Logging in Sweden: the Nordics mainly sell to northwestern Europe. Photo: Getty Images/Nordic Photos
Paying taxes
Tax revenue as proportion of GDP, 2010
1.Denmark: 48.2
2.Sweden: 45.8
3.Belgium: 43.8
15.Britain: 35.0
32.US: 24.8
Working for the state
Central government and public corporations, as percentage of labour force, 2008
1.Norway: 34.5
2.Denmark: 31.5
3.Russia: 30.6
15.Britain: 18.6
20.US: 14.6
Government spending as proportion of GDP, 2011
1.Denmark: 57.9
2.France: 56.1
3.Finland: 54.1
12.Britain: 49.1
27.US: 41.7
Democracy
Economist Intelligence Unit democracy index. Most democratic = 10, 2011
1.Norway: 9.80
2.Iceland: 9.65
3.Denmark: 9.52
18.Britain: 8.16
19.US: 8.11
Equality
Inequality-adjusted human development index, 2011
1.Norway: 89.0
2.Australia: 85.6
3.Sweden: 85.1
19.Britain: 79.1
23.US: 77.1
But not in murders…
Homicide rate per 100,000 inhabitants
109.US: 4.2
138.Finland: 2.2
176.Britain: 1.2
188.Sweden: 1.0
196.Denmark: 0.9
207.Norway: 0.6
212.Iceland: 0.3
Source: all data from The Economist Pocket World in Figures 2013, except for homicides: UN Office on Drugs and Crime