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This article was first published 12 years ago

Most competitive countries in the world

Last updated on: June 4, 2012 08:58 IST

Image: An aerial view shows the Legislative Council building, centre, located in Hong Kong's Central business.
Photographs: Bobby Yip/Reuters

Institute for Management Development, a Switzerland-based business school, has announced the findings of its annual World Competitiveness Yearbook.

The WCY rankings measure how well countries manage their economic and human resources to increase their prosperity.

One-third of the 329 ranking criteria come from an exclusive IMD survey of more than 4,200 international executives, which reveals a growing scepticism in some of the 59 economies towards globalisation and the need for economic reforms

Let's take a look at the most competitive countries in the world.

Hong Kong

Score (2012): 100

Global rank (2011): 1

Global rank (2012): 1

...

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: Signs of fast food restaurants are seen along a busy street in Los Angeles.
Photographs: David McNew/Reuters

The United States

Score (2012): 97.75

Global rank (2011): 2

Global rank (2012): 1

...

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: People walk on Zurich's main shopping street Bahnhofstrasse.
Photographs: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters

Switzerland

Score (2012): 96.68

Global rank (2011): 5

Global rank (2012): 3

...

Tags: , Switzerland

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: An aerial view of Marina Bay and Singapore's central business district.
Photographs: David Loh/Reuters

Singapore

Score (2012): 95.92

Global rank (2011): 3

Global rank (2012): 4

...

Tags: , Score , Singapore

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: Children try out a skateboard park built under a concrete viaduct in Ralambshov Park in Stockholm.
Photographs: Scanpix/Reuters

Sweden

Score (2012): 91.39

Global rank (2011): 4

Global rank (2012): 5

...

Tags: , Score , Sweden

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: People walk near the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City.
Photographs: Mathieu Belanger/Reuters

Canada

Score (2012): 90.29

Global rank (2011): 7

Global rank (2012): 6

...

Tags: , Score , Canada

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: Participants compete in a dragon boat race to mark the upcoming Dragon Boat Festival in Keelung River in Taipei.
Photographs: Pichi Chuang/Reuters

Canada

Score (2012): 89.96

Global rank (2011): 6

Global rank (2012): 7

...

Tags: , Score , Canada

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: People walk past the Grand Hotel in Oslo.
Photographs: Kyrre Lien/Scanpix/Reuters

Norway

Score (2012): 89.67

Global rank (2011): 13

Global rank (2012): 8

...

Tags: , Score , Norway

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: Pedestrians enjoy the sun and warm weather during a walk along the river Main in Frankfurt.
Photographs: Ralph Orlowski/Reuters

Germany

Score (2012): 89.26

Global rank (2011): 10

Global rank (2012): 9

...

Tags: , Germany , Score

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: Sun reflects off the glass and steel buildings on the Doha skyline.
Photographs: Jacky Naegelen/Reuters

Qatar

Score (2012): 88.48

Global rank (2011): 8

Global rank (2012): 10

...

Tags:

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: Two women ride their bicycles on the Lindengracht in Amsterdam.
Photographs: Michael Kooren/Reuters

The Netherlands

Score (2012): 87.16

Global rank (2011): 14

Global rank (2012): 11

...

Tags:

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: View of the city of Luxembourg.
Photographs: Francois Lenoir/Reuters

Luxembourg

Score (2012): 86.05

Global rank (2011): 11

Global rank (2012): 12

...

Tags:

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: Boats are seen anchored at the 17th century Nyhavn district, home to many shops and restaurants in Copenhagen.
Photographs: Bob Strong/Reuters

Denmark

Score (2012): 84.88

Global rank (2011): 12

Global rank (2012): 13

...

Tags: , Score , Denmark

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: An aerial view of Kuala Lumpur.
Photographs: Bazuki Muhammad/Reuters

Malaysia

Score (2012): 84.22

Global rank (2011): 16

Global rank (2012): 14

...

Tags: , Malaysia , Score

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: Rowers train at dawn on the Yarra River in Melbourne.
Photographs: Toby Melville/Reuters

Australia

Score (2012): 83.18

Global rank (2011): 9

Global rank (2012): 15

...

Tags: , Score , Australia

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: A view of Dubai.
Photographs: Mohammed Salem/Reuters

The United Arab Emirates

Score (2012): 82.49

Global rank (2011): 28

Global rank (2012): 16

...

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: Cafe in the square of the Three Blacksmiths, Helsinki.
Photographs: Stringer/Reuters

Finland

Score (2012): 82.47

Global rank (2011): 15

Global rank (2012): 17

...

Tags: , Score , Finland

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: A rower trains on the River Thames at Henley in south east England.
Photographs: Toby Melville/Reuters

The United Kingdom

Score (2012): 80.14

Global rank (2011): 20

Global rank (2012): 18

...

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: A view of central Tel Aviv backed by the Mediterranean Sea.
Photographs: Nir Elias/Reuters

Israel

Score (2012): 78.57

Global rank (2011): 17

Global rank (2012): 19

...

Tags: , Score , Israel

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: A man looks at a window display of jewellery on Grafton Street, Dublin.
Photographs: Cathal McNaughton/Reuters

Ireland

Score (2012): 78.47

Global rank (2011): 24

Global rank (2012): 20

...

Tags:

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: A traditional Fiaker horse carriage passes Burgtheater theatre in Vienna.
Photographs: Heinz-Peter Bader/Reuters

Austria

Score (2012): 77.67

Global rank (2011): 18

Global rank (2012): 21

...

Tags: , Austria , Score

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: A general view shows part of central Seoul.
Photographs: Lee Jae Won/Reuters

South Korea

Score (2012): 76.75

Global rank (2011): 22

Global rank (2012): 22

...

Tags: , South Korea , Score

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: Visitors walk through the Lujiazui Financial Area in Shanghai.
Photographs: Aly Song/Reuters

China

Score (2012): 75.77

Global rank (2011): 19

Global rank (2012): 23

...

Tags: , China , Score

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: People cross a street after rainfall in central Auckland.
Photographs: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters

New Zealand

Score (2012): 74.88

Global rank (2011): 21

Global rank (2012): 24

...

Tags:

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: Tourists walk on Brussels' famous Grand Place.
Photographs: Sebastien Pirlet/Reuters

Belgium

Score (2012): 73.48

Global rank (2011): 23

Global rank (2012): 25

...

Tags:

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: People walk past the recently opened Harpa Concert Hall in downtown Reykjavik.
Photographs: Ingolfur Juliusson/Reuters

Iceland

Score (2012): 71.54

Global rank (2011): 31

Global rank (2012): 26

...

Tags: , Iceland , Score

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: The world's steepest roller coaster 'Takabisha', with a free falling angle of 121 degrees, is seen at Fuji-Q Highland amusement park in Fujiyoshida, west of Tokyo.
Photographs: Handout/Reuters

Japan

Score (2012): 71.35

Global rank (2011): 26

Global rank (2012): 27

...

Tags: , Score , Japan

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: A view of Santiago City.
Photographs: Victor Ruiz Caballero/Reuters

Chile

Score (2012): 71.28

Global rank (2011): 25

Global rank (2012): 28

...

Tags: , Score , Chile

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: A general view shows the Concorde obelisk, Champs Elysees Avenue and the Arc de Triomphe monument in Paris.
Photographs: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters

France

Score (2012): 70.00

Global rank (2011): 29

Global rank (2012): 29

...

Tags: , France , Score

Most competitive countries in the world

Image: A view of Bangkok.
Photographs: Chaiwat Subprasom/Reuters

Thailand

Score (2012): 69.00

Global rank (2011): 27

Global rank (2012): 30

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