The Intergenerational Solidarity Index is a measure of how much different nations provide for the wellbeing of future generations. The index has been developed by Jamie McQuilkin and was first published in 2018 in the peer-reviewed journal Intergenerational Justice Review. In 2020, a significantly revised and updated version of the index was published in Roman Krznaric’s book The Good Ancestor along with analysis by McQuilkin and Krznaric.

The index is made up of ten indicators of environmental, social and economic solidarity and covers 122 nations and over 91% of the world’s population. Each country is given a score ranging from 1 (low intergenerational solidarity) to 100 (high intergenerational solidarity).

These pages provide an overview of how different countries perform on the index, the relationship between the index and variables such as democratisation and state fragility, the methodology behind its construction, and links to download the data.

A Global Map of Intergenerational Solidarity

The following chart illustrates global patterns of intergenerational solidarity in the latest index.

Intergenerational Solidarity Country Rankings

The table below provides individual country scores and rankings, together with the underlying data used to calculate the index. To make the index, scores from all ten indicators are transformed into a score ranging from 1 to 100 and then averaged together. Details of the method and reasoning for this can be found on the method page.

Country	Rank	Intergenerational Solidarity Index	Annual forest cover change (%)	Carbon footprint intensity ($ GDP (PPP) per GHa)	Renewable and nuclear (% of energy consumption)	Wealth inequality Gini coefficient	Current account balance (%GDP)	Adjusted Net Savings (%GNI)	Primary pupil: teacher ratio	Child mortality, per 1000	Predicted birth rate per woman; adjusted for child mortality	Fossil hydrocarbon production (Mj/capita)
Iceland	1	85.7	2.72	17800	83.1	73.1	4.67	12.9	10	2.18	1.82	0
Sweden	2	81.1	0.148	15000	67.2	86.5	3.39	18.4	12	2.86	1.86	0
Nepal	3	77.9	0	12500	40.5	69.9	2.46	37.3	23.2	36.6	2.03	11.3
Switzerland	4	77	0.304	17800	51.5	74.1	9.21	17.2	10.2	4.32	1.53	0
Denmark	5	76.3	1.03	14300	26.1	83.6	7.74	17.4	10.7	4.22	1.72	93900
Hungary	6	76.2	0.223	13500	22.9	66.2	2.7	11.8	10.8	5.08	1.45	17800
France	7	75.5	0.67	15400	48.1	68.7	-0.7	8.47	18.2	4.12	1.95	605
Costa Rica	8	74.7	1.11	14600	48.4	76.9	-3.33	14.5	12.8	9.12	1.79	0
Belgium	9	74.7	0.0644	11600	21	65.9	-0.614	9.94	11.2	4	1.71	0
Uruguay	10	74.5	1.25	16100	46.5	74.1	-0.647	10.3	11.6	8.82	1.98	0
Ireland	11	73.6	0.759	21700	11.8	83	6.16	15.8	15.7	3.82	1.85	11200
Austria	12	73.2	0.0557	13100	36.3	76.4	2.18	13	10.5	3.72	1.48	10100
