Best Countries in the World (2024 Ranking)

Which are the best countries in the world? What position is the United States in the 2024 ranking of the best countries in the world? Find out below.

Best Countries in the World

Let’s start by considering the best countries for investment and business, the best country to live in and the good country index leaders.

Best Country for Investment and Business: Singapore

According to CEOWORLD magazine, Singapore has been declared the best country in the world for investing or doing business in 2024. Its strategic location, robust economy, and business-friendly policies make it an attractive destination for entrepreneurs and investors.

The table below shows the top 60 countries in the list.

World’s Best Countries To Invest In Or Do Business For 2024

Rank Country Region GDP Per Capita Economic Stability Government Policies Skilled Labour Force Institutional Framework Education And Research Market Potential Trade Openness Total


1	Singapore	Asia	87,884	97.81	96.57	97.94	97.9	97.88	97.71	97.62	97.63
2	United Kingdom	Europe	48,912	97.76	96.36	97.68	97.83	97.59	97.65	97.39	97.47
3	Taiwan	Asia	32,339	97.71	96.02	97.49	97.75	97.43	97.36	97.28	97.29
4	India	Asia	5,109	96.89	95.98	97.4	97.63	97.31	95.48	97.08	96.82
5	Indonesia	Asia	2,612	96.75	95.91	97.39	97.54	96.83	95.41	96.63	96.64
6	Spain	Europe	33,090	96.73	95.86	97.38	97.47	96.79	95.32	96.08	96.52
7	Australia	Oceania	63,487	96.38	95.6	97.12	96.5	96.47	95.08	95.98	96.16
8	Poland	Europe	22,393	95.64	95.14	96.96	96.01	96.2	94.53	95.5	95.71
9	Philippines	Asia	3,859	95.57	95.02	96.2	96	96.06	93.76	95.39	95.43
10	United States	Americas	80,412	95.5	94.91	95.98	95.76	95.18	93.71	95.22	95.18
11	Malaysia	Asia	13,034	95.08	94.79	95.65	95.75	95.17	93.56	94.26	94.89
12	Thailand	Asia	7,298	95.01	94.66	95.49	95.37	94.68	93.49	94.12	94.69
13	Czech Republic	Europe	30,475	94.89	94.44	95.09	95.34	94.64	93.34	93.86	94.51
14	France	Europe	46,315	94.38	94.02	94.82	95.15	94.61	92.54	93.74	94.18
15	United Arab Emirates	Asia	50,602	94.21	93.75	94.81	95.05	94.23	92.51	93.34	93.99
16	Ireland	Europe	112,248	94.14	93.7	93.68	95.04	93.67	92.49	93.31	93.72
17	Netherlands	Europe	61,770	93.41	93.68	93.36	93.87	93.64	92.44	93.26	93.38
18	Finland	Europe	54,507	92.92	93.67	93.3	93.28	93.34	92.26	92.84	93.09
19	Germany	Europe	52,824	92.4	93.45	93.02	93.21	92.85	92.1	92.69	92.82
20	Sweden	Europe	55,216	92.26	92.57	92.77	92.82	92.69	91.62	92.55	92.47
21	Oman	Asia	21,266	92.12	92.36	92.75	92.34	92.37	91.54	92.5	92.28
22	Uruguay	Americas	21,378	91.97	92.24	92.54	92.04	92.27	91.35	92.16	92.08
23	Bulgaria	Europe	16,087	91.85	92.09	91.83	91.81	92.03	91.23	92.05	91.84
