Failte Ireland/Tourism Ireland
No. 6: Ireland
Population: 4,156,119
Life Expectancy: 78
GDP Per Capita: $43,100
"Luck o' the Irish" aptly summarizes the surprising optimism that pervades life in this sixth-ranked country, where the pub lies at the heart of cultural, social, and political life. Ireland's starkly beautiful maritime scenery and captivating, lyrical language may explain some of its happiness, but economics likely play an even bigger role. Only a century ago, the Irish were fleeing famine and poverty by the millions. But since the 1990s, the "Celtic Tiger" has roared to life, turning Ireland into the second wealthiest country per capita in the world, behind only Japan. The change has brought hundreds of thousands of new workers from Eastern Europe and Asia to a place that now offers relative political stability and free education at all levels, as well as a focus on traditional values.
