Country Rankings

Have you wondered how your country ranks on a global scale?  US News and World Report put together a ranking of the best countries in the world to live. I am very happy where Canada is on the list for 2018. For those who want to see the entire list go here (pdf file). As you can see from the chart, the countries are ranked by various criteria, Entrepreneurship, Adventure, Cultural Influence, Citizenship, Movers, Quality of Life. The country attribute scores were equally weighted within each sub ranking.

You may not agree with the rankings or how they arrived at them, but if you go to the link above they will explain in detail, how they arrived at the categories and how they then arrived at the 10 ranking countries.

As they explain, “Best Countries is a dynamic, multimedia portal that includes rankings, video content, interactive data visualization tools, original reporting and op-eds from international thought leaders. The content leverages data derived from a proprietary survey produced in partnership with U.S. News & World Report, Y&R’s BAV Consulting and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

The 2018 Best Countries rankings include an overall list of 80 nations numerically ranked – up from 60 in the inaugural edition.

Additional “Best of” lists were produced, including the countries that are best to headquarter a corporation, raise a family, receive an education, invest in, and more. Why rank countries? The Best Countries project is designed to help citizens, business leaders and policymakers better understand how their nations are perceived on a world scale.

Now for some insights into my country as shown in this report

Canada takes up about two-fifths of the North American continent, making it the second-largest country in the world after Russia. The country is sparsely populated, with most of its residents living within 125 miles of the U.S. border. Canada’s expansive wilderness to the north plays a large role in Canadian identity, as does the country’s reputation of welcoming immigrants.

Although the Norse briefly settled in Canada during the 10th century, European exploration accelerated in the 1500s. France and Britain angled for control over the region, with the British cementing their dominance in the year 1763. The country was a collection of British colonies until it became a self-governing dominion in 1867.

Canadians pride themselves in encouraging all of their citizens to honor their own cultures. In 1971, Canada adopted a national policy of multiculturalism, which celebrates the country’s diversity. The list of accomplished Canadian writers and artists is long. Céline Dion, Sarah McLachlan and Joni Mitchell are just a few of the Canadians who have made an impression on modern music.

Technically, Canada is a constitutional monarchy with the U.K. monarch as the head of state. The royal leader is represented locally by a largely ceremonial governor-general appointed by the Canadian prime minister. The government follows the British style of parliamentary democracy. The capital, Ottawa, is located in the province of Ontario.

Canada is a high-tech industrial society with a high standard of living. Trade agreements in the 1980s and 1990s dramatically bolstered trade with the U.S., and now the two counties are each other's largest trading partner. While the service sector is Canada’s biggest economic driver, the country is a significant exporter of energy, food and minerals. Canada ranks third in the world in proven oil reserves and is the world’s fifth-largest oil producer.

Canada faces national challenges related to the concerns of indigenous people and those in the predominantly French-speaking province of Quebec. While constitutional guarantees allow the province wide-ranging cultural and linguistic autonomy, movements for complete independence come in waves.

Canada is a member of the United Nations, through which it has participated in many peacekeeping missions. It is also a member of NATO and the Commonwealth of Nations.