I love WorldData.info. Solid facts are laid out in clear sight, like a landscape uncovered by snow. No little hands waving in front of your eyes, no ALL CAPS, no strident voices distracting you from what is.
I’m loving what is.

Take WorldData’s five pages of Canada vs. United States comparisons. The differences are stark.
Canada has more land than the US, but fewer people ― 299 million fewer, with 4.1 inhabitants per square km, compared to 35.7 in the US. But then with our elbows up, we need the space.
We expect to live more years, on average (80 vs. 76 for males, 84 vs. 81 for females).
But how does the quality of those years compare? The two countries rank exactly the same on the cost of living (33), on a scale of 0 (bad) to 100 (very good).

My ears prick up. How can that be, considering the exchange rate and average income levels that constantly disadvantage Canadians? And considering that our unemployment rate is 6.5% compared to 4.1% in the US, presumably measured before the US government shutdown. (Most WorldData.info data are based on the previous calendar year.)

Canada looks good on other economic measures. The inflation rate is 2.4% compared to 3% in the US, and our federal government debt at ‘‘only’’ 52% of our GDP compared to 102.69% in the US.
Canada scores higher on political stability (86 compared to 71), civil rights (94 vs. 82), health (76 vs. 75), and popularity (89 vs. 77).

On this point, I have to pause again, glimpsing little hands waving. What in the world does ‘‘popularity’’ mean?
WorldData.info calculates popularity on a mix of several factors. The migration rate for Canada is 8.93% compared to 3.78% for the US, meaning that more people immigrate into Canada per 100 inhabitants, compared to refugees fleeing. Also considered are the number of foreign tourists, and the United Nations’ World Happiness report.

That pretty much explains why Americans abroad have been caught wearing the Maple Leaf on their backpacks. And why my American relatives sometimes ask if I could take them in. Yes, despite its many shortcomings, Canada is pretty popular.
It’s so easy to be complacent, if not downright self-satisfied. But loving what is ― that means loving truth, both the easy and the hard truths. What to do about the hard ones? That’s what keeps me awake at night.

Rachel writes from the old hamlet of Maple Leaf, in Newport (rawrites@gmail.com).