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---
description: Aussie teens are having a way better time than other kids, according to the Global Youth Wellbeing Index, which looked at 30 countries
title: Global Youth Wellbeing: Australia Teens Have It the Best
image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt11b5bb8cdbde3b88/698688ed06f2c13b9a32e37e/451955513.jpg?branch=production&amp;width=3840&amp;quality=75&amp;auto=webp&amp;crop=16:9
---

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# The Top 5 Places to Be a Teen (Sorry Kids, the U.S. is #6)


by 

[David Stout](/author/david-stout/)


## David Stout


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Apr 4, 2014 5:56 AM CUT

![Australian Holiday Makers Celebrate 'Schoolies' Week In Bali](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt11b5bb8cdbde3b88/698688ed06f2c13b9a32e37e/451955513.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

Australian teenagers let their hair down in Bali—a popular destination for school breaks. Aussie teens are top of a newly released list of global youth wellbeing

Australian teenagers let their hair down in Bali—a popular destination for school breaks. Aussie teens are top of a newly released list of global youth wellbeingAgung Parameswara—Getty Images

by 

[David Stout](/author/david-stout/)


## David Stout


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Apr 4, 2014 5:56 AM CUT

Despite the never-ending stream of TV shows glorifying teen life in America, kids in the U.S. don’t have it the best, according to a [new study](http://www.youthindex.org/reports/globalyouthwellbeingindex.pdf "undefined").

In fact, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and the International Youth Foundation, said this week that Australia scored the highest on the “Global Youth Wellbeing Index” released this week.

The study vetted 30 countries in total and is based on a smattering of indicators including economic opportunity for youth and access to education, health, information and communications, safety and security.

Here are the top 5 rankings:

1. Australia
2. Sweden
3. South Korea
4. United Kingdom
5. Germany

The United States came in at no. 6, followed by Japan, Spain, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

The bottom five countries were India followed by four African nations: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Nigeria.

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