What makes a country truly great? Is it a booming economy, a high standard of living or the ability to inspire adventure and creativity? According to the 2024 Best Countries ranking from U.S. News & World Report, it’s all of the above—and more.
Now in its ninth year, this definitive report offers an inside look at how 89 nations are perceived across the globe. From Switzerland’s unbeatable quality of life to the U.S.’s rise in business agility and innovation, the rankings reveal which countries are leading the charge in shaping the future.
The 2024 list—produced in partnership with the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania—is based on a survey of nearly 17,000 respondents from around the world. The nations are evaluated across 10 subcategories, ranging from quality of life and business climate to cultural influence and adventure. The result is a detailed snapshot of how these countries are viewed on the global stage.
What sets the Best Countries report apart from other global rankings? “Our rankings project is based on a proprietary perceptions survey that reaches thousands of citizens across the globe. By asking respondents to associate countries with dozens of varied attributes, the report is comprehensive,” Elliott Davis, a reporter for U.S. News & World Report, told me in an interview. “There’s plenty of data behind the success of a country, but analyzing how one is perceived takes a unique spin on it. How a nation is viewed by others can play a big role in its global standing.”
According to Davis, U.S. News started the project in order to help citizens, business leaders and governments make decisions about where in the world to invest their time and money “by understanding how a nation’s policies, politics and products affect its perceived standing in the world,” he says. “The Best Countries rankings therefore aim to highlight a nation’s potential for success through our survey data.”
The Best Country In The World
For the third consecutive year and the seventh time in nine years, Switzerland takes the top spot—thanks to its stability and quality of life. “When I spoke to experts for the story about Switzerland, they each talked about the country’s stability and high quality of life—and these strengths are underscored in our perceptions data,” says Davis. “It’s no surprise that a stable, consistent country like Switzerland would top our rankings seven times in nine years.”
Switzerland’s high rankings in categories like entrepreneurship, quality of life and being “open for business” solidify its winning spot.
The U.S. Makes a Notable Leap
One of the biggest surprises in this year’s rankings is the United States, which jumped two spots to land at number three—its highest position ever in the history of the report. “Two factors that played a role in America’s rise were its notable jumps in the ‘‘open for business’ (up seven spots) and ‘movers’ (up four spots) subrankings,” says Davis. The U.S. also maintained its top ranking in agility and power, making it a dominant force across multiple categories.
Although the U.S. often ranks lower in other global quality of life reports, its strength in entrepreneurship, innovation and global influence propelled it upward in this report. “The country ranks in the top 25 in eight of our 10 subrankings, so it’s generally perceived strongly among the respondents to our survey,” says Davis.
Surprising Gains and Losses
Beyond Switzerland and the U.S., the rankings also revealed some unexpected shifts. China, for example, jumped four spots to number 16 “despite other survey data pointing to unfavorable views of the country,” says Davis.
On the other hand, Ukraine—which surged in the rankings after the Russian invasion—fell 12 spots to number 80. “It was the largest fall among countries assessed in the rankings,” says Davis.
These changes underscore how global perceptions can fluctuate based on current events, particularly when it comes to geopolitical stability and future growth potential.
Beyond Quality of Life: Other Rankings
Besides the overall Best Countries list, the report ranks countries for other attributes. When it comes to the adventure subranking, Brazil tops the list, followed closely by Italy and Greece.
Germany leads the entrepreneurship category, thanks to its innovative economy, highly skilled workforce and strong infrastructure. The United States comes in second place, showcasing its dominance in innovation and business-friendly environment.
Italy, France and the United States lead the cultural influence subranking, reflecting their roles as trendsetters in fashion, entertainment and global cultural exports.
In the movers subranking—which assesses a nation’s potential for future growth—the United Arab Emirates ranks first. Countries like China and Qatar also ranked highly, signaling their dynamic and rapidly evolving economies.
Here are some of the rankings from the 2024 Best Countries report. You can also see more rankings in the original report.
10 Best Countries Overall
- Switzerland
- Japan
- United States
- Canada
- Australia
- Sweden
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- New Zealand
- Denmark
Best Countries For Quality Of Life
- Denmark
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Norway
- Canada
Best Countries For Entrepreneurship
- Germany
- United States
- Japan
- United Kingdom
- Switzerland
Best Countries For Cultural Influence
- Italy
- France
- United States
- Spain
- Japan
Best Countries For Adventure
- Brazil
- Italy
- Greece
- Spain
- Thailand