Slovenia	13	72.5	0.02	10700	26.8	64.6	5.12	7.79	16.1	2.48	1.57	19800
Spain	14	72.2	0.198	16300	27.7	69.7	1.45	7.42	13.1	3.3	1.32	1500
Sri Lanka	15	72.2	-0.318	21700	16.8	68.7	-2.55	25.3	23.3	8.84	2.19	0
Finland	16	72	-0.00132	10700	47.5	76.7	-1.08	7.63	13.3	2.2	1.63	0
Croatia	17	71.8	0.0208	11700	14.3	63.1	3.27	9.95	13.7	4.9	1.42	19400
Netherlands	18	71.5	0.178	13500	5.63	73.6	8.91	15.5	11.7	4.04	1.67	125000
Bulgaria	19	71.3	0.452	10100	27.3	64.7	2.33	11.5	17.7	8.24	1.51	32700
Belarus	20	70.8	0.223	8020	1.72	61.4	-3.09	21.3	17.3	4.04	1.67	7360
Vietnam	21	70	0.881	7490	21.5	70.8	2.85	15.2	19.3	21.8	1.97	23400
New Zealand	22	70	0.00197	11800	37.5	70.8	-2.93	12.8	14.6	5.94	1.91	80300
Italy	23	69.9	0.582	14600	18.3	68.9	2.17	4.46	11.8	3.44	1.35	7750
Luxembourg	24	69.9	0	10500	12.5	66.3	5.03	17.7	8.27	2.64	1.46	0
China	25	69.8	0.746	6080	10.2	71.4	1.76	21.4	16.5	10.8	1.65	74800
Norway	26	67.8	0.0231	19700	68.3	79.1	7.34	19.2	8.92	2.74	1.73	1650000
Slovak Republic	27	67.5	0.0136	11100	29.3	49.8	-1.43	4.92	15.2	6.06	1.41	5010
Germany	28	67.3	-0.0284	15100	10.7	81.6	7.87	13.5	12.1	3.86	1.5	28100
Japan	29	67	-0.00668	11900	8.86	63.1	3.1	5.54	16.3	2.8	1.43	1450
Czech Republic	30	66.8	0.0802	10200	17.2	75.8	0.764	8.29	18.9	3.16	1.56	71800
Macedonia, FYR	31	66.3	0	7800	13.5	65.5	-1.33	11.9	15	11.7	1.49	18300
Korea, Rep.	32	66	-0.184	8610	12.8	67	6.01	19.1	16.6	3.5	1.17	1170
Latvia	33	64.5	0.0183	14000	12.5	78.8	-0.509	3.16	11.2	5.04	1.66	0
Albania	34	63.9	-0.124	13000	53.2	62.9	-8.24	7.1	18.6	9.72	1.65	16900
Israel	35	63.9	1.35	9550	0.000812	76.6	3.75	15.9	12.1	3.92	3.07	36800
Azerbaijan	36	63.7	2.36	14200	1.01	64.3	5.31	14.6	13.8	26.5	1.89	268000
Greece	37	63.6	0.751	11000	13.5	68.2	-1.73	-5.3	9.46	4.5	1.33	22000
Malaysia	38	63.5	0.064	11500	4.39	82	2.97	11.3	11.6	7.98	2.04	134000
Romania	39	63.4	1.03	16100	26.2	72.8	-2.34	5.63	19.1	9.22	1.56	39200
Poland	40	63.2	0.228	10500	0.703	72.2	-0.724	10.1	10.4	4.88	1.34	66700
Singapore	41	63	-0.142	18800	0.461	75.8	17.4	36.4	15.1	2.72	1.2	0
Portugal	42	62.8	-0.36	14100	26.8	73.6	0.132	2.04	13.1	3.7	1.29	0
Bangladesh	43	62.7	-0.182	13200	0.661	67.1	-0.597	25.9	33.3	36.2	2.05	6770
Estonia	44	62	-0.528	9760	1.46	71.1	1.93	13.6	11.4	3.2	1.56	0
United Kingdom	45	61.3	0.544	14200	17	74.7	-4.46	4.56	17	4.46	1.8	59500
Chile	46	60.8	1.73	12100	21.1	77.3	-2.15	5.11	18.6	7.88	1.74	6360
Jamaica	47	60.5	-0.113	14000	3.77	78.8	-3.39	12.9	22.1	15.9	2	0
Georgia	48	59.3	0	11900	19.3	67.8	-10.6	9.15	9.01	10.6	2.02	2020
Peru	49	58.9	-0.226	19200	23.2	79.5	-3.01	9.41	18	16.2	2.29	29100
Australia	50	58.4	0.222	9660	5.42	65.8	-3.06	6.48	15.4	3.9	1.8	666000
Thailand	51	58.4	0.183	11600	4.16	90.2	8.28	12.2	16.3	10.5	1.52	37700
