By: Kate Peregrina Credit: All images by Thrillist/Jennifer Bui The European Union has 28 member countries, and much like snowflakes, they're all special in their own way. You already know what each country is worst at. Well, every country excels at something, too -- and to that end, we found one thing every EU nation is the best at... even if it's having the most experience working with robots. Click here to see the full map, or on the stats to see the methodology. More: All 48 European Countries, Ranked by Food/Drink Austria: Lowest unemployment During the past year, Austria had the lowest unemployment rate at an average of 4.9%. Compare that to Greece's unemployment rate, which NASA is still trying to calculate. Belgium: Most recycling Originally, it looked like Belgium was going to reign as "Most Van Damme." But alas, Time Cop is pretty much Hollywood-only these days. Instead, Belgians ranked best at recycling packaged waste. They may not be burning their trash like the Swedes, but Belgians sure do know what to do with those boxes they get from Amazon. Bulgaria: Cheapest electricity Bulgaria is the place to be if you've got a roommate who never shuts off the lights after leaving the room. The only problem: it means you live in Bulgaria. Croatia: Least noisy housing Croatians get the most peace and quiet, with only 10% reporting they suffer from hearing noise at home. But what about houses with super creaky floors, eh, Croatia? What about that? Cyprus: Best at handling euro coins and notes A whopping 78% of Cypriots said they have no problem distinguishing and handling euro coins, and 91% said they could distinguish and handle euro notes. Which makes a ton of sense, seeing how big of a tax haven the country is. Cyprus is more than willing to help you handle your dough. Czech Republic: Best at drinking beer Out of all the things to be best at, the Czech Republic has the coolest bragging rights. Czechs have the highest per capita beer consumption in the world, at a yearly rate of 148.6 liters per capita. And all this in a country without sororities or fraternities. Denmark: Most dancing and singing Here's a sleeper statistic: 35% of Danes report having danced in the past 12 months, and 38% report having sung. If you were to lay odds on which countries did these most frequently, Greece would be a 2:1 favorite, Italy at 5:1, and Denmark would be 400:1. Thanks for being good at everything, Denmark. Estonia: Least wasteful Belgians might recycle more than anyone else, but the good people of Estonia are the least wasteful altogether. Just imagine Estonia as your neighbor who squirrels away old lawnmower parts, only to figure out how to get your broken down car running again with them in six months. Finland: Most tourists Finland: Tourism capital of Europe. It's true. Well, in terms of residents who actually go on trips, seeing how 88.5% of Finns have taken an overnight trip for personal tourism in the past 12 months. That's gotta be some kind of record. France: Lowest obesity rate It's hard to believe a country that was founded on soft cheese, baguettes, and surrendering could have the lowest obesity rates in Europe -- but it's true. Perhaps France just had eating well down to a science before junk food really came into the picture. Germany: Happiest with employment This is the least shocking "best" on this list. The most highly populated country in the EU, Germany, still manages to have enough jobs to go around. Germans = efficient. Greece: Lowest rate of tuberculosis Here are three things Greeks love: eating food their mothers made, talking smack about the Turks, and not having tuberculosis. The country has a rate of only 5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants. Hungary: Least illegal spending Everybody pays for things that don't get taxed sometimes, like when you pay a babysitter, buy from a lemonade stand, or decide it's easier to just hire henchmen and pay them in sacks of money with "$$$" printed on the side. Some countries do a lot of off the record economic activity (**cough** **cough** Italy), and others, such as Hungary, reportedly do very little. Ireland: Fewest divorces Ireland has the lowest divorce rate and also the highest fertility rate, keeping in motion its plan to never break the stereotype of the Irish-Catholic family with more kids than a goat farm. Head to Thrillist.com for the remaining EU countries and find out what they're best at! More from Thrillist: Europe's 10 Cheapest Major Cities Europeans Taste-Test America's Most White Trash Snacks Follow Thrillist on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Thrillist
 |
| READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.huffingtonpost.com |
