In a new survey, Switzerland has been crowned as the world’s best country for the third year in a row.
U.S. News & World’s report in its ‘Best Countries Ranking 2024’ has ranked 15 European countries in the top 25 spots, east and Southeast Asia in four spots, the Middle East in two spots and North America and Oceania in another two spots.
The rankings were done after taking the views of more than 17,000 people across the world who ranked the countries on categories like power, openness for business, cultural influence, adventure, agility, heritage, entrepreneurship and quality of life.
Switzerland stood at the top of the ranking. It has been clinching the first rank since 2017.
The report stated that it was “bolstered by notable performances in three of the heaviest-weighted subrankings: quality of life, entrepreneurship and social purpose.”
Climbing up four spots, Japan took the number two spot in the rankings in the entrepreneurship and movers categories.
The United States was ranked in third place, two spots ahead of its previous ranking.
In the category of power and agility, it was ranked number one, number two in entrepreneurship and number three in cultural influence.
The other top 10 countries were Canada, Australia, Sweden, Germany, the UK, New Zealand and Denmark.
From 11th to 25th position were ranked Norway, France, the Netherlands, Singapore, Italy, China, the UAE, South Korea, Spain, Finland, Austria, Iceland Belgium, Ireland and Qatar.
At the bottom of the ranking were countries from Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South America.
What was the rank of India?
In this year’s ranking, India grabbed the 33rd position, as it dropped three spots from its place on the list in 2023.
What about the warring countries?
Ukraine, which has been engaged in a brutal war with Russia for 30 months, was ranked the lowest in the world, at Number 80.
The Israel and Hamas war pushed Tel Aviv down 10 places in comparison to last year’s ranking.
Watch: Upscale travel soars among Americans
Speaking to U.S. News & World, CEO and president of Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Clionadh Raleigh said, “Israel’s standing on the world stage will be drastically affected by this conflict, but I hesitate to say it will be entirely negative.”
“The reason being is that other rising powers and regional power-brokers are far less critical about how Israel has gone about this conflict and (I think) will seek to resuscitate their new, stronger relationship as soon as time allows,” he added.
(With inputs from agencies)