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The best places to be born in 2013

The U.S. doesn't crack the top 10.

By Parenting Magazine Dec 5, 2012 4:49PM

By Kate at Parenting.com

Not that one can choose such things, but The Economist has published a ranking of the best and worst countries to be born in for 2013—and the U.S. isn't No. 1.

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The index averages rankings from 11 geographic, social and economic factors. Switzerland ranked first and Nigeria ranked last. And the US? America came in at No. 16 behind Germany.

When The World created a Where to be Born index way back in 1988, the U.S. ranked first.

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Also ranked in the top were Nordic countries, Australia and Singapore; nations in Africa and eastern Europe came in last.

Here's the top 10 list.

Best places to be born (from The Economist):
1. Switzerland
2. Australia
3. Norway
4. Sweden
5. Denmark
6. Singapore
7. New Zealand
8. Netherlands
9. Canada
10. Hong Kong

Photo: Moodboard/Getty Images

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247Comments
Dec 6, 2012 8:11PM
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lets bring all our troops home,(europe,asia,mideast, etc.) and we will see how great these other countries are.  Aren't you tired of protecting everyone else.
Dec 6, 2012 8:09PM
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The best and worst places to be born in the world depend very heavily on three things:

1. your gender

2. the color of your skin

3. how much money your parents have

That's the bottom line, isn't it?

Dec 6, 2012 7:47PM
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Hmm interesting. Switzerland the best place to be born. Where every home and apartment is required to  have a fully automatic machine gun to protect the homeland.  Kind of blows out the guns kill theory we hear from the brady group and democratic party.
Dec 6, 2012 7:46PM
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This list is disgusting that we have fallen so far. We the people need to over throw the people in Wash. DC and Wall Street and place them in prison for life, and recover the wealth that they have stolen from the American public...
Dec 6, 2012 7:47PM
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This is such anti US BS journalism (jealousy as usual)... I've traveled the globe many times over and I can truly say THANK GOD I was born in the USA!
Dec 6, 2012 8:00PM
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They say in Cuba , doctors have developed a new technique for starting a baby's first breath.   Instead of slapping the baby's bottom to start that first breath, they now whisper in the baby's ear "You have been born in Cuba"  and the baby automatically cries and cries and cries.
Dec 6, 2012 7:44PM
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The best and the worst places to be born.....?

 

That's a relative question. What's a great place to be born for one, could be the worst for another.

 

The best list looks good. And the worst list goes without saying--the usual suspects.

 

If the U.S. is 16th best, then why for is everybody selling a kidney to give birth there? I don't see a line-up for Switzerland or Sweden, etc.

Dec 6, 2012 7:52PM
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I've been to Switzerland several times and I am proud of my Swiss heritage.  I'm here to tell you, it's a nice place to visit but....

Putting them number one delegitimizes the whole survey.

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