WASHINGTON/NEW YORK: Contrary to frequent claims made in the Western media about India scaling new heights of development, just 17 percent of its people say they are thriving and expect a thriving future while Pakistan, which is routinely painted negatively, has the highest ratio of population in South Asia that see themseves progressing toward a good future.That conclusion has been made in a new study of well-being that gives Denmark the top spot among 124 countries surveyed.With Danes ranked the most contented people on the planet with a whopping 72 per cent of residents considering themselves “thriving,” Sweden and Canada followed close behind, each at 69 per cent in Gallup’s 2010 Global Wellbeing Survey.
The US came in somewhat near the middle of the pack, with 59 per cent of Americans thriving.A majority of Indians (64 per cent) believe they are “struggling” while 19 per cent think they are “suffering” according to the survey.Pakistanis were found to be happier and a lot more hopeful about their future well-being. Pakistan was ranked 40th with 32 per cent “thriving”.Among other neighbours, Bangladesh was placed 89 with only 13 per cent thriving, while China was ranked 92 with only 12 per cent happy respondents.A median of just 21 per cent were found to be “thriving” in the Gallup survey polling 1,000 adults, age 15 and older, in both face-to-face and telephone interviews in each country throughout 2010.Outside of Europe and the Americas, however, other nations fared considerably less well. A mere 12 per cent of the population considered themselves to be thriving in Egypt, followed by 6 per cent in Kenya and, dead last, Chad with 1 per cent. – APP
