Dominica, an upper middle-income country, outperforms Vanuatu, a least developed country, in terms of income per capita and ranking on the Human Development Index. Vanuatu has much lower poverty and unemployment rates, as well as a strong traditional social safety net system, and has consistently ranked high in the Happy Planet Index Score. Both countries gained independence from the United Kingdom around the same time and they also have similar systems of government based on a unicameral parliament.