24	Denmark	Europe	71,402	91.82	91.92	91.79	91.59	91.99	90.85	91.71	91.67
25	Israel	Asia	53,196	91.64	91.72	91.64	91.16	91.94	90.65	91.38	91.45
26	Vietnam	Asia	4,316	91.33	91.68	91.46	90.52	91.93	90.48	91.14	91.22
27	Canada	Americas	53,247	90.91	91.58	90.8	90.33	91.73	90.05	90.81	90.89
28	Turkey	Asia	13,384	90.25	91.52	90.67	89.93	91.58	90	90.79	90.68
29	Slovenia	Europe	32,350	90.23	91.44	90.13	89.87	91.5	89.96	90.74	90.55
30	Brazil	Americas	10,413	90.09	91.4	89.9	89.51	90.65	89.84	90.7	90.3
31	South Korea	Asia	33,147	89.76	91.33	89.88	89.46	90.55	89.79	90.63	90.2
32	Mexico	Americas	13,804	89.69	90.62	89.28	89.45	89.81	89.69	90.59	89.88
33	Chile	Americas	17,254	89.43	90.55	89.19	89.03	89.66	89.61	90.32	89.68
34	China	Asia	12,541	89.4	90.21	89.11	88.1	89.43	89.47	90.23	89.42
35	Japan	Asia	33,950	89.18	90.08	88.96	87.92	89.09	89.45	90.15	89.26
36	Austria	Europe	58,013	89.14	89.61	88.91	87.91	88.44	89.17	90.01	89.03
37	Romania	Europe	18,413	88.77	89.18	88.49	87.35	88.31	89.13	89.48	88.67
38	Croatia	Europe	20,877	88.7	89.01	88.34	86.85	87.94	88.26	89.43	88.36
39	Italy	Europe	37,146	88.05	88.9	88.32	86.62	87.89	88.19	89.35	88.19
40	Russia	Europe	13,006	87.28	88.61	88.07	86.3	87.44	87.45	89.28	87.78
41	Argentina	Americas	13,297	86.5	88.38	87.98	86.19	87.4	87.06	89.2	87.53
42	New Zealand	Oceania	48,072	85.97	88.3	87.47	86.03	87.09	86.54	89.18	87.23
43	Bahrain	Asia	28,464	85.94	88.24	87.38	85.66	86.57	85.73	88.66	86.88
44	Greece	Europe	23,173	85.86	88.17	86.89	85.13	86.36	85.35	88.09	86.55
45	Azerbaijan	Asia	7,530	85.34	88.1	86.45	84.99	86.3	84.58	87.98	86.25
46	Norway	Europe	99,266	85.23	87.9	85.22	84.55	85.65	84.46	87.19	85.74
47	Kazakhstan	Asia	12,968	84.85	87.4	84.12	84.52	85.2	83.76	87.12	85.28
48	Hungary	Europe	21,075	84.79	87.18	84.04	84.2	85.16	82.92	86.48	84.97
49	Portugal	Europe	26,879	84.18	86.89	83.83	83.19	84.84	82.15	86.18	84.47
50	Ukraine	Europe	5,225	84.17	86.81	83.8	83.16	84.79	82.08	86.12	84.42
51	Hong Kong (China)	Asia	51,168	83.85	86.02	83.09	83.02	84.37	81.99	85.2	83.93
52	Slovakia	Europe	24,471	83.73	85.96	82.26	82.97	84.14	81.77	85.04	83.7
53	Latvia	Europe	24,929	83.66	85.94	81.84	82.94	84.06	81.75	85.01	83.6
54	Saudi Arabia	Asia	32,586	83.45	85.93	81.45	82.45	83.96	81.7	84.45	83.34
55	Switzerland	Europe	102,865	83.26	85.05	81.32	82.36	83.83	81.5	84.39	83.1
56	Andorra	Europe	44,107	82.76	84.96	80.85	81.99	83.37	80.93	83.88	82.68
57	Liechtenstein	Europe	184,083	82.19	84.89	80.13	81.57	82.92	80.8	83.76	82.32
58	Monaco	Europe	234,317	82.01	84.83	79.45	81.52	82.58	80.49	83.45	82.05
59	San Marino	Europe	58,541	81.78	83.5	79.25	81.43	82.36	80.23	83.27	81.69
60	Belgium	Europe	53,657	81.69	83.38	79.24	80.87

