The index, constructed for a fourth time since 2006, was based on four elements, including well-being, life expectancy, inequality of outcomes, and ecological footprint. Vietnam had ranked second globally in 2012It has a population of nearly 90 million, with a life expectancy of 75.5 years and per capita GDP of US$2,000. Vietnam ranks fifth in the world and first in Asia in the 2016 Happy Planet Index drawn up by the UK-based think tank New Economics Foundation. Both Vietnam and the Gambia have similar sized economies with similar levels of GDP per capita, yet on average, people from Vietnam live more than 17 years longer. The index found wealthy western countries, often seen globally as representing success, do not rank highly on the Happy Planet Index.

Source: Thanhnien News July 22, 2016 03:33 UTC