Which are the Top 10 Best Countries According to US News and World Report?

The US News and World Report have collaboratively announced the best countries of the world and Switzerland has once again topped the list. 

These countries are ranked by taking over 70 factors into consideration. The rankings follow Canada at the second spot with India at 30th position having the highest scores in the categories of Heritage and Movers. 

Here are the 10 countries that have made it through all the rigorous attributes: 

Source: US News 

How Are These Rankings Calculated?

The US News states that these rankings are calculated on the basis of 73 country attributes. These attributes are developed and organised by a marketing and communications services company WPP, BAV brand analytics tool and Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. 

The US News special mentions Professor David Reibstein who had a major role in creating the attributes. 

These attributes were then presented in a survey of 17,000 people across the globe from 17 March 2023 to 12 June 2023.

Participants were asked to indicate whether they associated each attribute with a particular country or not. 

The higher the country scored on an attribute, the more likely that country was perceived to exemplify the characteristic. 

These 73 attributes were further converted to a general scale so that all the countries can be compared. 

Further, the attributes were grouped into 10 thematic subcategories which are: 

• Adventure
• Agility
• Cultural Influence
• Entrepreneurship 
• Heritage
• Movers
• Open for Business
• Power
• Quality of Life 
• Social Purpose 

The subranking score for each country was then determined by averaging the scores that the country received in each of the attributes.

1. Switzerland

With a GDP of 808 billion, Switzerland scored fairly high in many categories in comparison to other countries. 

The country has quite a low unemployment rate, a strong economy and a skilled labour force. 

According to the CIA World Factbook, Switzerland has the 19th highest gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in the world. The country's economy is powered by a number of factors, including:

• Low corporate tax rates: Switzerland carries some of the lowest corporate tax rates in the world, which makes the country an attraction point to businesses.
• Highly developed service sector: The service sector accounts for the majority of Switzerland's GDP. This sector includes the backbones of the country such as financial services, tourism, and healthcare.
• High-tech manufacturing industry: Switzerland is also a leading producer of precision instruments, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals. This increases the employment opportunities.

Further, the country has been neutral during the World Wars which makes it an amazing headquarters location for various international organisations such as the UN, International Committee of the Red Cross and World Bank. 

2. Canada

Stepping up from rank 3 to rank 2, Canada is known for its high-tech industrial society. The US News mentions that the trade with the US 1980s and 1990s has given the country a high standard of living and the countries are now each other’s biggest trade partners. 

The country’s main driver is its service sector and it is also a significant exporter of food and minerals. 

3. Sweden

One of the largest countries of the European Union by land mass, Sweden has grabbed the third spot in being the best country in the world due to its neutrality during times of war. 

The US News mentions that the country follows a similar model to that of Nordic nations under which the countries have high capitals and use large amounts of money for public services. 

The country sure has higher taxes but they are gradually declining. Sweden has easy access to advanced infrastructure and transportation networks along with free healthcare and college education. 

The Swedes are known to be quite generous as well. According to the US News, “Swedes are some of the world’s most generous people, donating about 1 percent of gross national product to humanitarian aid programs each year.”

4. Australia

Australia is known as a wealthy nation that has a market-based economy with a high GDP per capita income. 

The country has scored the fourth spot due to high agility among the people. The country has a high rate of participation in sporting activities. According to the Clearinghouse For Sport, over 41% of Australians aged 15+ participate in a sport-related activity every week. 

This has contributed to Australia having one of the highest life expectancies in the world

5. United States

The United States is a federal republic, which means that it is a union of 50 states that share a central government. The U.S. has the world's largest economy by nominal GDP and carries the second-largest by purchasing power parity (PPP). It is also the most technologically powerful economy in the world.

The U.S. is also the exporter of a wide range of goods and services, including:

• Computers and electrical machinery
• Vehicles
• Chemical products
• Food
• Live animals
• Military equipment

6. Japan

Japan is a country in East Asia. It is an archipelago made up of four main islands and over 6,800 smaller islands. 

The country is known for its high literacy rate and technologically advanced economy. While most of Japan is covered by mountains and heavily wooded areas, the majority of its people live in urban areas. 

Japan is the third-largest economy in the world, and it has largely recovered from the manufacturing disruption caused by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disaster. 

The country is a major producer of motor vehicles, electronic equipment, and steel. The service sector accounts for the largest percentage of the economy in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) and employment.

The US News mentions that the country has a GDP of $4.23 trillion. 

7. Germany

Germany has a social market economy, which is a type of market economy that combines free-market capitalism with a strong social safety net. This means that the government plays a role in regulating the economy and providing social programs for its citizens.

Germany's economy is one of the largest in the world, and it is a major exporter of goods and services. The service sector is the largest sector of the economy, followed by industry and agriculture.

The service sector includes industries such as telecommunications, health care, and tourism. These industries are important to the German economy because they provide jobs and generate income.

The industrial sector includes industries such as manufacturing, mining, and construction. These industries are important to the German economy because they produce goods that are used both domestically and internationally.

8. New Zealand

Gaining 8th position, New Zealand has been a nuclear-free zone since 1980. This means that it prohibits the production, testing, and deployment of nuclear weapons in its territory. 

New Zealand is also a strong advocate for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. New Zealand is a leader in peacekeeping and global security. 

It has contributed troops to UN peacekeeping missions around the world, and it is a member of the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA), a security alliance with Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

New Zealand is also a party to key international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the Pacific Islands Forum.

9. United Kingdom

The United Kingdom has fallen down one point in the 2023 index but the country still remains solid in entrepreneurship. 

The service sector is the largest sector of the country’s economy, followed by manufacturing and construction. London is a major international financial center and one of the most visited cities in the world.

The industrial revolution began in the United Kingdom, and manufacturing is a declining but still significant part of the economy. 

The automobile and aerospace industries are the leading manufacturing sectors. The United Kingdom has attracted immigrants for centuries. 

In the second half of the 20th century, the sources of immigration began to diversify, coming from South Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, and Central and Eastern Europe. Immigration has become a major focus of public debate in the 21st century.

10. Netherlands

The Netherlands is a country located in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the south, Germany to the east, and the North Sea to the north and west. 

The Netherlands is a coastal lowland, and about 26% of its land area is below sea level. 

The Netherlands is a strong supporter of international cooperation and multilateralism. It is a major contributor to UN peacekeeping efforts and is home to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. 

The Netherlands was a founding member of NATO and the European Union, and it has been a vocal supporter of both organizations.

Here are some specific details about the Netherlands' involvement in these organizations:

• UN peacekeeping: The Netherlands has contributed troops to UN peacekeeping missions around the world, including in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Lebanon.
• ICJ: The Netherlands is one of the 15 judges of the ICJ, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
• ICC: The Netherlands is a founding member of the ICC, which is an international court that investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community, such as genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
• NATO: The Netherlands is a member of NATO, a military alliance of 30 countries based in Europe and North America.
• EU: The Netherlands is a member of the EU, a political and economic union of 27 countries in Europe.

The Netherlands is a committed internationalist and is actively involved in promoting peace, security, and justice around the world.