Australia rated 'happiest' country

CANBERRA, Australia, Oct. 7 (UPI) -- Australia is the world's happiest nation, an international survey says, based on factors including environment, quality of life and health.

Federal Tourism Minister Fran Bailey said Friday that more than 30,000 people across the globe had participated in the happiness survey by market research company Gfk NOP, The Australian reported.

She said an increasing number of international travelers were choosing Australia for holidays or business events. So far 3.5 million tourists visited the country this year, an increase of 7.6 percent over last year.

Earlier this week, the Economist Magazine ranked Melbourne as the second most livable city in the world after the Canadian city of Vancouver.