The happiest country in the world is in Latin America: what are its secrets

For its beaches and tropical jungles, its stable democracy,
Using clean energy and an important budget for education, Costa Rica was chosen for the third time as the happiest and most sustainable country in the world, according to the Happy Planet Index (HPI) prepared by the group British New Economics Foundation (NEF).

This index, published four times since 2006, aims to measure the well-being and longevity of a population, and then establishes the result in relation to the ecological footprint of each country. In this Central American country, the army was dissolved 70 years ago and some of the money saved was allocated to other causes.

"8% of our GDP is invested in education because we do not have to spend in the army, so our strength lies in human talent, human well-being," he said. Carlos Alvarado Quesada, President of Costa Rica, during his participation in the
Davos Economic Forum. In comparison, the world average is 4.8%.

These resources have also been used to protect the environment. 99% of the country's electricity comes from renewable sources, such as dams. In addition, taxes on fuel sales are used to protect your forests, where more than 5% of the planet's species live.

Costa Rica also has one of the highest life expectancies in the world: 78.5 years, slightly higher than that recorded in the United States. However, he is not out of touch with some worrying statistics, such as the murder rate, which was 12.1 deaths per 100,000 people in 2017, double the global average.

"The main element to which insecurity is linked is the inequality: Latin America is one of the most unequal regions in the world," added Alvarado, adding that the resolution This problem required "the creation of options" in recreation, employment, drug prevention and opportunities for women and youth.

"This has been done successfully in several countries," he concluded.