Evaluating 87 countries across 73 attributes, based on a proprietary survey of more than 17,000 global citizens from 36 countries, the ‘2023 Best Countries Analysis’ has ranked Switzerland as the best nation for the sixth time now, followed by Canada and Sweden.

For the second consecutive year, Switzerland has topped the overall list of the ‘2023 Best Countries Analysis’ rankings by American media house US News & World Report, British multinational advertising firm WPP and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. 

According to a press statement, the report, which is now in its eighth year, evaluates 87 countries across 73 attributes, using a methodology developed by WPP’s BAV, the company’s proprietary brand analytics tool. 

The statement says that attributes are grouped into 10 subrankings, ranging from entrepreneurship and quality of life to power and heritage. It adds that entrepreneurship is the most heavily weighted subranking this year, as determined by the most recent gross domestic product per capita data. 

According to the analysis, Switzerland has claimed the top spot for the sixth time now, having held it from 2017 to 2020. It scored particularly well in the entrepreneurship, quality of life, open for business and social purpose subrankings.

The report says that Canada moved up a position to number 2, Sweden climbed two spots to number 3 and Australia jumped three spots to land at number 4. Rounding out the top 5 is the United States, which fell one spot and saw its largest decline in the open for business subranking. New Zealand and the Netherlands returned to the top 10 after a year’s absence.

“A nation’s economy, as well as its potential for success in key areas such as trade, travel and investment, hinges in part on how it is perceived globally. The 2023 Best Countries rankings and report examine these perceptions as they relate to several qualitative characteristics, giving policymakers and residents of various nations a helpful glimpse into their country’s perceived value,” says Morgan Felchner, US News executive editor, news and events.

Key themes from the analysis included that as the world experiences record-breaking temperatures, most agree on the impact of climate change. 80 pc of respondents agreed to some extent with the statement ‘the effects of climate change are real,’ while 71 pc agreed with the statement ‘I am willing to make financial sacrifices to address climate change’.

According to the report, in the US and Sweden, fewer consider universal healthcare a human right. Outside of the US, the only country that saw less than 85 pc agreement that universal healthcare is a human right was Sweden with 83 pc, which is perceived as having the top well-developed public health system and to be the most health-conscious of all countries included in the survey.

Inflation remains a global concern. The statement adds that against the backdrop of many countries grappling with high inflation rates over the past year, 84 pc of respondents believe inflation will continue to get worse, although that share is down slightly from 85 pc in 2022.

It adds that Western and Eastern countries disagree on the benefits of social media. Several countries in Asia including China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and the Middle East with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates saw more than 80 pc of respondents express agreement that social media has a positive effect on society, while many of Western nations saw a majority or near-majority of their respondents disagreeing with the statement.

The report says that global support for immigration is slightly declining. 59 pc of respondents, down from 61 pc in 2022, agreed to some extent with the statement ‘My country should be more open to immigration.’

“Switzerland’s enduring success in the Best Countries rankings not only highlights its entrepreneurial strength, quality of life, and positive global image, but also underscores its transformation towards an economy increasingly rooted in science and precision technology,” says David Roth, chairman of WPP BAV. 

The statement adds that the report is based on a proprietary survey of more than 17,000 global citizens from 36 countries, including business leaders, college-educated individuals who are middle-class or higher and general citizens who are nationally representative of their country, administered from March 17 through June 12.

“Exploring consumers’ attitudes towards topics high on the agenda, innovation, climate change, healthcare, inflation and social media to name a few,  provides a nuanced understanding of the intricate global landscape, helping brands to craft strategies that resonate with diverse audiences and adapt to evolving societal priorities around the world,” Roth adds.

“Nations are brands in and of themselves just like products and the brand perception of a country affects its economy. This report is a snapshot for nations on how they are perceived and what to work on to bolster foreign direct investment, foreign trade, and tourism,” says David Reibstein, professor of marketing at the Wharton School.