In its annual Best Countries ranking, U.S. News & World Report placed Switzerland in the top spot for the third consecutive year, followed by Japan and the United States.
The global survey, released Tuesday, also revealed that Israel dropped 10 places to 46 out of the 89 countries ranked, likely influenced by the ongoing war in Gaza.
U.S. News & World Report, an American media organization with nearly a century of history, has become known for its various rankings, including the widely recognized U.S. university rankings. Since 2016, it has conducted the Best Countries survey in partnership with marketing and communications firm WPP and the University of Pennsylvania.
The survey, which reflects global perceptions of countries, gathered responses from nearly 17,000 people across 36 countries. Participants were asked to rate nations on attributes such as dynamism, safety, leadership, human rights, economic stability and commitment to social justice. Countries were ultimately ranked based on criteria like quality of life, openness to business, cultural influence and heritage.
In this year’s results, in addition to Switzerland, Japan and the U.S., the top 10 included: 4) Canada, 5) Australia, 6) Sweden, 7) Germany, 8) the United Kingdom, 9) New Zealand, and 10) Denmark. Fifteen of the top 25 countries are in Europe, four are in Asia (Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea), and two are in the Middle East (UAE and Qatar).
At the bottom of the rankings, the 10 worst-rated countries are: 80) Ukraine, 81) Azerbaijan, 82) Iran, 83) Kazakhstan, 84) Honduras, 85) Cameroon, 86) Algeria, 87) Lebanon, 88) Serbia and 89) Belarus.
According to the magazine, most of the top 50 countries in last year’s rankings either rose or fell by no more than four places this year. Notable exceptions include Finland, which dropped six spots, Belgium, which fell by five, and Israel’s 10-place drop. The survey began in late March, nearly six months after Hamas’ attack and the start of the war in Gaza. Israel’s 46th position is its lowest since the project began in 2016.
The report highlights several areas where Israel’s perception worsened, including adaptability (down 17 places), political stability (down 16), and concern for human rights (down 10). Israel’s highest rankings came in the categories of power (10th) and entrepreneurship (30th).
Only two countries dropped more than Israel – Bahrain, down 11 places to 69th, and Ukraine, which fell 12 spots to 80th. Ukraine had risen nine spots last year after Russia’s 2022 invasion but now holds its worst ranking ever. The percentage of survey respondents who agreed with the statement “My country should support Ukraine in defending itself against Russia” also fell, from 72% to 66%. Russia, which dropped 12 places in 2023 to 36th – its worst position ever – held steady this year. Respondents from Russia were not included in the survey.
Other notable rankings include 11) Norway, 12) France, 13) the Netherlands, 14) Singapore, 15) Italy, 16) China, 17) UAE, 18) South Korea, 19) Spain, 20) Finland, 21) Austria, 22) Iceland, 26) Greece, 28) Thailand, 30) Brazil, 31) Turkey, 32) Saudi Arabia, 33) India, 34) Mexico, 35) Egypt, 40) South Africa, 42) Argentina, 44) Vietnam, 45) the Philippines, 50) Czech Republic, 52) Chile, 54) Hungary, 56) Colombia, 58) Romania, 60) Tunisia, 64) Bulgaria, 65) Slovenia, 68) Cambodia, 70) Slovakia, 72) Jordan, 75) Ecuador and 79) El Salvador.