Netherlands is No. 8 Best Place to Live

The Netherlands ranks no. 8 in the Better Life Index rankings, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Amsterdam, Holland, NL
Claudio.Ar/flickr

The rankings are based on the quality of life in 36 most developed countries in the world. There were 11 categories including education, health, income, work-life balance, and safety.

The Netherlands did an excellent job in most of the categories. It follows Denmark (1st) in the work-life balance. It placed 4th in jobs and 6th in life satisfaction.  According to OECD, practically 75% of adults are working. This is 9% higher than the average employment rate in the OECD countries.

When it comes to education, the country is similar to other countries. However, Dutch students have better scores in literature, science, and math.

The country's environment and safety still requires development.  Air pollution in the country is evidently higher than the average in other OECD countries, which can influence the health of the people.  Crimes are fairly higher than the OECD average, but the crimes involved are minor ones.