最幸福的發達國家:澳大利亞連續第三年獲評大綱
A fading mining boom may be taking the gloss off Australia's resource-rich economy but the country has retained the title of happiest industrialized nation in the world.
礦業繁榮漸退或許讓澳大利亞這個資源豐富的經濟體少了些光彩，但全球最幸福發達國家的桂冠仍戴在這個國家的頭上。
That's according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's Better Life Index, which ranked the world's developed economies on criteria such as jobs, income, environment and health.
這是經濟合作與發展組織(Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development，簡稱OECD)幸福指數(Better Life Index)顯示的。該指數基於就業、收入、環境和健康等指標對發達經濟體進行排名。
Australia kept the top spot for the third year running, ahead of Sweden─also known for its high living standards and robust economy─and Canada, a rival resource-exporting nation that, like Australia, has reaped the benefits of increasing Asian demand for raw materials.
澳大利亞連續第三年榮膺最幸福國度的稱號，幸福指數高於以生活品質高和經濟強勁聞名的瑞典，也高於在資源出口方面與其競爭的加拿大。跟澳大利亞一樣，加拿大也因亞洲對原材料需求不斷增加而受益匪淺。
The upbeat outlook comes as policy makers in Australia try to rebalance the economy, the world's 12th largest, away from a heavy reliance on mining and energy exports toward growth in manufacturing, construction, and consumer spending.
眼下，澳大利亞決策者正努力在這個世界第12大經濟體實現再平衡，使其重心從對採礦和能源出口的嚴重依賴轉向製造、建築和消費支出領域的增長。
The OECD survey of 34 industrialized nations didn't award an overall top ranking. But if each of the 11 categories in the survey is given equal weight, Australia's cumulative rank rises to No. 1, according to the OECD website.
OECD幸福指數對34個發達國家展開調查，本身並沒有給出一個整體排名。但根據OECD網站顯示的數據，如果給被調查的11項每項以同樣的加權，那麼澳大利亞的綜合排名處在第一位。
'It's the quality of life that one can enjoy here,' said Gaurav Chawla, 27, a careers adviser who moved to Sydney from New Delhi seven years ago. 'It's more secure here, cleaner, less cars on the road and less pollution.'
七年前從新德里來到悉尼的職業發展顧問、27歲的喬拉(Gaurav Chawla)說，人們在這裏可以享受到高品質的生活，這裏給人更多安全感，更乾淨，路上的車較少，污染也較小。
Australia's high rank in the OECD index─based on data from the United Nations, individual governments and other sources─is largely due to its economy. The nation mostly sidestepped the economic woes afflicting much of the developed world after the financial crisis and has expanded for 21 years straight without a recession. Unemployment stood at 5.5% in April from 5.6% in March, compared with 12.1% in the euro zone.
OECD幸福指數以聯合國、各個國家和其它信息源的數據爲基礎。澳大利亞之所以幸福指數較高，主要得益於該國經濟。金融危機後，大部分發達國家陷入經濟困境，澳大利亞卻基本得以“倖免”，並且經濟連續21年實現擴張，沒有出現衰退。今年4月，澳大利亞失業率爲5.5%，低於3月的5.6%。歐元區國家的失業率爲12.1%。
'There is no one under the age of 40 now who has experienced a recession as an adult member of the workforce,' said Saul Eslake, an economist at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch in Sydney.
美銀美林(Bank of America-Merrill Lynch)駐悉尼經濟學家埃斯雷克(Saul Eslake)說，澳大利亞40歲以下的成年勞動者還沒有誰經歷過經濟衰退。
It isn't just current residents who see Australia's appeal. The government has so far attracted 170 applicants, believed to be mostly from China, to a new program to develop foreign investment by offering overseas millionaires the right of residency in return for a portion of their wealth. A record 5.7 million foreigners visited the country last year, led by tourists from the U.S. and China, even as the Australian dollar traded at close to 30 year highs.
認爲澳大利亞有吸引力的不僅僅是那裏的民衆。澳大利亞政府針對海外富豪的新移民計劃到目前爲止已吸引到了170名申請者，據信其中多爲中國人。澳大利亞利用該計劃發展外國投資，給移民至本國的富豪提供居留權，從而獲得他們的部分財富。在澳元漲至近30年高位之際，去年仍有創紀錄的570萬外國人來澳大利亞旅遊，其中主要是來自美國和中國的遊客。
There are weaknesses, though. Consumer confidence remains in the doldrums even after the central bank this month lowered interest rates to a record low 2.75%, adding to a string of rate-cuts since late 2011 designed to spur activity in weaker parts of the economy such as retail sales and housing. Households blame the poor mood on a rising cost of living, an unpopular government, and growing signs a long mining boom is nearing an end.
