Sri Lanka ranks 85th among the 132 countries on the Social Progress Index 2014, a measure of human wellbeing that goes beyond traditional economic measures such as GDP or per capita income, becoming the top performers for the region, a global index released Thursday 03rd April 2014.

New Zealand came first in a Social Progress index. New Zealand received high scores for personal rights and freedom, internet access and school enrolment. It was followed in the Top 10 by Switzerland, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Canada, Finland, Denmark and Australia.

India ranks 102nd and China ranks 90th among the 132 countries.

Of the BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — only India ranked lower than the 100th position on the list of the Social Progress Index 2014 compiled by US-based non-profit group Social Progress Imperative.

The basic human needs dimension comprisesparametres of nutrition and basic medical care, water and sanitation, shelter and personal safety.

The foundations of wellbeing includes parametres of access to basic knowledge, information and communications, health and wellness and ecosystem sustainability, while opportunity dimension includes personal rights, freedom and choice, tolerance and inclusion and access to education.

Last year the first Social Progress Index ranked 50 countries. This year, its ranking includes 132 countries around the world.