South Africa has been ranked as the 37th best country in the world, climbing two places since its last ranking on the Best Countries Ranking for 2018.
A report published by US News ranks 80 countries according to global perceptions define them, as well as how these impressions have the potential to drive trade and investment.
Each country is scored according to 65 tributes spread across nine categories. These include:
– Adventure: how ‘fun’ the country is
– Citizenship: property rights, equality, freedom, and human rights enjoyed by the residents of the country
– Cultural Influence: the richness of the country’s culture and how it influences its society
– Entrepreneurship: the country’s economic aspects
– Heritage: this category measures the accessibility of the country’s cultural influence
– Movers: how unique the country is
– Open for Business: how connected the country is to the rest of the world, how innovative it is, how big its skilled labour force is, its legal frameworks and the various roles government plays in this
– Power: the country’s influence, the strength of its military and its alliances
– Quality of Life: the country’s job market, safety, income equality, political certainty, and other socio-economic factors.
“Africa’s third-largest economy behind Nigeria and Egypt, South Africa draws hundreds of thousands of visitors each year eager to see its impressive terrain, wildlife, and cultural diversity. Although South Africa has come a long way since the end of apartheid in 1994, it remains a country of vast inequality and high crime,” US News said. “While the country is dotted with world-class dining, trendy shops, sprawling vineyards, and upscale safari lodges, townships lacking basic infrastructure are often only a short distance away.”
Additionally, South Africa also scored well in other categories, including comfortable retirement (48), green living (36), investment in (22), start business (52), transparency (70), and education (32).
The countries found by the report to be the top five Best Countries in the World are Switzerland, Japan, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom respectively.
Picture: Pixabay
