Norway is the most highly developed country according to the UN's 12th annual Human Development Report, with Sierra Leone ranked as the least developed.

Click here to see the top 15 and bottom 15 countries

The report ranks countries by quality of life, based largely on life expectancy, education and personal incomes. How do the lives of ordinary citizens in the countries at the top and the bottom of the ladder compare?

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Lars Bevanger, Norwegian journalist

Norway is a great place to live - it's safe, clean and people don't have to work too hard.

There are strict labour laws and there is a strong emphasis within society on the quality of free time.

We have wide, open spaces to enjoy and traffic is no problem.

The provision of essential services is good - healthcare is affordable and mainly run by the state sector.

It's the same with education, most people opt for state education - hardly anyone uses the private sector.

There are good social security provisions and few people fall outside the system - there is a safety net for everyone.

Childcare, which is provided by the state, and maternity leave are among the best in Europe - the country is well-designed for young families.

Norway is one of the largest consuming nations in the world, particularly electronics - electricity is cheap because there is a lot of renewable energy.

However, some people do have complaints - taxes, for example, are high and the cost of food and drink is high. We don't go out much to restaurants.

Some people also argue that the government interferes too much in everyday life - that Norway is a "nanny" state.

But the priority for the government has always been to keep the state sector strong and to ensure that Norway is an equal society - that there is not too much of a gap between the rich and the poor.

There is a very democratic culture - a free and well-read press and active citizens' action groups.

Unlike many countries in Europe, we don't feel there is a separate political class.

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Josephine Hazeley, Sierra Leonean journalist

There is massive unemployment in Sierra Leone - most people eke out a meagre existence from working their land.

Hunger is rife, and around one in five people survive on less than a dollar a day.

In the provinces, electricity is virtually non-existent and many people cannot afford fuel, heating or proper housing.

Access to water is restricted. Most people rely on streams or wells, which are often a long way from their homes.

Healthcare is prohibitively expensive. And while the cost is starting to fall, most people will still be unable to afford it.

As a result, life expectancy stands at barely 39 years.

Access to other essential services, such as education, is improving. The years of civil war closed most of the schools.

The literacy rate is low and education is seen as a priority by President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. Little by little, people are beginning to send their children back to school.

There is a gulf between the rich and the poor. In the cities, the professional classes are relatively well-off.

Some can afford luxury items, such as cars, generators, and their children are privately educated.

There is a mood of optimism in the country. President Kabbah has pledged to improve the overall quality of life.

He has promised a stable economy, a network of roads, a more consistent supply of water and electricity and an improvement in essential services.

But, in the short-term, people are keenly waiting to see if he will make good on his promise to crack down on corruption, which has been one of the country's biggest setbacks for many years.

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Top 15 countries:

HDI rank 2002	Life expectancy (years)	Infant mortality (per 1,000 live births)	GDP per capita ($)	Adult literacy (%)
1 Norway	78.5	4	29,918	99%*
2 Sweden	79.7	3	24,277	99%*
3 Canada	78.8	6	27,840	99%*
4 Belgium	78.4	6	27,178	99%*
5 Australia	78.9	6	25,693	99%*
6 United States	77	7	34,142	99%*
7 Iceland	79.2	4	29,581	99%*
8 Netherlands	78.1	5	25,657	99%*
9 Japan	81	4	26,755	99%*
10 Finland	77.6	4	24,996	99%*
11 Switzerland	78.9	3	28,789	99%*
12 France	78.6	4	24,223	99%*
13 UK	77.7	4	23,509	99%*
14 Denmark	76.2	6	27,627	99%*
15 Austria	78.1	4	26,765	99%*

* For Human Development Index a value of 99% was applied

Bottom 15 countries:

HDI rank 2002	Life expectancy (years)	Infant mortality (per 1,000 live births)	GDP per capita ($)	Adult literacy (%)
159 Guinea	47.5	112	1,982	41
160 Gambia	46.2	92	1,649	36.6
161 Angola	45.2	172	2,187	42
162 Rwanda	40.2	100	943	66.8
163 Malawi	40	117	615	60.1
164 Mali	51.5	142	797	41.5
165 Central African Republic	44.3	115	1,172	46.7
166 Chad	45.7	118	871	42.6
167 Guinea Bissau	44.8	132	755	38.5
168 Ethiopia	43.9	117	668	39.1
169 Burkina Faso	46.7	105	976	23.9
170 Mozambique	39.3	126	854	44
171 Burundi	46.7	114	591	48
172 Niger	45.2	159	746	15.9
173 Sierra Leone	38.9	180	490	36

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