What makes a country great? There are a thousand and one factors to consider: the cost, the safety, the political stability, the scenery – the list goes on.
Considering all that and more, the Best Countries Ranking from US News and World Report (conducted in partnership with Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania) has been published for 2024. A survey of almost 17,000 participants about 89 different nations from all over the world was used to compile this list, and while there have been some shifts from last year’s ranking, the crowning country has remained the same.
Switzerland has claimed the title of the best country in the world once again, not just for the third consecutive year, but for the seventh time overall. For context, this research has only been going on for nine years – the other two winners were Germany in 2016 and Canada in 2021.
So what is it about Switzerland that earned it this accolade? We can all appreciate chocolate, cheese, and knockout Alpine vistas, but we also recently reported just how spenny it is to live here.
Well, according to the study – despite the country not topping any of the 10 subcategories of analysis (which include things such as heritage, power and social purpose and cultural influence) – Switzerland ranks second best as a place for businesses and third best for quality of life, and also ranked highly for political stability. Check out the nine runners-up below.
The 10 best countries in the world for 2024
- Switzerland
- Japan
- USA
- Canada
- Australia
- Sweden
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- New Zealand
- Denmark
Did you see that European nationals will have to pay a fee to enter the UK next year?
Plus: The world’s ‘most picturesque’ lakes have been crowned – and six are in Europe.
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