The 25 best countries in the world

                                                                                     

Learn More about Best Countries
Don't see your country here? See the full list of the 2020 Best Countries and explore how nations did in areas like Power, Citizenship and Adventure.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/06b5beb/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Ff1%2F00%2F3d3278714aada162b41fae5297d6%2Fflag-switzerland-design-stock.png No. 1: Switzerland
For the fourth year in a row, Switzerland is considered the No. 1 Best Country. The country, well-known for its history of neutrality, ranks No. 7 in citizenship and No. 2 in being open for business.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/183b6f0/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Ffe%2F7b%2Fa29bc39f48378e3cb19a36fdbbe7%2Fflag-canada-design.png No. 2: Canada
Canada, the second-largest country in the world in terms of landmass, ranks No. 2 overall. It takes the top spot in its perceived quality of life and No. 2 in terms of the best countries to headquarter a corporation.
 No. 3: Japan
Japan jumps two positions from 2018 to rank No. 3 overall. It is the highest-ranked Asian country and it ranks No. 5 among movers and No. 1 as the most forward-looking country.

https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/7eb58e4/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Ff4%2Fa2%2F5f8fb67a43d3b22890e2e4602800%2Fflag-germany-design.png No. 4: Germany
Germany is ranked No. 4 overall and lands in the top five for its perceived sense of entrepreneurship, power and international influence. The country's leader, Chancellor Angela Merkel, has one of the highest global approval ratings among prominent global leaders.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/f9cb520/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F1a%2F8e%2F68e7017944c0802003fb9d84836e%2Fflag-australia-design.png No. 5: Australia
Australia is the No. 5 Best Country overall. The Land Down Under – No. 5 in its perceived quality of life and No. 8 in its cultural Influence – also ranks in the top 10 in many areas, including education, comfortable retirement and the best country to travel alone.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/789b7bf/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F20%2F18%2F1de6efe64090b3a037e191c7efb9%2Fflag-united-kingdom-design.png No. 6: United Kingdom
The U.K. ranks No. 6 overall. The nation that is facing departure from the European Union fell one spot overall, but moved up a spot in its perceived entrepreneurship compared to the 2019 rankings. It maintained its No. 5 spot in its cultural influence.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/4e9b9a4/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Fcc%2Fdb%2F687b16ae42e488cfd7d644c19dac%2Fflag-united-states-design.png No. 7: United States
The U.S. ranked No. 7 overall, moving up one spot from 2019. The country with the largest economy in the world is also considered the most powerful. It ranks No. 3 in entrepreneurship and No. 4 in its cultural influence, as well.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/bc49ac9/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F8d%2F84%2Fd46063604987bfc7a393de63d5ab%2Fflag-sweden-design.png No. 8: Sweden
Sweden, one of the most generous countries in terms of contributing funds to humanitarian aid, ranks No. 8 overall. The country is considered No. 1 for citizenship and No. 3 in its perceived quality of life.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/ca7ca21/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F45%2F10%2Fe4dcd4e54a97bc7110b84f20ca0a%2Fflag-netherlands-design.png No. 9: Netherlands
The Netherlands moved up two spots this year to rank No. 9 overall. The Dutch were the first to legalize same-sex marriage, and national policies on drugs and abortion are liberal; their country ranks No. 6 in offering a top quality of life.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/aaf6275/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F9f%2F41%2F20e514df4f52abb51a9a1244b572%2Fflag-norway-design-stock.png No. 10: Norway
Norway, which has twice rejected European Union membership, ranks No. 10 overall. The country takes the No. 3 spot for citizenship and is the No. 2 best country for transparency.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/92c96c4/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F4e%2Fef%2F4546c6d94b3d9d7dc71ef6514c68%2Fflag-new-zealand-design.png No. 11: New Zealand
New Zealand is the No. 11 Best Country overall, faring one spot better than last year. The country's education expenditures as a percent of gross domestic product are among the highest in the world, and it ranks No. 14 in the best countries for education. It is also considered the No. 1 country to retire comfortably.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/001938a/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Fa3%2F32%2Fb46ff7ea48c08a8c32007eac6e69%2Fflag-france-design.png No. 12: France
