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Good Country Index

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Ranks of countries by the Good Country Index 1.5 (2020)

The Good Country Index measures how much each of the 163 countries on the list contribute to the planet, and to the human species, through their policies and behaviors.[1][2]

Top 50 overall rank (version 1.5)

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2022 rank[3] Country
1  United States
2  Samoa
3  Italy
4  Netherlands
5  Finland
6  Canada
7  Belgium
8  Ireland
9  France
10  Austria
11  Norway
12  Luxembourg
13  Spain
14  United Kingdom
15   Switzerland
16  Cyprus
17  Slovenia
18  Australia
19  New Zealand
20  Iceland
21  Bulgaria
22  Estonia
23  Hungary
24  Italy
25  Singapore
26  Lithuania
27  Poland
28  Czech Republic
29  Portugal
30  Croatia
31  Malta
32  Slovakia
33  Chile
34  Japan
35  Latvia
36  Greece
37  South Korea
38  Serbia
39  North Macedonia
40  Moldova
41  Romania
42  Montenegro
43  Armenia
44  South Africa
45  Uruguay
46  Cuba
47  India
48  Malaysia
49  Costa Rica
50  Bosnia and Herzegovina

2018 top 10 overall rank (version 1.3)

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2018 rank[4] Country
1  Finland
2  Netherlands
3  Ireland
4  Sweden
5  Germany
6  Denmark
7   Switzerland
8  Norway
9  France
10  Spain

2017 top 163 overall rank (version 1.2)

