Behind a country’s wealth and success are the policies that create possibilities, the people that drive the effort and the history that shapes the environment and perspective.
Globalization has expanded a country’s presence beyond its physical borders, and the 2018 Best Countries rankings seek to understand a nation’s worth beyond hard metrics.
The 2018 Best Countries report and rankings are based on how global perceptions define countries in terms of a number of qualitative characteristics, impressions that have the potential to drive trade, travel and investment and directly affect national economies.
“The Best Countries report speaks to the effect a nation’s brand can have on its economic prosperity and perceived standing in the world,” Wharton professor of marketing David Reibstein said in a statement.
Below are the Top 10 Best Countries In Africa 2018
1. South Africa
South Africa is located on the southern tip of Africa, with coastlines on both the Atlantic and Indian oceans. South Africa is also Africa’s third-largest economy behind Nigeria and Egypt, the country draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year eager to see its impressive terrain, wildlife and cultural diversity.
The country is ranked the best country in Africa and #39 Best Country in the world.
2. Egypt
Egypt, with vast swaths of desert in its east and west and the rich Nile River Valley at its heart, is site to one of the world’s earliest and greatest civilizations. It’s location at the northeast corner of Africa bordering the Mediterranean Sea has made it a cultural and trading center
The country is ranked the second best country in Africa and #42 Best Country in the world.
3. Morroco
The Kingdom of Morocco is a Muslim country in western North Africa, with coastlines on the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. Just an hour ferry ride from Spain, the country has a unique mix of Arab, Berber, African and European cultural influences.
Morocco was ranked the third best country in Africa and #47 Best Country in the world.
4. Kenya
Scientists have called the East African nation, situated along the equator, the cradle of humankind. Some of the oldest and most complete human remains have been found along the Great Rift Valley, a volcano-lined trench that runs through western Kenya
Kenya was ranked the fourth best country in Africa and #57 Best Country in the world.
5. Tanzania
Tanzania is an East African country home to the continent’s highest mountain – Kilimanjaro – and the world’s second-deepest lake, Lake Tanganyika.
Tanzania is a place of diverse landscapes and rich cultural traditions.
The country was ranked the fifth best country in Africa and #62 Best Country in the world.
6. Tunisia
Tunisia is a small Arab country in North Africa that represents both the aspirations of freedom and struggles against terrorism that roil the region. Along with neighbors Algeria and Libya, it lines the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, a strategic location that has attracted Romans, Arabs, Ottoman Turks and others over the years.
The country was ranked the 6th best country in Africa and #65 Best Country in the world.
7. Ghana
The former Gold Coast, named for its rich deposits of the precious metal, became the Republic of Ghana in 1957 when it gained independence from British colonial rule.
Ghana was also the first nation in the region to break colonial rule.
The country is ranked the seventh best country in Africa and #71 Best Country in the world.
8. Nigeria
The Federal Republic of Nigeria claimed its independence from the U. K. in 1960, becoming the most populous country in Africa.
Nigeria is ranked the eight best country in Africa and #76 Best Country in the world.
9. Angola
The Republic of Angola is an oil-rich nation in southern Africa, bordered by Namibia and Congo along the Atlantic Ocean. Its shimmering shores rise to a high plateau with both desert and rainforest terrain.
Angola was ranked the 9th best country in Africa and #79 Best Country in the world.
10. Algeria
Nestled against the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, Algeria is the largest nation by size in the Arab world, and most of the country is covered by desert.
The country is ranked the 10th best country in Africa and #80 Best Country in the world.
Ranking The Countries (Methodology)
The study and model used to score and rank countries were developed by YR’s BAV Group and The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, specifically professor David J. Reibstein, in consultation with U.S. News World Report.
A set of 65 country attributes – terms that can be used to describe a country and that are also relevant to the success of a modern nation – were identified. Attributes by nation were presented in a survey of more than 21,000 people from across the globe. Participants assessed how closely they associated an attribute with a nation.
Each country was scored on each of the 65 country attributes based on a collection of individual survey responses. The more a country was perceived to exemplify a certain characteristic in relation to the average, the higher that country’s attribute score and vice versa. These scores were normalized to account for outliers and transformed into a scale that could be compared across the board.
Attributes were grouped into nine sub-rankings that rolled into the Best Countries ranking: Adventure, Citizenship, Cultural Influence, Entrepreneurship, Heritage, Movers, Open for Business, Power and Quality of Life.
To determine the weight each subranking score had in the overall Best Countries score, each was correlated to 2014 gross domestic product purchasing power parity per capita, a measure of inclusive prosperity, as reported by the International Monetary Fund. Sub-rankings that demonstrated a stronger relationship with the wealth metric were weighted more heavily, and all weights were standardized to total 100.
Great list!