50 best country in the world

Home Page Lists Destinations Picture This Local Flavor Tips Beaches Lighter Side Videos About Us Terms of Service Privacy Policy Advertise Contact Us Do Not Sell My Personal Info Granite Media Sites: Always Pets Big Edition FamilyMinded Far & Wide Stadium Talk Work + Money © 2021 Granite Media Group, Inc. WORLD'S BEST No, the U.S. Isn’t the Best Country in the World By Marina Nazario, updated on June 26, 2020 Getty Is it difficult to name just one country when somebody asks you your favorite? Multiple factors might go into assigning this top spot. The culture. The food. The people. Or that crazy, unforgettable adventure you had. There are plenty of travel destination lists out there, but we’re interested in the king of said lists: the 50 best countries in the world. So, how does a country get included in such a prestigious index? U.S. News & World Report gathered data from a survey of 20,000 people across the globe. It presented a list of nine attributes — adventure, citizenship, cultural influence, heritage, entrepreneurship, movers, open for business, power and quality of life — to participants who assessed how closely they associated an attribute with a nation. And — alas! — this list was born. We used this data to present to you the 50 best countries of 2020. If your favorite country doesn’t rank where you thought it might, just remember that it’s No. 1 in your book. But, honestly, maybe you should check out some of these far superior destinations. OK, OK, let the debate begin... 50. Panama Getty Images Adventure #32 Citizenship #44 Cultural Influence #52 Entrepreneurship #51 Heritage #59 Movers #50 Open for Business #11 Power #62 Quality of Life #58 * The numbers listed are the country's ranking for each of the nine attributes assessed in the survey, which contributed to its overall ranking. How It Ranks Getty Images Panama is a narrow country in Central America, most famous for the Panama Canal that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Did you know it takes a ship eight to 10 hours to make its way through the canal?! Geez, that’s a time commitment. Besides this necessary feat in history, Panama is the only place in the world where you can watch the sunrise in the Pacific and sunset on the Atlantic. It just takes an aggressive hike up to the highest point in the country, Volcan Baru. Sweat-provoking? Yes. Worth it? Definitely. As No. 50 on the list, the country ranked on the lower end for most of the attributes, except for being open for business. In fact, Panama attracts several foreign corporations from near and far due to its scarce regulation of tax-exempt offshore banking. And, of course, its beautiful beaches attract tourists seeking adventure. 49. Dominican Republic Getty Images Adventure #15 Citizenship #47 Cultural Influence #39 Entrepreneurship #66 Heritage #52 Movers #35 Open for Business #23 Power #63 Quality of Life #48 How It Ranks Getty Images The Dominican Republic is teeming with culture and suave dance moves. It’s the site of Christopher Columbus’ arrival to the Americas and the first European settlement. The capital city, Santo Domingo, is where the first Catholic cathedral, first university and first hospital were established in the Americas. (There really are a lot of “firsts” associated with this Caribbean country.) The Dominican Republic is also known for producing some of the best baseball players in the world, such as Bartolo Colón and Robinson Canó! When you visit this country, be sure to try merengue, a Latin style of dancing that’s sure to bring out your two left feet. Plus, the country’s waterfalls and ocean activities make it an adventurer’s paradise. That said, its low scores in entrepreneurship, power and quality of life keep this country from breaking into the top 45. © 2021 Granite Media Group, Inc.