The 10 best countries in the world, ranked

Switzerland regained the top spot on U.S. News & World Report’s list of best countries in the world.
The 2024 rankings assessed 89 countries on factors including heritage, power, and entrepreneurship.
European countries tend to offer the best quality of life, while the US excels at power and agility.

The 2024 rankings, released Tuesday, were determined by U.S. News & World Report, which partnered with the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Switzerland took the top spot from 2017 to 2020, but in recent years was superceded by Canada. The Commonwealth nation fell to fourth in 2024.

The rankings, which examined 89 countries, considered factors such as quality of life, entrepreneurship, and power. Each country received scores on 10 categories, including business-friendliness and agility, which U.S. News describes as being “most adaptable to change.” The weighted sum determined the overall score.

“The Best Countries report speaks to the value of having a strong global image as nations compete for foreign trade, tourists and socioeconomic influence,” David Reibstein, professor of marketing at the Wharton School, said in a statement. “The Best Countries ranking is more than a beauty contest. Global leaders need to realize that how their countries are viewed affects their economies through tourism, foreign direct investment and foreign trade, all critical components of their GDP.”

Below, read on for the best countries in the world, according to U.S. News, and the categories in which each one excels.

Population data for each country is from the US Census Bureau and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) information was sourced from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

10. Denmark

Population: 5.2 millionGDP: $242.1 billionNew Zealand dropped one spot from last year but still remained in the top 10.The small island nation in the Pacific Ocean ranked fifth on the list of best countries for a comfortable retirement and second on the list of best countries for social purpose.New Zealand, however, did not make it into the top 20 countries best for cultural influence or power.

9. New ZealandSome of the mega-rich have set their sights on New Zealand, such as tech mogul Peter Thiel, CNBC reported.While Henley & Partners ranks New Zealand as one of the top 10 most desirable countries for a second passport, that document comes with a steep price tag.Would-be residents should be prepared to shell out between $5 million and $15 million New Zealand dollars — or between $2,987,275 and $8,961,825.

Population: 68.5 millionGDP: $3.2 trillionEven after its exit from the EU in 2020, the United Kingdom remains a desirable place to live.While it finished ninth in 2023, the UK made a small leap to the eighth spot this year. The UK ranks highest in entrepreneurship and power — both fourth — but made no appearance in the adventure category and placed 15th out of 89 countries in heritage.

8. United KingdomPopulation: 68.5 millionGDP: $3.2 trillionEven after its exit from the EU in 2020, the United Kingdom remains a desirable place to live.While it finished ninth in 2023, the UK made a small leap to the eighth spot this year. The UK ranks highest in entrepreneurship and power — both fourth — but made no appearance in the adventure category and placed 15th out of 89 countries in heritage.

Population: 84.1 millionGDP: $4 trillionGermany was also ranked the seventh-best country in the world in 2023. Germany ranked first for entrepreneurship and is the second-best country to start a career in.However, Germany did not crack the top 20 for best countries to retire in or best countries to travel alone in.

7. GermanyPopulation: 84.1 millionGDP: $4 trillionGermany was also ranked the seventh-best country in the world in 2023. Germany ranked first for entrepreneurship and is the second-best country to start a career in.However, Germany did not crack the top 20 for best countries to retire in or best countries to travel alone in.

Population: 10.6 millionGDP: $590 billionSweden sat comfortably at third on last year's list.But even at its current No. 6 spot, it ranked high in other categories like quality of life and social purpose — second in both. It's also the best country for women and the best country for green living.Sweden did not finish in the top 20 for power or influence.

6. Sweden

Population: 26.8 millionGDP: $1.7 trillionAustralia fell from fourth last year to fifth this year, though its ranking was propelled by a third-place ranking for agility.Australia ranked eighth for quality of life and adventure and ninth for social purpose. It is also the fourth-best country for a comfortable retirement and third-best for a headquartering a corporation.

5. AustraliaBHTP noted that Australia experiences a low level of violent crime, recording some 377 murders in 2022, per the Australian Bureau of Statistics. In comparison, New York State recorded more than double the number of murders, at 918, in the same year, per data collated by the National Center for Health Statistics. The population of New York State is 5 million people lower than that of Australia.Travelers should be cautious of wildlife in Australia, per BHTP. Wild animals — including crocodiles, sharks, poisonous insects, and snakes — can be found throughout the country, per the US Department of State.Australia has a safety index of 52.83, per Numbeo. Canberra, its safest city, has a safety index of 72.

4. CanadaPopulation: 38.8 millionGDP: $1.7 trillionThis year, Canada fell from second to fourth place, though it still ranked in the top five for quality of life, social purpose, and agility. The Commonwealth nation ranked sixth for entrepreneurship and landed in the top 10 for comfortable retirement, raising children, and education.Canada ranked 15th on the list of business-friendly countries and 14th on the one for influential countries.

3. United StatesPopulation: 336 millionGDP: $27.4 trillionThe United States rose to third this year from fifth last year, its highest placement in the overall list since the best countries ranking began nine years ago.The US ranked first for agility and power, as well as second for entrepreneurship. The US was also third for cultural influence behind Italy and France, and took the top spot for most influential country and countries with the best education.The US, though, did not make the top 20 for quality of life, adventure, or business-friendliness. The US was also notably not included in the top 20 of best countries for retirement — a finding echoed by many US citizens who have moved abroad for a cheaper, more comfortable retirement.

2. JapanPopulation: 123.2 millionGDP: $4.3 trillionJapan jumped to second place overall from sixth place last year. It ranked third for entrepreneurship and fifth for cultural influence. Japan ranked eighth for power, agility, and “movers” which U.S. News defined as “ones to watch.” Japan also ranked highly in business and careers categories such as forward-looking countries, best countries to invest in, and top countries to start a career.However, Japan did not crack the top 20 for being business-friendly, the best place to visit, or having a social purpose.

1. SwitzerlandPopulation: 8.9 millionGDP: $819 billionSwitzerland consistently ranked high among many of U.S. News’ key criteria. Switzerland ranked third for quality of life, fifth for entrepreneurship, and second for being open to business. It also topped the lists of countries for comfortable retirement and starting a career.However, it ranked comparably lower, 19th, for “movers,” which is also an indicator for countries with high-potential economies. It ranked outside the top 20 for the heritage category, which considered cultural traditions.

Source: Insider