The Conference Board of Canada's ranking of countries based on 16 indicators.

How, truly, do you measure a nation? Is the way a country supports its poor what makes it great? What about how it creates wealth, keeps its people safe or maintains democracy?

A true measurement takes into account all of these factors. The Conference Board of Canada recently compared 17 developed nations, gauging them by more than a dozen metrics* to get a well-rounded sense of each state. We know Canada as a fine place to live, but how does it stack up against the rest of the world? By the board's rankings, here are the 10 countries that offer the best quality of life.

* Full list of considered metrics: jobless youth rate, disabled income level, elderly poverty rate, child poverty rate, working-age poverty rate, income inequality, income mobility, gender income gap, voter turnout, confidence in parliament, homicide rate, burglary rate, life satisfaction, acceptance of diversity, social network support, suicide rate.

* Bing: What is the average salary in Canada?