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2017 rank[5] Country Science and
Technology 		Culture International
Peace and Security 		World Order Planet and
Climate 		Prosperity
and Equality 		Health and
Well-being
1  Netherlands 8 2 27 3 19 4 9
2  Switzerland 11 4 44 10 2 5 6
3  Denmark 4 6 64 9 14 2 3
4  Finland 7 13 52 8 6 9 12
5  Germany 21 15 37 2 18 14 7
6  Sweden 17 5 67 4 26 3 1
7  Ireland 32 8 50 21 10 1 2
8  United Kingdom 5 11 48 12 11 35 4
9  Austria 6 7 65 1 17 13 28
10  Norway 49 22 51 7 5 8 5
11  France 24 14 53 16 3 17 23
12  Hungary 3 19 17 43 32 23 33
13  Belgium 9 1 109 13 22 7 16
14  Canada 29 25 41 11 39 27 8
15  Singapore 26 29 14 30 21 19 49
16  Italy 41 26 55 14 7 36 24
17  New Zealand 12 35 33 19 27 69 17
18  Spain 40 30 70 15 9 34 22
19  Luxembourg 37 10 100 20 30 56 11
20  Cyprus 31 44 73 17 4 38 59
21  Japan 61 45 18 47 33 47 21
22  Bulgaria 14 39 69 32 40 39 53
23  Australia 20 48 54 6 50 102 13
24  Portugal 39 12 133 28 23 21 39
25  United States 38 67 72 29 35 62 10
26  Greece 27 47 115 31 15 50 29
27  Iceland 15 37 77 42 1 105 41
28  Estonia 36 3 93 72 57 37 27
29  South Korea 44 34 103 33 98 65 19
30  Poland 23 21 107 24 34 46 79
31  Moldova 47 46 9 64 73 22 87
32  Slovenia 10 16 160 18 12 77 57
33  Malta 62 28 124 5 20 42 76
34  Czech Republic 2 9 98 48 60 98 47
35  Chile 74 51 19 26 43 73 91
36  Croatia 33 38 146 58 13 10 83
37  Malaysia 52 41 34 40 149 19 46
38  Turkey 55 75 78 39 51 40 44
39  Costa Rica 76 32 16 22 46 82 110
40  Romania 30 31 58 36 37 81 112
41  Latvia 13 17 104 70 42 80 70
42  Lithuania 18 23 99 56 16 124 64
43  Mauritius 83 27 56 34 78 25 126
44  Morocco 45 85 10 114 79 43 58
45  Albania 28 33 84 45 132 6 106
46  North Macedonia 19 55 135 54 65 74 34
47  South Africa 25 65 2 25 150 114 56
48  Slovakia 42 20 113 52 24 142 52
49  Uruguay 135 59 6 37 8 135 80
50  Barbados 35 18 126 103 54 32 103
51  Philippines 146 58 47 61 56 12 94
52  Jordan 65 91 31 111 137 24 18
53  Israel 34 63 123 84 25 99 51
54  Ukraine 1 62 108 57 128 72 55
55  Thailand 107 54 21 23 138 109 37
56  Tunisia 72 93 3 107 69 70 92
57  Georgia 86 109 79 101 55 11 66
58  United Arab Emirates 84 53 147 53 115 49 14
59  India 67 57 32 89 97 49 35
60  Qatar 145 114 36 94 62 61 25
61  Bosnia and Herzegovina 16 69 149 35 135 45 95
62  Lebanon 68 66 153 76 89 31 63
63  Kenya 59 83 63 44 63 130 114
64  Fiji 50 81 76 161 109 44 36
65  Russia 53 101 82 97 67 116 43
66  Guatemala 119 83 23 71 113 78 77
67  Sri Lanka 117 141 26 78 72 52 78
68  Oman 123 126 11 119 86 75 26
69  Serbia 105 78 80 74 83 15 138
70  Panama 99 117 110 27 99 68 54
71  Montenegro 48 61 128 41 91 71 134
72  Nicaragua 110 100 96 87 140 20 30
73  Egypt 60 123 4 120 70 134 73
74  Mexico 95 64 85 99 90 108 48
75  Armenia 56 103 136 104 108 48 31
76  China 70 111 40 109 96 113 48
77  Uganda 82 107 90 63 71 87 90
78  Belarus 46 95 132 92 75 84 67
79  Samoa 64 60 1 130 45 145 146
80  Brazil 109 119 61 50 53 162 40
81  Ecuador 139 106 24 80 94 110 50
82  Argentina 75 119 39 49 112 100 122
83  Timor-Leste 73 133 49 102 120 29 105
84  Dominican Republic 122 125 129 51 31 76 81
85  Kuwait 127 110 140 81 66 83 20
86  Burkina Faso 92 124 46 66 148 30 125
87  Colombia 78 118 15 121 88 119 98
88  Namibia 66 42 89 106 103 136 96
89  Azerbaijan 129 139 42 132 29 86 89
90  Kyrgyzstan 80 76 121 66 159 60 86
91  Grenada 22 50 62 152 77 155 133
92  Brunei 125 79 8 163 49 158 68
93  Senegal 69 87 43 100 139 59 160
94  Seychelles 89 49 150 60 100 101 120
95  Peru 102 90 97 95 80 96 113
96  Dominica 51 73 137 116 81 104 111
97  Mongolia 131 96 28 141 118 33 130
98  Cameroon 101 144 13 90 105 150 74
99  Bolivia 161 98 45 46 136 106 85
100  Indonesia 160 88 7 62 144 133 84
101  Zambia 154 149 57 55 64 121 82
102  Rwanda 118 161 29 144 36 54 141
103  Togo 111 117 38 133 161 16 148
104  Ghana 63 104 66 93 121 107 139
105  Tanzania 156 121 12 85 76 143 101
106  Saudi Arabia 81 136 141 117 122 85 15
107  Bangladesh 130 130 87 59 130 132 32
108  Kazakhstan 116 131 20 110 123 131 72
109  El Salvador 121 99 134 147 102 58 42
110  Trinidad and Tobago 93 71 116 136 111 28 152
111  Marshall Islands 43 40 162 149 129 41 144
112  Eswatini 104 112 156 125 47 55 117
113  Jamaica 77 86 74 86 101 146 147
114  Zimbabwe 98 112 70 151 145 26 107
115  Algeria 113 138 22 79 48 160 159
116  Antigua and Barbuda 91 74 103 131 68 139 124
117  Cape Verde 103 84 138 108 28 115 154
118  Botswana 133 72 112 75 110 90 145
119  Malawi 94 142 60 69 146 111 116
120  Madagascar 106 97 25 126 153 103 136
121  Bahamas 114 52 94 148 59 127 155
122  Honduras 136 120 88 122 158 64 62
123  Pakistan 88 150 92 129 134 123 38
124  Paraguay 155 140 30 82 127 154 69
125  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 97 43 142 124 38 144 162
126  Nigeria 142 146 5 137 61 122 150
127  Lesotho 148 108 102 118 124 67 100
128  Vietnam 128 102 59 158 141 88 99
129  Saint Lucia 54 24 139 157 126 125 151
130  Burundi 71 160 125 150 107 92 74
131  Iran 90 157 83 68 117 148 118
132  Guinea 96 132 122 123 156 94 60
133  Liberia 79 153 154 38 160 128 71
134  Laos 100 145 105 159 41 112 123
135  Guyana 158 68 75 154 116 118 97
136  Niger 120 128 101 88 157 51 143
137  Bahrain 115 105 159 77 82 157 93
138  Tonga 85 70 161 162 84 79 149
139  Haiti 132 92 144 140 119 53 115
140  Republic of the Congo 144 137 68 124 74 120 137
141  Guinea-Bissau 57 151 163 73 152 91 121
142  Suriname 134 80 114 105 95 151 132
143  Benin 87 143 117 127 162 66 109
144  Sierra Leone 152 129 151 83 114 129 161
145  Cambodia 153 89 86 138 151 138 65
146  Mozambique 147 127 106 65 133 93 153
147  Gabon 151 158 81 96 58 152 128
148  Ivory Coast 126 116 120 156 92 95 129
149  Democratic Republic of the Congo 138 162 91 155 106 63 127
150  Belize 112 36 143 113 147 141 158
151  Central African Republic 58 159 148 146 142 89 108
152  Venezuela 149 154 118 91 85 156 104
153  Papua New Guinea 137 94 130 98 93 161 157
154  Equatorial Guinea 157 147 111 160 52 163 102
155  Syria 140 152 131 142 104 147 88
156  Angola 163 148 119 153 44 117 163
157  Mali 143 124 155 139 143 57 142
158  Mauritania 141 56 95 143 163 158 161
159  Chad 124 135 127 145 131 126 140
160  Yemen 108 155 157 128 125 137 119
161  Iraq 162 156 158 115 87 153 135
162  Libya 150 163 145 112 154 97 156
163  Afghanistan 159 115 152 135 155 140 131