France, one of the most visited countries in the world, ranks No. 12 overall. It is No. 2 in its cultural influence and No. 6 in power.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/1062891/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Faf%2Fe7%2F98305b874edf8e2a3674d78e95cf%2Fflag-denmark-design.png No. 13: Denmark
Norway's Nordic neighbor, Denmark, ranks No. 13 overall. It is considered the No. 1 best country for women and raising kids and it is the No. 5 best country to headquarter a corporation.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/81987d6/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Fd5%2F6b%2Ff11b1c954fd797754221c0d143d3%2Fflag-finland-design-stock.png No. 14: Finland
Finland ranks No. 14 overall for the third year. The country maintains top five spots in being one of the best countries for raising kids, women, transparency and offering green living.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/2a7bcda/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Fb1%2F74%2F12430828404bbb6ac53286ecd4be%2Fflag-china-design.png No. 15: China
China, one of the world's most populous countries, jumps four spots this year to rank No. 15 overall. It is considered to be the third-most powerful country as well as the third-best country in which to start a business.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/29cd611/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Ff9%2Ff0%2F759a56d04d48bfb2e4fb9e85776b%2Fflag-singapore-design.png No. 16: Singapore
Singapore, ranked No. 16 overall, boasts one of the world's highest gross domestic products per capita. Considered one of Asia's four economic tigers, the country ranks No. 4 in being one of the best countries to start a business and No. 5 in being open for business.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/ad370cf/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Ff3%2F82%2F7c150a534b29a82fc9540a302c3d%2Fflag-italy-design.png No. 17: Italy
Italy ranks No. 17 overall, falling two spots from 2018. Known for its many historical cities, world-renown cuisine and geographic beauty, the country takes top spots in heritage and cultural influence.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/272a0fb/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F8c%2Ff7%2Fb3e9355f4c8299985ec7361b98c5%2Fflag-austria-design.png No. 18: Austria
Austria, ranking No. 18 overall, returns to the list of the Best Countries for the first time since 2018. The country is considered the No. 10 best country for raising kids and the No. 12 for citizenship.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/272a0fb/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F8c%2Ff7%2Fb3e9355f4c8299985ec7361b98c5%2Fflag-austria-design.png No. 18: Austria
Austria, ranking No. 18 overall, returns to the list of the Best Countries for the first time since 2018. The country is considered the No. 10 best country for raising kids and the No. 12 for citizenship.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/d4c9287/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Fb8%2Faa%2F489ae3b94a548dfa2c086ac52866%2Fflag-south-korea-design.png No. 20: South Korea
South Korea ranks No. 20 overall and is considered the No. 3 most forward-looking country and the No. 8 best country for entrepreneurship.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/3fb99bb/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F48%2Fae%2F370c89d542949dd3d23d6a76edad%2Fflag-luxembourg-design.png No. 21: Luxembourg
Luxembourg ranks No. 21 overall. Despite stricter tax codes that hit the European Union in 2015, the country ranks No. 1 in being open for business and No. 5 in Best Countries to retire comfortably.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/bbf1a77/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F19%2F86%2F772558354368a2299e7214781dd9%2Fflag-uae-design-stock.png No. 22: United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, one of the most liberal of the Gulf states, ranks No. 22 overall. It is No. 1 in movers and No. 11 in power.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/c3391ad/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F25%2F59%2Fb38e76ac41ae82a6bd41b436c395%2Fflag-russia-design.png No. 23: Russia
Russia, ranking No. 23, is seen as both the second-most powerful country and the fourth-most influential country in the world.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/bbf2f13/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2F82%2F13%2F838eb0be40ef8f9ac07a45b5258b%2Fflag-portugal-design.png No. 24: Portugal
Portugal, ranked No. 24 overall, is considered to be one of the best countries to travel alone. It also ranks highly as one of the best countries to retire comfortably, at No. 7.
https://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/ab3aa53/2147483647/resize/x20/quality/85/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.beam.usnews.com%2Fba%2F33%2F96575bfc490c876a0b74f76bad00%2Fflag-india-design.png No. 25: India

India ranked No. 25 overall, joins the top 25 Best Countries moving up two spots from 2019. It is the world’s second most-populous nation and considered to be one of the best countries to travel to for studies, at No. 4

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