Early last week, U.S. News in partnership with BAV Consulting and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, published their 2016 study on the best countries in the world.
With 3rd, 4th, and 5th place going to the United Kingdom, the United States, and Sweden respectively, our beloved Canada finished second to the thriving economy and strong cultural traditions of Germany.
What makes this study different from other types of international economy or development lists? Whereas most global rankings stick solely to the numbers, the U.S. News study relies heavily on the global perception of how a country is viewed by its neighbours around the world.
According to our biography on the ranking website, Canada is seen as a “high-tech industrial society with a high standard of living.” It is described as a diverse and multicultural country, boasting a slew of impressive musicians, and people who “pride themselves in encouraging all of their citizens to honor their own cultures.”
To come up with these rankings the developers at BAV Consulting and the Wharton School identified 65 characteristics that can be used to describe a successful country. Over 16,000 people from around the world were then asked to share how closely they attributed each of these characteristics with the 60 countries in question.
The 65 characteristics are divided into 9 subcategories: Adventure, Citizenship, Cultural Influence, Entrepreneurship, Heritage, Movers, Open for Business, Power and Quality of Life. Each country is given an average score for each characteristic. Based on these scores, they receive a ranking in each category.
In addition to being the number two country in terms of overall living, Canada also ranked first in Quality of Life, second in Citizenship and third in Open for Business.
The Citizenship sub-ranking, in which Canada placed second, was based on factors that determine a country’s place as a global role model. In order to place at the top of this list, a country must prove that it cares about human rights, the environment, gender equality and religious freedom, respects property rights, and has well-distributed political power.
Once the rankings from each sub-category have been tabulated, each section is given a weight in the overall score. With fairly impressive scores in all nine of the subject-areas, Canada was awarded a second place finish among 60 of its finest neighbours.
Should Canadians be disappointed about a second place finish?
While some might argue that second place is just the first to lose, being second also reminds us there is always room for improvement. What Canadians should take from this list is that we are recognized as global leaders; we are seen on the international stage as a country with a strong economy, exportation of a variety of resources, and perhaps most importantly, a warm and welcoming attitude. Everyone can feel at home here.
As our newly elected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated, “Canada has always been there to help people who need it.”