Philippines	52	58	3.08	19900	13.9	82.6	0.561	28.2	30.2	30.1	2.72	3780
Myanmar	53	57.6	-1.84	38600	21.9	58.2	-4.11	25.1	24.2	51.7	2.09	13200
Brazil	54	56.7	-0.199	17700	36.6	82.3	-1.93	6.79	20.8	15.9	1.72	31800
Canada	55	56.4	-0.0134	8510	34.3	72.6	-2.93	7.01	16.6	5.28	1.55	467000
Ecuador	56	56.2	-0.624	14800	19.2	77.6	-0.683	11.6	24.5	15.2	2.46	78300
Morocco	57	55.4	-0.142	12200	7.27	80.2	-4.19	20	26.4	25.6	2.45	115
Tajikistan	58	54.5	0.264	14000	30.4	64.6	-3.31	2.43	22.4	37.8	3.48	3210
Brunei Darussalam	59	53.4	0	18200	0.138	78.6	16.9	37.4	10.2	10.8	1.92	1780000
Russian Federation	60	52.7	-0.00503	6790	7.91	87.5	3.71	8.23	20.1	8.52	1.74	402000
Colombia	61	52.5	-0.0456	18900	26.6	80.7	-4.6	3.48	24.3	15.7	1.83	105000
United States	62	52.5	0.0888	9860	16.9	85.2	-2.25	6.64	14.5	6.8	1.82	222000
Madagascar	63	51.9	-0.128	20700	15.9	70.2	-0.733	5.95	40.8	58.1	4	0
Turkey	64	51.6	0.882	13400	13.6	87.1	-4.27	11.8	19.2	12.7	2.07	9820
Fiji	65	51.1	0.48	11800	9.23	69.4	-5.73	9.07	19.7	24.7	2.72	0
Ukraine	66	50.8	0.227	5690	21.1	95.5	-1.71	-0.391	13.7	9.54	1.46	41300
Panama	67	50.8	-0.354	23200	16	79.5	-9.21	25.8	21.9	16.9	2.49	0
India	68	50.7	0.253	10900	8.94	85.4	-1.36	19.4	32.6	43.8	2.2	11200
Swaziland	69	50.2	0.791	12500	29.8	77.6	15.6	9.8	27.7	63.9	2.88	4040
Jordan	70	49.3	0	8440	1.29	67.7	-8.58	8.02	18.8	17.7	3.02	488
Mexico	71	49	-0.139	12100	7.21	80	-2.05	6.13	27.1	14.7	2.18	62600
Indonesia	72	48.5	-0.746	18200	3.99	84	-2.3	11.5	15.7	28	2.32	57700
Mauritius	73	48.1	0.104	10700	7.62	64	-4.66	-5.87	18.6	14.5	1.39	0
El Salvador	74	47.2	-1.63	10200	28.8	75.9	-3.5	5.3	28.7	15.4	2.07	0
Honduras	75	47	-2.55	10300	24.2	80.4	-4.07	15.7	27.7	19.5	2.54	0
Botswana	76	45.6	-0.934	9160	10.2	78.3	5.56	26.1	22.6	40.6	2.84	20700
Cyprus	77	45.5	-0.0162	16000	3.44	89.8	-5.19	2.39	13	2.74	1.35	0
Ethiopia	78	44.4	0.326	18900	39.5	61.2	-9.97	7.45	54.5	63.8	4.27	0
Tunisia	79	44.4	0.99	11000	1.29	68.3	-9.64	-5.98	16.5	17.2	2.2	14800
Cambodia	80	44.4	-1.33	13200	19.1	70.4	-8.94	11.5	44.3	32.2	2.52	0
Burundi	81	43.5	1.7	20300	39.6	65.4	-12.4	-19.3	46.2	67.5	5.31	0
Bolivia	82	41.9	-0.525	9730	8.4	77.9	-3.94	3.24	18.2	31	2.8	84100
Kazakhstan	83	40.6	0	5580	0.894	95.2	-1.92	7.37	17.8	12.2	2.68	450000
Kenya	84	40.5	0.836	14300	26	73.2	-7.2	-1.17	31	46.4	3.6	0
Qatar	85	39.7		9760	0.00802	61.5	7.91	28.1	11.2	7.8	1.91	4200000
Lesotho	86	39.6	2.09	6510	21.3	79.5	-5.49	10.8	33	90.3	2.92	0
Senegal	87	38.1	-0.481	20300	2	70.5	-5.88	10.5	32.2	50.4	4.59	139
Rwanda	88	38	1.44	24700	18.2	72.8	-11.7	-4.98	58.5	41.7	3.99	0
Kuwait	89	37.9	0	11100	0.0225	80.9	12.9	19.2	8.8	8.62	2.07	1860000
Bahrain	90	36.7	2.13	7040	0.00808	76.4	-1.75	14.2	11.9	7.56	2.04	525000
