Berlin  - A major study of 30 nations has come to the surprising conclusion that it is not rich countries which are proving best at beating poverty, but the well-governed, democratic states.

Norway won first place in the study, the Sustainable Governance Indicators (SGI), published Tuesday by the Bertelsmann Stiftung in Germany, with other Scandinavian nations, New Zealand, Canada and the Netherlands near the top in most categories.

Not only were their democracies robust, but they also posted good results in employment, education and environmental protection.

Scholars said the key factor for success in coping with globalization was not economic prowess or social conditions, but whether a country was adept at the "art of governance."

Countries where all social groups had a voice in politics "clearly achieve more sustainable political outcomes," the report said.

"Among OECD member states, it is not primarily economic growth, but good government within a robust democracy that promotes social justice," said Wolfgang Merkel, a Berlin professor on the panel.

The study showed that among OECD members, wealthy, highly developed countries such as the United States or Japan did not exhibit higher levels of social justice than economically less developed nations such as Poland.

The project surveyed the 30 members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

In the findings, Italy, Poland and Greece ranked in the last five.

Internet: www. bertelsmann-stiftung. de (dpa)