#4
Canada
Canada is consistently a top five performer on Best Countries, having spent 2021 in top spot, and sitting comfortably in fourth place since last year.
The country is known for its vast coastline, rugged wilderness and the medal-winning abilities of its winter sports teams. It is a country powered by a strong services sector as well as exports of energy, food, and minerals.
On Best Countries, Canada is a strong performer across three of the 10 factors that contribute to its high place in the ranking: Agility, Social Purpose, and Quality of Life.
It is seen as the most progressive country in the world, and ranks #1 for religious freedom, with a reputation for being welcoming to newcomers and embracing different cultures. It is second only to Spain on Best Countries for being friendly and family-friendly, and its population is viewed as being the most educated in the world.
The country ranks as one of the top three places where people would like to live; it’s perceived as being safe, scenic, corruption-free, as a promoter of gender equality, and as being economically stable.
The 10 factors that determine a country’s brand
Why is Canada seen as the 4th best country in the world in 2026?
People surveyed for Best Countries were asked how closely they associated 73 attributes with a range of countries. These attributes were then grouped into 10 categories that were used to calculate the Best Countries ranking.
The weighting of each category in the final index is determined by the strength of its correlation to per capita GDP and forecast GDP for 2030.
Canada's top and bottom attributes
Each factor is made up by combining a selection of 73 attributes that track how people perceive each country. These are Canada's top and bottom ones.
#1
Educated population
#1
Progressive
#1
Religious freedom
#85
Cheap manufacturing costs
#78
Sexy
#76
Has a rich history
The percepions of Canada have changed over time
Canada has not always been seen as the #4 best country in the world. Explore how the perceptions of Canada have changed over time.
How do people in Canada see the world?
If we were to only ask people in Canada how they see the world the Best Countries ranking would be different. This is how they see it.
