The Top 25 Best Countries in the World

While some countries excel when it comes to power, and others offer adventure, the U.S. News Best Countries rankings assess everything that shapes a country, from its quality of life to its economic potential.

The rankings, developed in partnership with BAV Group and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, measure global perceptions of the world's largest economies, gathering perceptions of 78 nations worldwide.

These are the top 25 best countries:

1:Canada

Canada, the second-largest country globally in landmass, ranks No. 1 overall for the first time, jumping one position since 2020. It ranks first for perceived quality of life and social purpose and scores highly among perceived agility, entrepreneurship, education, and economic and political stability.

2:Japan

Japan jumped one position since 2020, ranking No. 2 overall. The country, made up of four main islands, ranks No. 1

for entrepreneurship, No. 6 among movers, and No. 5 for cultural influence.

3:Germany

Germany is ranked No. 3 overall and lands in the top five rankings in entrepreneurship, power, and agility. The country's leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel, has one of the highest global approval ratings among prominent global leaders, though her final term will end in fall 2021.

4:Switzerland

After four years at the top of the list, Switzerland has fallen three spots to the No. 4 Best Country. Well-known for its history of neutrality, the country ranks No. 5 for quality of life and No. 1 in being open for business.

5:Australia

Australia is the No. 5 Best Country overall for the second-straight year. The country is No. 2 for its agility and No. 6 for its perceived quality of life, ranking in the top 10 in adventure, social purpose, safety, and trustworthiness.

6:United states

The U.S. ranked No. 6 overall, moving up one spot from 2020. The country with the largest economy globally is also considered the most powerful, ranking No. 1 in agility, No. 3 in entrepreneurship, and No. 3 in its cultural influence.

7:New Zealand

New Zealand is the No. 7 Best Country overall, moving up four spots since last year. It is considered the most scenic country globally and the happiest, ranking No. 3 for social purposes.

8:United Kingdom

The U.K. ranks No. 8 overall. After recently departing from the European Union, the nation fell two spots overall since the 2020 rankings but moved up a place in its perceived cultural influence.

9:Sweden

Sweden is the No. 9 Best Country overall and is No. 3 in its perceived quality of life. The country also ranked highly for social purpose and trustworthiness.

10:The Netherlands

The Netherlands ranks No. 10 overall. The country boasts the No. 1 ranking in gender equality, No. 3 in racial equity, and No. 7 in offering top quality of life.

11:France

France ranks No. 11 overall and is one of the most visited countries in the world. It ranks No. 2 for cultural influence, 4 for its heritage, and 7 for power.

12:Denmark

Norway's Nordic neighbor, Denmark, ranks No. 12 overall. It is considered the No. 2 country for both quality of life and social purpose.

13:Norway

Norway ranks No. 13 overall, dropping three spots since the 2020 rankings. The country takes the No. 4 spot for quality of life and is the No. 1 country for commitment to its climate goals.

14:Singapore

Singapore, ranked No. 14 overall, is considered one of Asia's four economic tigers, including Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan. The country also ranks No. 4 in movers and No. 5 in agility.

15:South Korea

South Korea, ranking No. 15 overall, jumping five positions since 2020, is considered the most dynamic country and ranks No. 5 for entrepreneurship.

16:Italy

Italy ranks No. 16 overall, ranking highly for heritage and cultural influence, known for its many historical cities, world-renown cuisine, and geographic beauty.

17:China

China, the world's most populous country, fell two spots this year to rank No. 17 overall. It is considered to be the second-most powerful country as well as No. 5 in movers.

18:Finland

Finland ranks No. 18 overall. The country is No. 8 for quality of life and ranks highly among climate-related metrics and its emphasis on social justice and equity.

19:Spain

Spain, ranked No. 19 overall, is also considered the No. 1 country for heritage and No. 3 for adventure.

20:Belgium

Belgium ranks No. 20 overall. The Western European country ranks highly among gender equality, racial equity, and its commitment to social justice, open travel policies, and transparent government practices.

21:Austria

Austria ranks No. 21 overall and is considered the No. 10 best country for social purposes and the No. 11 for trustworthiness.

The 22:United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates, one of the most liberal Gulf states, ranks No. 22 overall. It is No. 1 in movers and No. 10 in power.

23:Ireland

Ireland ranks No. 23 overall, scoring highly for open travel policies and friendliness, and is one of the happiest countries. It ranks No. 8 in being available for business, as well.

24:Russia

Russia, ranking No. 24, is seen as both the third-most powerful country and the most politically influential country globally.

25:India

India ranked No. 25 overall in the U.S. News Best Countries rankings for the second-straight year. It is the world's second-most populous nation and considered one of the best up-and-coming economies, ranking No. 2 in the movers.