Gallup released its wellbeing survey for 2010 in which The United States did not make the top 10 countries; instead it landed in 12th place.

Denmark, Canada and Sweden accounted for the top 3 most thriving countries. Gallup classifies respondents’ wellbeing as “thriving,” “struggling,” or “suffering,” according to how they rate their current and future lives on a ladder scale with steps numbered from 0 to 10 based on the Cantril Self-Anchoring Striving Scale. People are considered thriving if they rate their current lives a 7 or higher and their lives in five years an 8 or higher.

Of the top 10 countries, 5 are in Europe, 2 are Asia-Pacific, 2 in the Americas, and Israel is the only country in the Middle East.

Results are based on face-to-face and telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted in 2010 in 124 countries.

The global wellbeing surveys in 2010 reveal that a median of 21% across 124 countries were “thriving” last year, based on how people rated their lives at the current time and their expectations for the next five years. This is unchanged from a median of 21% in 2009.

In your opinion, what will place the United States in the top 10 over the next 5 years?