2016 top 10 overall rank (version 1.1)

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2016 rank Country
1  Sweden
2  Denmark
3  Netherlands
4  United Kingdom
5   Switzerland
6  Germany
7  Finland
8  France
9  Austria
10  Canada

2014 top 10 overall rank (version 1.0)

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2014 rank Country
1  Ireland
2  Finland
3   Switzerland
4  Netherlands
5  New Zealand
6  Sweden
7  United Kingdom
8  Norway
9  Denmark
10  Belgium

Description

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The Good Country Index is a composite statistic of 35 data points mostly generated by the United Nations. These data points are combined into a common measure which gives an overall ranking, and a ranking in seven categories:

  • Science and Technology
  • Culture
  • International Peace and Security
  • World Order
  • Planet and Climate
  • Prosperity and Equality
  • Health and Well-being

The concept, and the index itself, were developed by Simon Anholt. The Index was built by Dr. Robert Govers with support from several other organisations.[6]

The top three countries in the 2014 list were Ireland, Finland and Switzerland.[7] Nine of the top 10 countries in overall rankings are in Western Europe, while Canada tops overall rankings in North America.[8] The last three countries on the list are Iraq, Libya, and Afghanistan.

Methodology

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Testing and method

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The Index attempts to measure the global impacts of national policies and behaviors: what the country contributes to the global commons, and what they take away. The Index utilizes 35 data points, five for each of seven categories. These data points are produced by the United Nations and by other international agencies, with a few by NGOs and other organisations.

