Germany ranked '7th best country in the world' in 2023
The annual global ranking saw the Bundesrepublik drop by five spots from last year's results.
Germany has been ranked seventh out of 87 other countries analysed by the US News & World Report for its 2023 ranking, which was released on Wednesday morning.
Last year, however, the country snagged second place in the rankings, which measure a country’s global performance based on 73 categories. They include entrepreneurship; quality of life; adaptability and progress; social purpose; and other attributes listed here.
This year first place went to neighbouring Switzerland, second to Canada, third to Sweden, fourth to Australia, fifth to the US and 6th to Japan.
The Bundesrepublik’s fall of five spots is due to it ranking lower or staying static in several subcategories.
Its largest decreases were in agility (number 2 to 10), which measures how well a country adapts to obstacles, and movers (number 44 to 58), which looks at how well a country is prepared to “weather challenges posed by the global economy.”
READ ALSO: Why Germany's lacklustre economy is 'slow to recover'
Yet despite Germany’s perceived lack of resiliency among respondents, it still came in first place out of all of the countries in the categories ‘good job market’ and ‘skilled labour force’, which saw many other countries plummet in the rankings following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Germany also came in third place in the education subcategory, with a majority of survey respondents looking favourably at its higher education system.
“The United States, United Kingdom and Germany were the only three countries viewed by a majority of respondents as having top-quality universities,” according to a statement from US News and World Report released Wednesday about the results.
“These same three countries also topped the list of where respondents would consider attending university.”
‘Made in Germany’ power endures
Germany made the top five rankings in two categories. In a category evaluating how well countries perform in entrepreneurship, it came in second place, beaten only by the US.
It also seized fourth place in the ‘power’ ranking, which measures a country’s global influence and how often it appears in news headlines, topped by Russia, China and the US.
Despite recent economic woes, the Bundesrepublik also came in third place for the category of “Has strong customer brands”, with a majority of survey respondents saying the Bundesrepublik produces the best cars.
It also placed in second place for the preferred country of a product’s origin, topped only by the U.S.
While Germany was the only major advanced economy expected to shrink in 2023, according to the International Monetary Fund, it’s still viewed as a top business destination, according to respondents.
Survey-takers considered to be business decision-makers were asked which countries they’ve done business in. The US topped the list with 36 percent, followed by the UK (26 percent), Japan (25 percent), Germany (24 percent), France (23 percent) and China (21 percent).
The eighth annual 2023 Best Countries report, conducted in partnership with the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, evaluates surveyed 17,000 global respondents that live across 36 countries.
European countries made up the majority of the top 25 nations in the rankings, seizing 16 spots in this year’s rankings.
Germany saw the largest fall among EU countries, down five spots since 2022, while Australia and New Zealand saw the largest increases, both up three spots year over year. Neighbouring Switzerland again topped the list as 'best country in the world'.
READ ALSO: OPINION: Is Germany really the sick man of Europe?
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Germany has been ranked seventh out of 87 other countries analysed by the US News & World Report for its 2023 ranking, which was released on Wednesday morning.
Last year, however, the country snagged second place in the rankings, which measure a country’s global performance based on 73 categories. They include entrepreneurship; quality of life; adaptability and progress; social purpose; and other attributes listed here.
This year first place went to neighbouring Switzerland, second to Canada, third to Sweden, fourth to Australia, fifth to the US and 6th to Japan.
The Bundesrepublik’s fall of five spots is due to it ranking lower or staying static in several subcategories.
Its largest decreases were in agility (number 2 to 10), which measures how well a country adapts to obstacles, and movers (number 44 to 58), which looks at how well a country is prepared to “weather challenges posed by the global economy.”
READ ALSO: Why Germany's lacklustre economy is 'slow to recover'
Yet despite Germany’s perceived lack of resiliency among respondents, it still came in first place out of all of the countries in the categories ‘good job market’ and ‘skilled labour force’, which saw many other countries plummet in the rankings following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Germany also came in third place in the education subcategory, with a majority of survey respondents looking favourably at its higher education system.
“The United States, United Kingdom and Germany were the only three countries viewed by a majority of respondents as having top-quality universities,” according to a statement from US News and World Report released Wednesday about the results.
“These same three countries also topped the list of where respondents would consider attending university.”
‘Made in Germany’ power endures
Germany made the top five rankings in two categories. In a category evaluating how well countries perform in entrepreneurship, it came in second place, beaten only by the US.
It also seized fourth place in the ‘power’ ranking, which measures a country’s global influence and how often it appears in news headlines, topped by Russia, China and the US.
Despite recent economic woes, the Bundesrepublik also came in third place for the category of “Has strong customer brands”, with a majority of survey respondents saying the Bundesrepublik produces the best cars.
It also placed in second place for the preferred country of a product’s origin, topped only by the U.S.
While Germany was the only major advanced economy expected to shrink in 2023, according to the International Monetary Fund, it’s still viewed as a top business destination, according to respondents.
Survey-takers considered to be business decision-makers were asked which countries they’ve done business in. The US topped the list with 36 percent, followed by the UK (26 percent), Japan (25 percent), Germany (24 percent), France (23 percent) and China (21 percent).
The eighth annual 2023 Best Countries report, conducted in partnership with the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, evaluates surveyed 17,000 global respondents that live across 36 countries.
European countries made up the majority of the top 25 nations in the rankings, seizing 16 spots in this year’s rankings.
Germany saw the largest fall among EU countries, down five spots since 2022, while Australia and New Zealand saw the largest increases, both up three spots year over year. Neighbouring Switzerland again topped the list as 'best country in the world'.
READ ALSO: OPINION: Is Germany really the sick man of Europe?
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