Good Country Index Leader: Sweden

The Good Country Index ranks countries based on their contributions to the global community. As of 2023, Sweden holds the top position. Sweden’s strong performance in health, well-being, prosperity, and environmental sustainability contributes to its leadership.

Best Country to Live In: The Netherlands

The CEOWORLD Magazine 2024 report recognizes The Netherlands as the best country for its citizens to live in. Factors such as quality of life, healthcare, education, and safety contribute to its high ranking. Germany and New Zealand follow closely in second and third place, respectively.

The top 50 countries on the list are presented in the table below.

Best Countries to Live in the World, 2024

Rank	Country	Stability	Satisfaction	Balance	Overall
1	Netherlands	72.15	97.04	95.99	88.39
2	Germany	67.22	96.25	95.61	86.36
3	New Zealand	65.15	95.42	95.23	85.26
4	Canada	64.32	95.2	95.23	84.91
5	Sweden	60.53	95.01	93.67	83.07
6	Norway	59.76	94.95	93.67	82.79
7	Denmark	59.76	94.88	92.84	82.49
8	Finland	57.77	94.51	92.79	81.69
9	Israel	57.65	94.51	92.79	81.65
10	Switzerland	57.38	94.49	92.73	81.53
11	United Arab Emirates	56.31	94.25	92.54	81.03
12	Taiwan	56.29	93.56	92.33	80.72
13	Australia	56.2	93.22	91.85	80.42
14	United Kingdom	55.98	93.02	90.43	79.81
15	Belgium	55.89	92.44	90.4	79.57
16	Singapore	55.73	92.17	90.4	79.43
17	Luxembourg	55.46	91.98	90.06	79.16
18	Italy	55.37	91.84	90.02	79.07
19	Austria	55.31	91.71	90.02	79.01
20	Ireland	55.19	91.55	89.77	78.83
21	France	54.95	91.26	89.77	78.66
22	Latvia	54.92	91.25	89.77	78.64
23	United States	54.69	91.24	89.51	78.48
24	Liechtenstein	54.63	91.19	89.49	78.43
25	Spain	53.99	90.84	89.45	78.09
26	Monaco	53.74	90.59	89.45	77.92
27	Japan	53.59	90.55	89.45	77.86
28	Lithuania	53.55	90.5	89.34	77.79
29	Iceland	53.41	90.35	89.34	77.7
30	Estonia	53.28	89.93	89.34	77.51
31	Bhutan	53.25	89.76	89.26	77.42
32	Hungary	53.13	89.55	89.08	77.25
33	Portugal	53	89.05	89.08	77.04
34	Poland	52.83	88.97	88.97	76.92
35	Czech Republic (Czechia)	52.52	88.88	88.94	76.78
36	Andorra	52.5	88.75	88.94	76.73
37	Greece	52.4	88.54	88.83	76.59
38	South Korea	52.35	88.43	88.78	76.52
39	Mauritius	52.24	88.39	88.78	76.47
40	Croatia	51.85	88.33	88.74	76.3
41	Slovakia	51.8	88.11	88.71	76.2
42	India	51.7	88.08	88.71	76.16
43	Argentina	51.61	88	88.49	76.03
44	Moldova	51.41	87.99	88.49	75.96
45	Russia	51.34	87.76	88.49	75.86
46	Brazil	50.88	87.4	88.49	75.59
47	Slovenia	50.73	87.39	88.34	75.48
48	Cyprus	50.59	87.36	88.33	75.42
49	Chile	50.39	87.07	88.27	75.24
50	Belize	50.28	86.77	88.26	75.1

Remember that rankings can vary based on different criteria, so it’s essential to consider individual preferences and needs when evaluating countries. Each nation has its unique strengths and challenges, making the choice subjective.

Best Countries in the World (2024)

This ranking for the best countries in the world is based on the following attributes: entrepreneurship, agility, social purpose, and quality of life (as determined by the most recent gross domestic product per capita data).

Switzerland is ranked first in the 2023 U.S. News and World Report rankings of the best countries in the world. The United States rose once more in the annual rankings. Actually, the United States and Sweden moved into the top 5 of the 2023 rankings.

Switzerland made the top spot because of its strong business climate.

Carlo Bastasin, a nonresident senior fellow in The Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy program, says, “From a financial or industrial point of view, some of the major companies intermediating raw materials – oil, for instance – are based in Switzerland.” He added that the country may benefit in perception from its tradition of neutrality in times of international conflict.

This ranking came about through a thorough assessment of everything that defines a country, from its standard of living to its cultural influence.

Top 25 Best Countries in the World

The ranking is based on a comprehensive evaluation of several key factors:

Quality of Life: Healthcare, education, safety, and overall living standards.
Economic Strength: GDP, economic growth, and financial stability.
Cultural Influence: Heritage, arts, entertainment, and cultural exports.
Political Stability: Government effectiveness, rule of law, and political stability.
Environmental Sustainability: Commitment to sustainability and environmental practices.
Social Purpose: Human rights, social justice, and equality.
Global Influence: Diplomatic influence, military strength, and global alliances.

