Where does Australia rank on the world’s healthiest countries list?

While some may have second thoughts about the ‘health’ of our nation and want to retire to a healthier destination, according to CEOWORLD magazine, we’re right up there with the world’s healthiest countries.

Ranking the ‘healthiest countries’ isn’t just about diets and physical exercise. The quality of healthcare, life expectancy and other wellbeing metrics are also considered.

In 10th place is Norway. It should come as no surprise that Norway is in the top 10. Clean air and water, high life expectancies – over 83 years on average – and low crime rates are but a few reasons Norway is such a healthy country.

A small and affluent country – Monaco – is in ninth place. With the world’s highest average life expectancy of 85.9 years, this Mediterranean haven ranks high on sustainability and quality healthcare.

Australia makes the list at No.8, ranking high on wellness standards due largely to fresh, locally sourced food and our active, outdoorsy lifestyle.

New Zealand sits one spot above us in seventh spot. Engaging outdoor activities, beautiful landscapes and a consistently rated high living quality, particularly in Auckland, contributes to Kiwi healthfulness.

Sixth spot goes to Taiwan, in part due to its universal healthcare system. A culture of physical exercise, and diets packed with vegetables, rice and seafood also play a significant role in the nation’s health standards.

The world’s happiest country, Finland, is fifth, lauded for its significantly improved life expectancy in recent years. Increased health spending and a significant decrease in the number of adult smokers also contributes to the healthy lifestyle scores.

Hong Kong sits comfortably at number four. Despite being recognised as a city and not a country, its high placement on global health rankings deserves mention. A prosperous economy, low smoking levels combined with a plethora of parks, sophisticated hospitals and close proximity to mountains and beaches make it a health haven.

Third is Iceland, surprising many with its high ranking. An outdoorsy, active society combined with clean diets contribute to impressive life expectancies for both men and women.

Singapore ranks second on the list, with its food culture balanced with an active lifestyle and one of the world’s best healthcare systems.

The coveted top spot goes to Italy. Long lives – well into the 80s – active lifestyles and predominantly vegetable and olive-oil rich diets means Italy excels in health metrics compared to many others.

Here’s the full list.

RANK	Country	Score
1	Italy	72.15
2	Singapore	67.22
3	Iceland	65.15
4	Hong Kong	64.32
5	Finland	60.53
6	Taiwan	59.76
7	New Zealand	59.76
8	Australia	57.77
9	Monaco	57.65
10	Norway	57.38
11	Luxembourg	56.31
12	Sweden	56.29
13	Switzerland	56.2
14	Germany	55.98
15	Canada	55.89
16	Japan	55.73
17	Denmark	55.46
18	United Arab Emirates	55.37
19	France	55.31
20	Ireland	55.19
21	Portugal	54.95
22	Israel	54.92
23	Austria	54.69
24	Netherlands	54.63
25	Belgium	53.99
26	Cyprus	53.74
27	Malta	53.59
28	Spain	53.55
29	Qatar	53.41
30	South Korea	53.28
31	United Kingdom	53.25
32	Slovenia	53.13
33	Czech Republic	53
34	Bahrain	52.83
35	Kuwait	52.52
36	Greece	52.5
37	Croatia	52.4
38	Saudi Arabia	52.35
39	Oman	52.24
40	Brazil	51.85
41	Uruguay	51.8
42	Slovakia	51.7
43	Chile	51.61
44	Estonia	51.41
45	United States	51.34
46	Costa Rica	50.88
47	Cuba	50.73
48	Malaysia	50.59
49	Latvia	50.39
50	Mauritius	50.28
51	Seychelles	50.13
52	Argentina	50.04
53	Hungary	49.97
54	Macedonia	49.9
55	Lithuania	49.87
56	Maldives	49.64
57	Mexico	49.6
58	Poland	49.25
59	Moldova	49.17
60	Thailand	49.15
61	Turkey	48.96
62	Venezuela	48.94
63	Colombia	48.93
64	Montenegro	48.92
65	Albania	48.86
66	Romania	48.84
67	Armenia	48.71
68	Azerbaijan	48.66
69	Belarus	48.62
70	Libya	48.58
71	Russia	48.54
72	Kazakhstan	48.15
73	Uzbekistan	48.14
74	Sri Lanka	48.1
75	Egypt	48.05
76	Paraguay	47.27
77	Georgia	47.14
78	Bulgaria	47.02
79	Indonesia	46.74
80	Morocco	46.67
81	Bhutan	46.57
82	South Africa	46.54
83	Philippines	46.21
84	China	46.15
85	Mongolia	46.03
86	Tajikistan	45.96
87	Namibia	45.86
88	India	45.84
89	Turkmenistan	45.42
90	Bangladesh	45.39
91	Zambia	45.29
92	Myanmar	45.28
93	Cambodia	45.23
94	Nepal	44.85
95	Papua New Guinea	44.75
96	Pakistan	44.62
97	Ghana	44.25
98	Uganda	44.1
99	Senegal	44.06
100	Swaziland	44.03

Author’s note: Even if you live in one of these countries, it’s your commitment to healthy habits and a wholesome diet that makes for a healthy life. And while we may all dream of living in Italy someday, we can still take cues from the top 10 countries and apply them to our lives for better wellbeing.

Which of the countries in the 10 would you live? Or are you happy living in the lucky country? What are your top three tips for a healthy life?

Also read: Seven health myths debunked