Countries receive scores on each indicator as a fractional rank (0=top rank, 1=lowest) relative to all countries for which data are available. The category rankings are based on mean fractional ranks of the five indicators per category (subject to maximum two missing values per category). The overall rank is based on the average of the category ranks. This yields a common measure which gives an overall ranking, a ranking in each of the seven categories, and a balance-sheet for each country that shows at a glance how much it contributes to the world and how much it takes away.[9]

Categories and indicators

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Science, Technology & Knowledge

Culture

  • Exports of creative goods (UNCTAD's Creative Economy Report categorisation) relative to GDP
  • Exports of creative services (UNCTAD's Creative Economy Report categorisation) relative to GDP
  • UNESCO dues in arrears as percentage of contribution (negative indicator)
  • Number of countries and territories that citizens can enter without a visa
  • Freedom of the press (based on mean score for Reporters without Borders and Freedom House index as a negative indicator)

International Peace and Security

  • Number of peacekeeping troops sent overseas relative to GDP
  • Dues in arrears to financial contribution to UN peacekeeping missions as percentage of contribution (negative indicator)
  • Attributed number of casualties of international organised violence relative to GDP (negative indicator)
  • Exports of weapons and ammunition relative to GDP (negative indicator)
  • Global Cyber Security Index score (according to International Telecommunication Union)

World Order

  • Percentage of population that gives to charity as proxy for cosmopolitan attitude
  • Number of refugees hosted relative to GDP
  • Number of refugees overseas relative to GDP (negative indicator)
  • Population growth rate (negative indicator)
  • Number of treaties signed as proxy for diplomatic action and peaceful conflict resolution

Planet and Climate

  • National Footprint Accounts Biocapacity reserve (2009)
  • Exports of hazardous waste relative to GDP (only 2008 and 2011 data available, so 2011 data used as negative indicator)
  • Organic water pollutant (BOD) emissions relative to GDP (2007 latest data as negative indicator)
  • CO2 emissions relative to GDP (negative indicator)
  • Methane + nitrous oxide + other greenhouse gas (HFC, PFC and SF6) emissions relative to GDP (negative indicator)

Prosperity and Equality

  • Trading across borders (open trading performance compared to best practice; i.e. IFC distance to frontier score)
  • Number of aid workers and volunteers sent overseas relative to GDP
  • Fairtrade market size relative to GDP
  • Foreign Direct Investment outflow relative to GDP
  • Development cooperation contributions (aid) relative to GDP

Health and Wellbeing

  • Amount of wheat tonnes equivalent food aid shipments relative to GDP
  • Exports of pharmaceuticals relative to GDP
  • Voluntary excess contributions to World Health Organization relative to GDP
  • Humanitarian aid contributions relative to GDP
  • International Health Regulations Compliance

Criticism

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The Economist's Daily Chart questions the validity of some of its results. It notes that scaling countries on a GDP basis skews it in favor of poorer countries, and that the interpretation of certain parameters is flawed, but also calls the index "a worthwhile pursuit by imagining how countries might compete when they aim to serve others."[10]

See also

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Notes and references

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  1. ^ Anholt, Simon; Govers, Robert. "About the Index". The Good Country Index. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Results - the Good Country Index". Archived from the original on 2019-02-17. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
  3. ^ "The Good Country Index - Results". Goodcountryindex.org. 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  4. ^ "The Good Country Index - Results". Goodcountryindex.org. 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  5. ^ "The Good Country Index - Results". Goodcountryindex.org. 2019. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
  6. ^ Anholt, Simon; Govers, Robert. "Acknowledgements". The Good Country Index. Archived from the original on 2016-03-10. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  7. ^ Anholt, Simon; Govers, Robert. "Overall Rankings". The Good Country Index. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2018. (version 1.0)
  8. ^ Gander, Kashmira (24 June 2014). "Ireland is officially the 'best country in the world', says study". The Independent. Retrieved 1 July 2014.
  9. ^ Anholt, Simon; Govers, Robert. "FAQ". The Good Country Index. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 3 July 2014.
  10. ^ L.P., R.L.W. AND K.N.C. (24 June 2014). "The goodness of nations". The Economist. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
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