Happy Planet Index: Factors, Top Countries & Comparison to HDI

The Happy Planet Index measures three factors: 'well-being', 'life expectancy', and 'ecological footprint'.

The top 10 countries as measured by the HPI are Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Panama, Nicaragua, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Ecuador.

Both HPI and HDI have their strengths and weaknesses, but HPI may be more suitable for measuring quality of life as it takes into account not only economic wealth but also environmental sustainability and personal well-being. HDI, on the other hand, focuses more on income, education, and health indicators. Ultimately, it depends on the specific context and what aspects of quality of life are most important to measure.