Switzerland surveyed as best country in the world while US falls to 7th as a result of Trump entering the White House
The top 20 overall best countries to live in according to the 2017 Best Countries Report, the top ten overall best countries to live in are:
Rankings determined by a nation's cultural influence, power, heritage and more
Bottom of the experts' list of 80 countries are Serbia, Iran and Algeria
1. Switzerland
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
4. Germany
5. Japan
6. Sweden
7. United States
8. Australia
9. France
10. Norway
11. Netherlands
12. Denmark
13. Finland
14. New Zealand
15. Singapore
16. Italy
17. Luxembourg
18. Austria
19. Spain
20. China
Switzerland took the top spot for the first time based on a combination of its attitude toward education, democracy, business and quality of life. Canada was ranked second and Britain third. Germany, last year’s winner, slid to fourth in part because of a string of terrorist attacks and political tension over its decision to admit large numbers of refugees. Japan came in fifth place.
The United States dropped to No. 7. Survey respondents gave it lower marks on business friendliness, respect for human rights and democracy, and educational quality; they also said they had less desire to visit the country. Nearly 75 percent of respondents said they lost some degree of respect for the United States after the election of Donald J. Trump as president.
The Best Countries for Women
Gamla Stan, a center of tourism in Stockholm. Sweden was named the best country for women, while the United States was 16th.
Sweden was ranked the best country in the world for women. That may come as a surprise to American conservatives, some of whom — like the Fox News host Bill O’Reilly have argued in recent weeks that criminal hordes of Muslim immigrants have forced frightened Swedish women to barricade themselves at home.
That Sweden had a temporary “mansplaining” hotline last year — which women could call to report condescending instances of men explaining things to them that they already knew — may have helped matters. The United States was ranked 16th.
The ranking was based on how survey respondents viewed a country’s position on human rights, gender equality, income equality, safety and overall progressive attitude. Scandinavia did well, with Sweden followed by Denmark and Norway. The Netherlands was fourth and Canada fifth.
The Best Countries for Children
1. Sweden
2. Denmark
3. Norway
4. Finland
5. Canada
Scandinavia also dominated the rankings when respondents were asked what they thought would be the best country to raise children in. Sweden came in first again, followed by Denmark, Norway, Finland and Canada. The United States did not fare too well in this category: It came in 19th, behind much of Europe but ahead of Japan.
The results were based on how respondents ranked each country in terms of its commitment to human rights, gender equality, income equality, public education and health. Respondents were also asked if they thought each country was generally happy and safe.
The Best Countries for Retirees
1. New Zealand
2. Australia
3. Switzerland
4. Canada
5. Portugal
Perhaps because this survey was partly conducted by a business school and a consulting firm, it also asked respondents which countries they would consider moving to in their retirement if price was no obstacle. The United States did not rank in the top 20.
The No. 1 response was New Zealand, followed by Australia, Switzerland, Canada and Portugal. Respondents thought these countries had nice climates and were affordable, friendly, committed to public health care and respectful of property rights. They also thought taxes would be low.
Best countries for education
1. Canada
2. United Kingdom
3. Germany
4. Australia
5. France