Based on global opinion, these 25 nations are the best countries in the world.

1. Switzerland

As we have said, Switzerland is currently the best country in the world. The country is well-known for its history of neutrality. It ranks fourth in terms of quality of life and first in terms of openness to business while also being regarded as the most politically stable and safe place.

2. Canada

Canada is the world’s second-largest country by land mass and second-best country in terms of perceived quality of life and agility. It also ranks highly in terms of social purpose, friendliness, and safety.

3. Sweden

Sweden is the third-best country overall. It leads in both perceived quality of life and social purpose. The country also received high ratings for its concern for human rights, social justice, and the environment.

4. Australia

Australia is ranked fourth overall in the rankings of the best countries in the world. The country ranks fifth in agility and ninth in perceived quality of life and social purpose, as well as in areas such as happiness, scenery, and safety.

Australia’s vibrant cities like Sydney and Melbourne, coupled with its high standards of living and stunning natural wonders, make it a desirable place to live.

5. United States

The United States ranked fifth overall. The world’s largest economy is also considered the most powerful, ranking first in agility, second in entrepreneurship, and third in cultural influence.

6. Japan

Japan now ranks sixth in the list of the best countries in the world. The country, which is primarily made up of four islands, ranks third in terms of entrepreneurship, fourth in terms of agility, and fourth in terms of cultural influence. It also ranks highly in terms of technological expertise, digital infrastructure, and forward-thinking.

7. Germany

Germany is currently the seventh-best country in the world. It ranks among the top five in terms of entrepreneurship, power, and agility. It is also praised for its perceived economic stability and progressiveness.

8. New Zealand

New Zealand is ranked 8th overall. It is regarded as the most beautiful and friendliest country in the world, as well as the top country for a comfortable retirement.

9. The United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is ranked ninth overall, with high marks for entrepreneurship (ranked fourth) and power (ranked fifth). It is also regarded as one of the best countries for education and one of the most powerful nations.

10. The Netherlands

The Netherlands is ranked 10th overall in the list of the best countries in the world. The country is ranked first in gender equality, first in racial equity, and eighth in quality of life.

11. France

France is ranked eleventh overall, second in cultural influence, fourth in heritage, and seventh in power. It is also one of the most fashionable, modern, and prestigious countries in the world.

12. Denmark

Denmark is ranked twelveth overall, second in terms of quality of life, and third in terms of social purpose. It also ranks highly in terms of gender equality and is regarded as one of the best countries for women.

13. Norway

Norway ranks 13th overall and second in terms of social purpose. It is also ranked second in terms of commitment to climate goals and first in terms of environmental concern.

14. Italy

Italy is ranked 14th overall but first in heritage and cultural influence.

15. Finland

Finland is ranked 15th overall. The country ranks sixth in terms of quality of life, fifth in terms of climate-related perceptions, and first in terms of transparency.

16. Spain

Number 16 in the ranking of the best countries in the world is Spain. It is also ranked third for heritage and third for adventure.

17. China

China is the world’s most populous country. It is ranked in 17th place overall in the list of best countries. It is ranked second in terms of power and fifth in terms of entrepreneurship. China is also regarded as the best country in which to start a business.

18. Belgium

Belgium is ranked 18th overall in the 2022 rankings of the best countries in the world. In terms of racial equality and transparency, the Western European country is highly regarded. It is also regarded as one of the best countries for women and for raising children.

19. Singapore

Singapore is ranked the 19th best country in the world. It is regarded as one of Asia’s four economic tigers, along with Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan. The country is also ranked 10th in movers and 15th in agility.

20. South Korea

The 20th best-ranked country is South Korea. It is ranked sixth in terms of power and sixth in terms of entrepreneurship.

21. United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The United Arab Emirates, one of the most liberal Persian Gulf countries, is ranked 21st overall. It ranks first in movers and ninth in power.

22. Austria

Austria, which ranks 22nd overall, is regarded as one of the best countries for social purposes. The country is also regarded as one of the best places in the world to raise a family.

23. Ireland

Ireland is ranked No. 23 overall. It is known for its scenery and friendliness. It also ranks high among the best countries for solo travel and is regarded as one of the happiest.

24. Luxembourg

Luxembourg, a small Western European country, is ranked 24th overall. The country is also ranked fourth in terms of business openness. It is regarded as one of the most prestigious countries, with a favorable tax climate.

