- US News & World Report has released its fifth annual Best Countries list, which ranks 73 countries based on global perceptions.
- US News partnered with BAV Group and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School to evaluate each country on 65 attributes grouped into nine subrankings. Over 20,000 people hailing from 36 countries were surveyed.
- Entrepreneurship and Quality of Life carried the most weight when determining rankings.
- Ten out of the top 17 countries are in Europe. Switzerland placed No. 1 for the fourth year in a row, and the UK dropped out of the top five for the first time. Four Nordic countries made the cut.
- Canada replaced Japan in the No. 2 spot – good news for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle!
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
For the fifth year in a row, US News & World Report has released their ranking of the best countries in world. For 2020, US News ranked 73 countries based on global perceptions. In partnership with BAV Group and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, US News surveyed over 20,000 people across the globe and evaluated countries on 65 metrics. To secure a place on this year’s list, countries had to rank among the top 150 countries in the world in the 2017 U.N. Human Development Index as well as among the top 100 countries in terms of GDP, foreign direct investment inflows, and international tourism receipts, according to 2017 World Bank data. Countries that did not meet these four criteria or that didn’t report this data were excluded. US News sent its survey to participants that would be “broadly representative of the global population.” Those that participated hailed from 36 countries across the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The 65 metrics on which countries were evaluated were grouped into nine subrankings: adventure, citizenship, cultural influence, entrepreneurship, heritage, movers, open for business, power, and quality of life. Each subranking carried a different weight in contributing to the final ranking, with Entrepreneurship and Quality of Life yielding the most influence – 17.87% and 16.77%, respectively. Here, in ascending order, are the top 17 countries:
17. Italy
Highlights: Widespread cultural influence; steeped in history; huge tourism industry; economy experiencing notable growth in northern Italy
Highest subranking: Heritage (No. 1 out of 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 18 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
16. Singapore
Highlights: Known for its safety and security; one of the world's wealthiest nations; home to one of the world's busiest ports; low unemployment; booming electronics and pharmaceutical sectors
Highest subranking: Open for Business (No. 5 out of 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 15 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
15. China
Highlights: Largest population in the world; world's second largest economy and one of the fastest growing; economic growth has reduced the number of people living in poverty
Highest subrankings: Power (No. 3 out of 73) and Movers (No. 3 out of 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 16 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
14. Finland
Highlights: International leader in education; ranks highly with regard to overall quality of life, civil rights, and freedom of press; first country to legalize universal suffrage; international trade makes up one-third of its GDP
Highest subranking: Citizenship (No. 6 out of 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 14 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
13. Denmark
Highlights: Government perceived as stable, transparent, and progressive; universal health care system; free higher education; high social mobility
Highest subranking: Quality of Life (No. 2 out of 80)
2019 overall ranking: No. 13 out 73
Source: US News & World Report
12. France
Highlights: Widespread cultural influence; wealthy, high-income nation; one of the world's largest economies; large tourism sector
Highest subranking: Cultural Influence (No. 2 out of 80)
2019 overall ranking: No. 10 out of 73
Source: US News & World Report
11. New Zealand
Highlights: Nuclear free zone; birthplace of many famous figures, including the first man to summit Everest; large investment in education; uninhabited wilds are ideal for outdoor exploration
Highest subranking: Adventure (No. 7 out of 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 12 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
10. Norway
Highlights: Wealthy nation; one of the world's leading petroleum exporters; higher education is by and large free; rich literary tradition
Highest subranking: Citizenship (No. 3 out 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 9 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
9. Netherlands
Highlights: Reputation as a tolerant society; first country to legalize same-sex marriage; world's highest concentration of museums; 20,000 miles of bike paths encourage an active life; leading exporter of agriculture
Highest subranking: Citizenship (No. 4 out of 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 11 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
8. Sweden
Highlights: Committed to sustainability, human rights, and public service; equal wealth distribution; free healthcare and college education
Highest subranking: Citizenship (No. 1 out of 73)
2019 ranking: No. 6 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
7. United States
Highlights: World's most dominant power, economically and politically; widespread cultural influence; home to top universities
Highest subranking: Power (No. 1 out of 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 8 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
6. United Kingdom
Highlights: Large banking and tourism industries; London a major international finance center; major contributions to the arts and sciences
Highest subranking: Entrepreneurship (No. 4 out of 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 5 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
5. Australia
Highlights: High life expectancy; major cities score high in livability; wealthy nation; progressive legislation with regard to same-sex marriage and the environment
Highest subranking: Quality of Life (No. 5 out 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 7 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
4. Germany
Highlights: Skilled and affluent workforce; one of the world's largest economies; thriving telecommunications, health care, and tourism sectors; leader in imports and exports; birthplace of many notable cultural figures
Highest subranking: Entrepreneurship (No. 1 out of 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 4 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
3. Japan
Highlights: Highly literate and technologically advanced; third-largest economy in the world; one of the world's largest producers of automobiles and electronics
Highest subranking: Entrepreneurship (No. 2 out of 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 2 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
2. Canada
Highlights: National policy of multiculturalism; high standard of living; hi-tech industrial economy; world's fifth-largest oil producer
Highest subranking: Quality of Life (No. 1 out of 73)
2019 overall ranking: No. 3 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
1. Switzerland
Highlights: One of the world's wealthiest countries; strong economy with low corporate tax rates; political neutrality; diverse cultural makeup; high number of Nobel Prize winners and registered patents
Highest subranking: Open for Business (No. 2 out of 73) 2019 overall ranking: No. 1 out of 80
Source: US News & World Report