但澳大利亞經濟也存在弱點。即使澳大利亞央行本月將利率降至2.75%的歷史新低，但消費者信心依然低迷。自2011年末以來澳大利亞央行已經實施了一系列降息措施，旨在刺激零售和樓市等該國經濟中表現較弱的行業的活力。澳大利亞家庭則認爲信心低迷另有原因，包括生活成本上升，不得人心的政府，以及有越來越多的跡象表明持續已久的礦業熱潮正接近尾聲。
While the OECD survey found that Australians rank their life-satisfaction at 7.2 out of 10, higher than the average of 6.6, the reading is below levels recorded in Mexico, Norway and neighboring New Zealand.
雖然OECD的調查發現，澳大利亞人給其生活滿意度打出了7.2的分數（滿分爲10分），高於6.6的平均分，但還是低於墨西哥、挪威和鄰國新西蘭的水平。
Australia also ranks poorly in terms of work-life balance with more than 14% of employees working very long hours, well above the OECD average of 9%. And, somewhat surprisingly for a country famed for its beaches and barbecues, Aussies spend slightly less time on leisure activities and personal care─eating and sleeping─than their overseas peers.
而在工作生活的平衡方面，澳大利亞的排名也很低。該國有超過14%的員工工作時間很長，遠高於OECD調查顯示的9%的平均比例。同時，令人感到有些意外的是，對於一個因海灘和燒烤出名的國家來說，澳大利亞人花在休閒活動和個人護理（吃飯和睡覺）上的時間比其它國家的人略少。
The average household net wealth is estimated at US$32,178, well below the OECD average of US$40,516. The study finds a significant disparity in living standards, with the top 20% of Australia's population living off an estimated US$58,409 per year compared with US$10,323 for the bottom 20%.
澳大利亞平均家庭淨財富估計爲32,178美元，遠低於OECD調查顯示的40,516美元的平均水平。研究發現該國國民生活水平差距很大，該國最富裕的20%的人口一年的生活成本估計爲58,409美元。相比之下最貧窮的20%一年的生活成本僅爲10,323美元。
'The overall Australian way seems to be happy go lucky, but that's not always the case,' said Ivana Mrsic, 18, a music student from Botany Bay, a suburb in Sydney's south.
來自悉尼以南植物灣(Botany Bay)的18歲音樂專業學生米希克(Ivana Mrsic)說，澳大利亞人的生活給人的整體感覺似乎是無憂無慮的，但情況並非總是這樣。
Still, any pessimism in the Pacific nation of 23 million people could be overdone in the context of the economic hardship being endured elsewhere, said Bank of America-Merrill Lynch's Mr. Eslake.
美銀美林的埃斯雷克說，在世界其它國家正在經歷經濟困境時，人口爲2,300萬的太平洋國家澳大利亞表現出的任何悲觀情緒都可能會被誇大。'It's easy for us to lose sight here in Australia of how difficult economic conditions have been in other OECD countries,' he said.
他說，身在澳大利亞，你很容易忽略OECD其它成員國的經濟狀況已經變得多麼糟糕。
While locals complain of living costs, Australian households on average spend 19% of their disposable income on keeping a roof over their heads, below the OECD's average of 21%. And 85% of Australian respondents said they were in good health, well above the survey average of 69%.
雖然當地人抱怨生活成本上升，但澳大利亞家庭平均拿出19%的可支配收入用於維持必要的生活開支，這一比例低於OECD調查顯示的21%的平均水平。85%的澳大利亞受訪者表示，他們的健康狀況良好，這遠高於調查顯示的69%的平均水平。
The negatives in Australia are more than offset by the beach lifestyle and climate, said Geraldine Alvarez, 33, who moved to Sydney from the Philippines two decades ago.
33歲的阿爾瓦雷斯(Geraldine Alvarez)說，澳大利亞的種種負面問題被這裏的海灘生活方式和氣候遠遠抵消了。20年前阿爾瓦雷斯從菲律賓搬到悉尼。
'It's very relaxing and laid back,' she said.
阿爾瓦雷斯說，這裏非常放鬆悠閒。
The Top 10
10大幸福國家
The OECD's Better Life Index ranks the world's developed economies on quality-of-life criteria.
OECD的幸福指數按照生活質量標準對世界發達經濟體進行排名。
1. Australia
1.澳大利亞
2. Sweden
2.瑞典
3. Canada
3.加拿大
4. Norway
4.挪威
5. Switzerland
5.瑞士
6. United States
6.美國
7. Denmark
7.丹麥
8. The Netherlands
8.荷蘭
9. Iceland
9.冰島
10. United Kingdom
10.英國