25. Greece

Greece is ranked 25th overall in the list of the best countries in the world. The country receives high marks for its heritage, friendliness, adventure, and fun.

The 10 Lowest-Ranked Countries in the World

78. Cameroon
79. Algeria
80. Myanmar
81. Honduras
82. Serbia
83. Uzbekistan
84. Kazakhstan
85. Lebanon
86. Belarus
87. Iran

Critical Issues Taken into Consideration in Ranking the Best Countries in the World

Critical criteria for the 2024 best countries ranking are as follows:

Strong business climate
Economic stability
Entrepreneurship
Standard of living
Cultural integration/influence
Political stability
Neutrality
Power and agility
Social purpose
Friendliness and safety
Technological expertise, digital infrastructure, and forward-thinking
Environmental concern/commitment to climate concerns
Gender equality
Heritage
Education
Racial Equality
Quality of life
Favorable tax climate
Travels
Family/children’s life

The global COVID-19 crisis and inflation were other factors taken into consideration.

China, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia had some of the highest pandemic-response approval percentages. At the same time, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden, and Switzerland received the highest marks for a broader “health conscious” and “well-developed public health system.”

Regarding inflation and the overall state of the world economy, experts predict that the global economy will decline and inflation will worsen. These parameters were used in the ranking.

Top 10 Best Countries in the World to Live in

The Human Development Report provides arguably the most comprehensive and practical analysis of which countries are best to live in.

This annual report, compiled by the United Nations, expresses global satisfaction with life, providing an overview of what it’s like to be alive on earth in this day and age.

It is, without a doubt, one of the best resources for determining which countries have the happiest, healthiest, and most stable populations in comparison to the rest of the world.

The Human Development Report essentially summarizes how people feel about our planet as a whole. It then goes on to discuss in detail which countries are best to live in, comparing the world’s most satisfied populations with the world’s most unhappy populations.

The variables that this official UN report takes into account include gender equality, literacy, average life expectancy, and financial stability.

The following are the top countries in the world to live in:

Norway
Ireland
Switzerland
Canada
Iceland
China
Germany
Sweden
Australia
Netherlands
Denmark
Finland

Best Countries for Business

Here are the top 20 best countries for business, according to forbes.com.

United Kingdom
Sweden
Hong Kong
Netherlands
New Zealand
Canada
Denmark
Singapore
Australia
Switzerland
Ireland
Taiwan
Finland
Germany
Norway
South Korea
United States
Spain
Japan
Belgium

Top 10 countries with the highest human development index

Here are the ten countries with the highest human development indexes:

Norway – 0.957
Switzerland – 0.955
Ireland – 0.955
Hong Kong – 0.949
Iceland – 0.949
Germany – 0.947
Sweden – 0.945
Australia – 0.944
Netherlands – 0.944
Denmark – 0.94

Source here.

Most Powerful Countries

The top three most powerful countries in the world are:

United States
China
Russia

Most Agile Countries

The top three most agile countries in the world are:

United States
Germany
Canada

Best Countries for Social Purpose

The best countries in the world for social purposes are:

Sweden
Norway
Denmark

Best Countries for Women

The top three best countries in the world for women and children’s rights are as follows:

Sweden
Norway
Finland

Most Forward-Looking Countries

The top three most forward-looking countries in the world are:

Singapore
Japan
United States

Best Countries For Racial Equality

The top three best countries in the world for racial equality are:

Netherlands
Sweden
Norway

Conclusion

With a reputation for political neutrality, peaceful civility, and the pursuit of the finer things in life, it should come as no surprise that Switzerland has topped the U.S. News and World Report’s Best Countries in the World list for 2024 for the fourth time in a row.

David Reibstein said, “While the world is in turmoil, Switzerland is at peace.”

The fact that the United States has never been ranked the No. 1 country in the world is surprising.

The 2024 rankings highlight countries that excel in providing a high quality of life, economic stability, and progressive social policies. Nations like Switzerland, Canada, and Germany demonstrate that a balanced approach to economic development, social welfare, and environmental sustainability is key to being a top country. As global challenges continue to evolve, these countries serve as models for balancing growth with societal and environmental well-being.

With that said, we would love to get your views about this ranking and tell us where you feel is the best nation to live in both now and in the future. Please use the comment section below. Thank you.