What this measures
Dimension: Social support
This indicator represents the percentage of the population who report having 5 or more close friends. A close friend is not a relative, but someone whom a person feels at ease with, that he or she can talk to about personal matters, and who can be called upon for help.
Why this matters
People with a larger number of strong friendships are better able to cope with stress, are more resilient to illness and disease, and report greater satisfaction with life.