- The 2019 edition of the Bloomberg Healthiest Country Index has ranked Spain as the world’s healthiest country, followed by Italy, Iceland and Switzerland, Sweden, Australia, Singapore and Norway. These are also the countries with universal healthcare where over 70% of healthcare spending is done by the government. Cuba (30) is the only country not classified as “high income” by the World Bank to be ranked that high
- Sub-Saharan economies accounted for 27 of the 30 unhealthiest nations in the ranking. Haiti, Afghanistan and Yemen were the others.
- India ranked 120 compared to 119 in the 2017 ranking. Pakistan (124), Myanmar (129) and Afghanistan (153) are the only countries in the Asian region with a lower ranking than India.
- The Bloomberg Healthiest Country Index ranks 169 economies according to factors that contribute to overall health. The index grades nations based on variables including life expectancy while imposing penalties on risks such as tobacco use and obesity. It also takes into consideration environmental factors including access to clean water and sanitation
