It’s official! Canada is the best country in the world.
Canada took first place in the recently released 2021 Best Countries Report from US News & World Report.
This is the first time Canada has claimed the top spot in the annual ranking. The country placed second in the 2020 report and was in third place in 2019.
Canada ranked #1 out of 78 countries, beating out Japan, Germany, Switzerland and Australia, which rounded out the top five. The United States came in sixth.
The ranking measures the global performance of each country based on a variety of metrics – Adventure, Agility, Cultural Influence, Entrepreneurship, Heritage, Movers, Open for Business, Power, Social Purpose and Quality of Life.
Canada got full marks for Quality of Life – which reflects political and economic stability, public safety and a good job market – and Social Purpose, which looks at social justice, human and animal rights, racial equity, gender equality and religious freedom.
The country also received high marks in the Agility, Entrepreneurship and Open for Business categories.
The rankings are determined through a survey of more than 17,000 people “who are broadly representative of the global population, with an emphasis on those who would deem the topic and findings most relevant to their lives.”
The analysis uses data and anecdotal evidence to determine how countries compare on several different global issues, such as racial equity and corruption.
The report notes that Canada is “perceived as having a good job market, caring about human rights, and is committed to social justice.”
The top 10 Best Countries in the World:
1. Canada
2. Japan
3. Germany
4. Switzerland
5. Australia
6. United States
7. New Zealand
8. United Kingdom
9. Sweden
10. Netherlands
You can see the full 2021 Best Countries Report at usnews.com/news/best-countries.
Published on April 15, 2021.