South Africa	91	36.3	0	6440	2.89	80.6	-3.74	0.343	31.7	38.1	2.39	108000
Belize	92	35.9	-0.366	3690	19.2	81.5	-8.41	-0.137	21.1	15.3	2.4	13300
Algeria	93	34.6	0.39	12100	0.499	75.8	-12.5	22.1	23.8	21.9	2.96	178000
Niger	94	34.4	-1.07	11600	7.29	66	-16.9	6.17	36.3	94.6	6.48	2090
Tanzania	95	33.9	-0.801	19100	11.6	65	-6.7	21	43.9	59.1	4.78	1170
Lao PDR	96	33.8	1.02	39300	55.7	79.7	-10.9	-7.31	24	53.8	2.65	21800
Malawi	97	33.7	-0.569	16700	49.5	73.3	-16.6	-15.5	70.5	59.8	4.27	92.5
Saudi Arabia	98	33.5	0	11300	0	81	1.59	15.8	11	8.62	2.49	946000
Afghanistan	99	33.3	0	12300	17.3	64.4	-20.2	2.94	44.7	70.6	4.63	1160
Ghana	100	32.4	0.305	10500	27.4	68.2	-5.29	-3.64	30.2	54.9	3.82	9700
Uganda	101	32.4	-6.16	20300	28.8	71.4	-6.52	-7.13	43.5	55.2	5.1	0
Mozambique	102	31.6	-0.541	6240	56.5	70	-32.1	-8.97	54.1	82.3	4.64	16500
Egypt, Arab Rep.	103	31.1	0.829	14900	3.96	90.9	-3.83	2.75	23.4	23.7	3.33	37600
Zimbabwe	104	30.8	-2.18	7430	26	70.7	-6.4	-21.3	36.4	54.8	3.67	7150
Kyrgyz Republic	105	30.3	-1.24	5240	20.3	67.3	-12.1	-2.51	25.2	22.3	3.05	5350
Pakistan	106	30	-2.84	13700	13.8	65	-3.35	14	45.6	76	3.38	7710
Mongolia	107	28.1	-0.769	2810	2.67	65.9	-11	-0.867	28.6	18.7	2.85	296000
Liberia	108	26.9	-0.713	9580	0.632	70.9	-10.2	-82	28	79.1	4.18	0
Burkina Faso	109	23.6	-1.11	13600	5.39	67.4	-7.77	-3.92	43	87.2	4.96	0
Sierra Leone	110	22.3	2.14	15800	3.6	67.1	-13	-21	36.3	123	4.01	0
Togo	111	21.6	-9.71	5690	13.9	71.9	-8.24	-6.36	41.1	76.9	4.17	0
Cote d'Ivoire	112	20.7	-0.00385	13800	8.07	73.8	-0.772	17.1	42.1	90.1	4.38	7450
Lebanon	113	19.8	0.0583	5790	2.4	88.9	-21.7	-14.6	12.3	8.32	2.08	0
Oman	114	19.3	0	8350	0.0122	78.8	-10.1	-12.7	10.1	11.3	2.89	795000
Zambia	115	18.4	-0.341	17200	72.5	78.7	-2.96	10.3	43.4	64.7	4.6	252
Mali	116	15.2	-1.65	15900	25	68.2	-6.29	-3.87	40.8	109	5.47	0
Cameroon	117	15.2	-1.16	17400	31.8	72.5	-3.42	3.47	43.3	86.1	4.37	8840
Mauritania	118	14.8	-1.54	4140	6.34	66.7	-19.1	-9.24	35.5	83.5	4.34	2800
Nigeria	119	14.3	-5.57	26400	4.05	89.4	0.0888	1.82	41.8	125	4.89	36400
Angola	120	13.9	-0.215	13800	13.7	71.5	-1.6	-15.9	50	88.8	5.26	145000
Guinea	121	10.1	-0.563	12400	11.3	71.6	-10.2	-23	45.6	107	4.41	0
Benin	122	9.31	-1.15	6130	5.31	68.9	-9.39	0.843	44	99.9	4.54	0

It is striking that the highest scoring nations, such as Iceland, Nepal, Costa Rica and Uruguay, come from a wide range of regions and income levels. While wealthy OECD countries occupy many of the top spots, some are far down the rankings: Germany is ranked 28^th, with the UK 45^th and the US 62^nd. Nordic countries perform well as do some countries with broadly Confucian values such as China and Vietnam. Some connections with political variables are explored in greater detail on the correlations page.