For those who value their freedom of expression as much as health, wealth, and prosperity, then Finland is the place to be, with an index ranking the Nordic nation the best in the world. The 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index, published on Tuesday and compiled by the Legatum Institute, an independent policy, advocacy and advisory organization, ranked 104 countries. The index is based on a definition of prosperity that combines economic growth with the level of personal freedoms and democracy in a country as well as measures of happiness and quality of life. With the exception of Switzerland, at number 2, Nordic countries dominated the top 5 slots. The top 10 were all also Western nations, with Australia (6th place) and Canada (7th place) both beating the US, ranked 9th. Britain came in at number 12. In Asia, Japan was the region's highest ranked country at number 16, followed by Hong Kong (18th place) and Singapore (23rd place). And the world's least prosperous country? It is Zimbabwe, with Sudan and Yemen close runners
