australia's wealthiest richer than half the population

Anhalt says his rankings differ from other surveys, because the focus, whether it is on economic growth, happiness or productivity, tends to be on a country’s performance in isolation.

Instead his Good Country Index is an attempt to measure the global impacts of policies and behaviours, that is, what they contribute to the ‘global good’, and what they take away.

“The concept of the ‘Good Country’ is all about encouraging populations and their governments to be more outward looking, and to consider the international consequences of their national behavior,” Anhalt says.