A new report reveals where people feel most positive about their lives
一项新的报告显示哪里是人们对生活感受最惬意的地方
Where in the world do people feel most content with their lives?
当今世界哪里的人们对生活最为满意呢？
According to a new report released by the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, a Paris-based group of 30 countries with democratic governments that provides economic and social statistics and data, happiness levels are highest in northern European countries. Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands rated at the top of the list, ranking first, second and third, respectively. Outside Europe, New Zealand and Canada landed at Nos. 8 and 6, respectively. The United States did not crack the top 10. Switzerland placed seventh and Belgium placed tenth.
经济合作与发展组织（OECD）新近发布的一项研究报告，显示北欧国家人们的幸福指数最高。这个设在法国巴黎，由30个民主政府组成的机构经常提供经济和社会方面的统计数据。
丹麦、芬兰以及荷兰名列前三名。欧洲以外的国家有新西兰、加拿大，分别位居第八和第六名。美国没有进入前十名之列。瑞士第七，比利时列第十。
The report looked at subjective well-being, defined as life satisfaction. Did people feel like their lives were dominated by positive experiences and feelings, or negative ones? To answer that question, the OECD used data from a conducted in 140 countries around the world last year. The poll asked respondents whether they had experienced six different forms of positive or negative feelings within the last day. Some sample questions:
* Did you enjoy something you did yesterday?
* Were you proud of something you did yesterday?
* Did you learn something yesterday?
* Were you treated with respect yesterday?
该报告将主观的幸福感受定义为对生活的满意度。那么人们对生活的感受是由什么决定的呢,乐观积极的情感经历还是消极悲观的感受？为回答这个问题，该组织（OECD）研究了去年在140个国家进行的盖洛普世界性调查数据。该调查询问了被调查人是否在前一天体验过六种不同形式的积极抑或消极的情感体验。部分问题如下：
* 你对昨天做的事情满意吗？
* 你为昨天做的事情感到自豪吗？
* 你昨天学了点新东西吗？
* 昨天人们待你有礼貌吗？
In each country, a representative sample of no more than 1,000 people, age 15 or older, were surveyed. The poll was scored numerically on a scale of 1~100. The average score was 62.4.
在每个国家，有代表性的样卷都有不少于1000 人——年龄在15岁以上——做答。然后按1~100分打分。答卷者人均得分为62.4。
Why did the northern European countries come out looking so good? Overall economic health played a powerful role, says Simon Chapple, senior economist from the Social Policy Division of the OECD, which put together the report. While the global economic crisis has taken a toll on every nation, the countries that scored at the top still boast some of the highest gross domestic product per capita in the world. Denmark , which got the highest score, is not only a wealthy country, it’s also highly productive, with a 2008 GDP per capita of $68,000, according to the International Monetary Fund. The United States’ GDP per capita, by contrast, is $47,335. Though the U.S. got an above-average score of 74, it did not break the top 10.
为什么北欧国家格外地突出呢？很强势的原因是那里的经济总体上运行良好，西蒙•查博——一位来自OECD的社会政策部的高级经济学家如此评说。这份报告是由该部门撰写的。就在全球性经济危机给每个国家都造成损失的情况下，幸福指数名列前茅的这些国家依然在世界上保持最高的国内生产总值。得分最高的是丹麦。该国不仅是一个富裕的国度，也是一个高产出的国家。根据国际货币基金组织的研究结果，丹麦2008年人均GDP 68 000 美元。相比之下，美国人均GDP仅仅是47 335美元。尽管美国的幸福指数得分为74分，高出了平均分但并没有进入前十名。
Wealth alone does not bring the greatest degree of happiness. Norway has the highest GDP per capita on the list—$98,822—yet it ranked ninth, not first. On the other hand, New Zealand’s happiness level is 76.7 out of 10 on the OECD list, but its 2008 GDP per capita is just $30,556.
光凭财富并不能给人带来最大程度的幸福。挪威人均GDP最高(98 822美元)，而在幸福指数上位居第九，不是第一。另外，新西兰的幸福指数为76.7，被OECD列在十名之外，但是其2008年的人均GDP仅为30 566美元。
According to a 2005 editorial, published in the British Medical Journal and written by Dr. Tony Delamothe, research done in Mexico, Ghana, Sweden, the U.S. and the U.K. shows that individuals typically get richer during their lifetimes, but not happier. It is family, social and community networks that bring joy to one’s life, according to Delamothe.
根据2005年《英国医学杂志》刊出的由托尼•德拉姆斯博士撰写的一篇社论，在墨西哥、加纳、瑞典、美国以及英国进行的调查显示，一个人一生中特别能赚钱的时期，却不一定有多幸福。根据德拉姆斯博士的观点，美满的家庭、广泛的社交圈还有健康和谐的社区氛围合起来会给人带来幸福与欢乐。
The OECD data shows that another important factor is work-life balance. While Scandinavian countries boast a high GDP per capita, the average workweek in that part of the world is no more than 37 hours. In China, which got a low score of just 14.8, the workweek is 47 hours and the GDP per capita is just $3,600.
OECD提供的数据显示另外一个要素是平衡好工作与生活之间的关系。尽管斯堪的纳维亚国家人均GDP很高，但是人均周工作时间未超过37小时。中国的幸福指数得分很低，仅为14.8，中国人的周工作时间为47小时，人均GDP仅为3 600美元。
Low unemployment also contributes to happiness. “One thing we know for sure,” says the OECD’s Chapple, “not having a job makes one substantially less satisfied.” Denmark’s unemployment rate is just 2 percent, according the C.I.A.’s World Factbook. Norway’s is just 2.6 percent. The Netherlands: just 4.5 percent. Many economists concur that a 4 percent unemployment rate reflects a stable economy. The U.S. unemployment rate is currently 9 percent.
低失业率也是使人感到幸福的因素之一。“有一点我们深知，”来自OECD的查博说，“没有工作干最能使人失意。”根据中央情报局（CIA）公布的世界概况：丹麦的失业率仅为2%，挪威为2.6%，荷兰为4.5%。经济学家们一致赞同4%的失业率会反映出一个国家经济很稳定。如今美国的失业率为9%。