Russia is one place up to rank 26th in the list of the best countries around the world according to a research published by the US News & World Report and conducted with the Pennsylvania University Wharton school and BAV Consulting.Nine different categories were included in the assessment: development of the tourism industry, innovation, social aspects, culture, economic growth, openness to business, general standard of living, the influence on the world arena and the historical heritage.
The first place in the ranking out of the 80 countries analysed, is Switzerland. It is followed by Canada, Germany (one place up), the UK (one down), Japan, Sweden and Australia, which outstripped the US. At the bottom of the list are Serbia (78th place), Angola (79) and Algeria (80). The ranking also includes Latvia (59th), Ukraine (69th), Kazakhstan (70th) and Belarus (72nd).
On the measure of ’strength and influence in the world’, Russia took the second place, losing only to the United States, while the third line is occupied by China. The publication observes that next to the United States, «Russia and China are perceived as the most powerful countries and are among the four states with the largest military budget». The publication indicates that in this part of the ranking «the gap between the US and Russia is narrowing».
«Russia is also one of the world’s largest arms exporters, behind only the United States», the compilers of the list note.In terms of GDP growth, Russia «being one of the largest global economies» is on the eighth line. The United Arab Emirates, India and Singapore dominate in this category. In all other categories Russia did not make it even to the top ten.
The ranking is based on the results of a sociological poll with 21,000 participants from different countries, including both members of the business elite and of the civil society.
