Japan is No. 2, while the United States hits its highest ranking ever and Denmark steps into the top 10.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 10, 2024 -- For the third consecutive year, Switzerland tops the overall list of the world's Best Countries, a rankings and analysis project by U.S. News & World Report and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Now in its ninth year, the 2024 Best Countries analysis evaluates 89 nations across 73 different attributes. Attributes are grouped into 10 subrankings, ranging from entrepreneurship and quality of life to adventure and heritage. The subranking of movers - which includes factors relating to a country's future growth - is the most heavily weighted subranking this year.
"Amid shifting global dynamics and heightened geopolitical awareness, the 2024 Best Countries rankings provide a comprehensive snapshot of how nations are perceived on the world stage," said U.S. News Executive Chairman & CEO Eric Gertler. "The report sheds light on a country's potential for economic, political and cultural success and can serve as a strategic decision-making tool for citizens, business leaders and governments to better evaluate their countries."
This is the seventh time Switzerland has earned the No. 1 spot, a position it held every year from 2017 to 2020. Switzerland performed particularly well in the subrankings for open for business, quality of life and entrepreneurship. Japan rose four spots to claim No. 2, with modest gains in the movers, open for business and adventure subrankings.
With a notable increase in the open for business subranking, the United States climbed two spots to No. 3, marking its best performance in the history of the Best Countries rankings. The country notably ranked No. 20 in the movers subranking, marking another historically high performance. Rounding out the top 5 Best Countries are Canada at No. 4 and Australia at No. 5. Denmark rejoins the top 10 after a year's hiatus, jumping three spots from 2023.
Key themes from the 2024 Best Countries Survey and Report:
- Elections in the United States shape global outcomes. Eighty-six percent of respondents agreed with the statement, "Elections in the United States impact the rest of the world." Meanwhile, close to half of global respondents agreed to some extent that Donald Trump would have a negative impact on the world if elected as the next U.S. president. About 34% agreed he would have a positive impact. Note: Kamala Harris was not the Democratic candidate when the survey was fielded so no comparable data for Harris is available for this metric.
- Global support for Ukraine has waned. Respondents were generally favorable toward their own country's support of Ukraine in its defense against Russia in 2022, with 72% agreeing to some extent with the statement, "My country should be supportive of Ukraine in their defense against Russia." However, in 2023, that support fell to 67%, and in 2024 was at less than 66%.
- Global optimism on artificial intelligence varies between Western and Eastern countries. More than 80% of survey respondents in China, Vietnam and Thailand agreed to some extent with the statement that the benefits of artificial intelligence outweigh the threats, while many Western nations were more cynical about AI.
- Global support for immigration continues to tick down. Fifty-seven percent of respondents – down from 59% in 2023 – agreed to some extent with the statement, "My country should be more open to immigration."
- International support for gender equality remains strong, despite generational gaps. Eighty-nine percent of respondents believe that women should have the same rights as men, slightly down from about 90% in 2023. Agreement also varies by age, with more than 84% of respondents ages 18 to 35 supporting gender equality, compared with more than 94% of respondents ages 46 and older.
- Perception of the global economy is improving. Seventy-seven percent of respondents agreed to some extent with the statement, "The global economy is in decline," compared with 80% in 2023 and 82.5% in 2022.
The 2024 Best Countries rankings methodology is based on a proprietary survey of nearly 17,000 global citizens from 36 countries, including business leaders, college-educated individuals who are middle-class or higher, and general citizens who are nationally representative of their country. The survey was administered from March 22 through May 23, 2024.
"The Best Countries report speaks to the value of having a strong global image as nations compete for foreign trade, tourists and socioeconomic influence," said David Reibstein, professor of marketing at the Wharton School. "The Best Countries ranking is more than a beauty contest. Global leaders need to realize that how their countries are viewed affects their economies through tourism, foreign direct investment and foreign trade, all critical components of their GDP."
The Best Countries rankings are part of U.S. News' Government Rankings initiative, which measures government performance at the international, state and local levels and includes the Best States and Healthiest Communities projects.
2024 Best Countries Rankings
See the full rankings here.
Overall
1. Switzerland
2. Japan
3. United States
4. Canada
5. Australia
6. Sweden
7. Germany
8. United Kingdom
9. New Zealand
10. Denmark
Quality of Life
1. Denmark
2. Sweden
3. Switzerland
Adventure
1. Brazil
2. Italy
3. Greece
Movers
1. United Arab Emirates
2. China
3. Qatar
Heritage
1. Greece
2. Italy
3. Spain
Racial Equity
1. Denmark
2. Finland
3. New Zealand
Green Living
1. Sweden
2. Finland
3. Switzerland
For more information on the 2024 Best Countries, follow coverage on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter) using #BestCountries.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower consumers, business leaders and policy officials to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives and communities. A multifaceted digital media company with Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars, News, Real Estate and 360 Reviews platforms, U.S. News provides rankings, independent reporting, data journalism, consumer advice and U.S. News Live events. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
About the Wharton School
Founded in 1881 as the world's first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is shaping the future of business by incubating ideas, driving insights, and creating leaders who change the world. With a faculty of more than 235 renowned professors, Wharton has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students. Each year 13,000 professionals from around the world advance their careers through Wharton Executive Education's individual, company-customized, and online programs. More than 104,000 Wharton alumni form a powerful global network of leaders who transform business every day. For more information, visit www.wharton.upenn.edu.
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