In Pics | These are the top 10 best countries in 2021

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. The 2021 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 report covers perceptions of 78 nations. It uses a set of attributes such as entreprenurship, quality of life and cultural influence to assign the rankings, along with new metrics like agility and social purpose to reflect a world changed by Covid-19, assessing them against a standardised total of 100. Interestingly, India ranks 25th on the list.

Rank 1: Canada. Agility: 3 | Entrepreneurship: 6 | Quality of Life: 1 | Movers: 46 | Social purpose: 1 | Cultural Influence: 14 | Open for business: 3 | Power: 12 | Adventure: 19 | Heritage: 33. Credit: iStockPhoto

Rank 2: Japan. Agility: 7 | Entrepreneurship: 1 | Quality of Life: 13 | Movers: 6 | Social purpose: 20 | Cultural Influence: 5 | Open for business: 26 | Power: 6 | Adventure: 28 | Heritage: 10. Credit: AFP File Photo

Rank 3: Germany. Agility: 4 | Entrepreneurship: 2 | Quality of Life: 9 | Movers: 39 | Social purpose: 11 | Cultural Influence: 9 | Open for business: 18 | Power: 4 | Adventure: 47 | Heritage: 27. Credit: AFP File Photo

Rank 4: Switzerland. Agility: 14 | Entrepreneurship: 7 | Quality of Life: 5 | Movers: 21 | Social purpose: 9 | Cultural Influence: 8 | Open for business: 1 | Power: 17. Adventure: 13 | Heritage: 21. Credit: Reuters File Photo

Rank 5: Australia. Agility: 2 | Entrepreneurship: 12 | Quality of Life: 6 | Movers: 18 | Social purpose: 8 | Cultural Influence: 16 | Open for business: 12 | Power: 16 | Adventure: 8 | Heritage: 23. Credit: AFP File Photo

Rank 6: United States. Agility: 1 | Entrepreneurship: 3 | Quality of Life: 20 | Movers: 24 | Social purpose: 19 | Cultural Influence: 3 | Open for business: 45 | Power: 1 | Adventure: 31 | Heritage: 16. Credit: Reuters Photo

Rank 7: Wellington. Agility: 9 | Entrepreneurship: 19 | Quality of Life: 10 | Movers: 16 | Social purpose: 3 | Cultural Influence: 19 | Open for business: 6 | Power: 31 | Adventure: 7 | Heritage: 28. Credit: iStockPhoto

Rank 8: United Kingdom. Agility: 12 | Entrepreneurship: 4 | Quality of Life: 14 | Movers: 42 | Social purpose: 14 | Cultural Influence: 4 | Open for business: 23 | Power: 5 | Adventure: 37 | Heritage: 13. Credit: AFP File Photo

Rank 9: Sweden. Agility: 10 | Entrepreneurship: 10 | Quality of Life: 3 | Movers: 45 | Social purpose: 4 | Cultural Influence: 10 | Open for business: 5 | Power: 26 | Adventure: 22 | Heritage: 38. Credit: iStockPhoto

Rank 10: The Netherlands. Agility: 8 | Entrepreneurship: 11 | Quality of Life: 7 | Movers: 40 | Social purpose: 5 | Cultural Influence: 18 | Open for business: 10 | Power: 23 | Adventure: 15 | Heritage: 31. Credit: Reuters File Photo