Australia and the US have a lot in common. The two countries share a language, a regional fondness for surfing, and even have the same mother country.
There are some things, though, that Australians just do better.
Number 10. Live longer. Aussies outlive Americans by nearly 41 months. They also have fewer deaths that result from serious health problems like heart disease and cancer.
Number 9. Whiskey. Hobart’s Sullivan’s Cove French Oak Cask single malt, a spirit distilled in Tasmania, was not long ago named the finest of its kind on the planet at the World Whiskies Awards. Other contenders included entrants from the US, Japan, and Scotland.
Number 8. Gender equality. In 2012 Australia was given the top spot on a list that ranked countries according to how well they supported the professional advancement of women. Factors included access to education, childcare, equal pay, and policies that deter discrimination.
Number 7. Ocean pools. Hanging out at the beach can be great, but the water itself could harbor any number of dangerous species. Australians have solved the problem by putting saltwater pools in several locales where the sand meets the sea.
Number 6. Controlling the cost of college. An American education costs, on average, nearly 14 thousand dollars a year. Attending an institution of higher learning in Australia has a median annual price tag of about 75 hundred dollars.
Number 5. The ‘gap year’. In Australia, it’s perfectly normal for recent high school graduates to wait a year before attending college. Those who do are encouraged to spend the time traveling, working, or both.
Number 4. Pizza. It may come as a complete shock, but an Australian chef was named as having the best pizza at the 2014 World Pizza Championship. The competition is held every year in Parma, Italy and draws competitors from around the globe.
Number 3. Median wealth. According to a Credit Suisse report, adult Australians have a median wealth of over 190 thousand dollars, while in the US it is closer to 40 thousand. These figures include retirement savings and home values.
Number 2. Building livable cities. The Economic Intelligence Unit’s annual Livability survey not only found Melbourne Australia to be the best place to live, 4 other Australian metropolises landed in the top 10. No American cities made the cut.
Number 1. Happiness. Australians have actually been deemed the happiest people in the world three years in a row now - among industrialized nations, anyway. The US did pretty well, too, coming in at 6th.
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