International rankings of Canada
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Canada is recognized in international rankings for a variety of reasons, ranging from its high standard of living to its strong economy and political stability. Canada ranks high on its social, legal, healthcare and education systems with its universities ranked among the best in the world.[1] The country consistently ranks high in other various indices measuring factors such as human rights, quality of life, safety, happiness, prosperity and sustainability. This has led to Canada being recognized as one of the best countries in the world to live.[2] Despite these facts there are varied domestic concerns, Canada ranks among the lowest of the most developed countries for housing affordability, technology affordability, healthcare accessibility, and foreign direct investment.[3]
International rankings
Note: Below each survey uses a limited number of countries/region's for its assessments, see "Measurement(s)" for number variables.
| Organization | Survey | Rank | Measurement(s)/Notes | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OECD | Tertiary education[4] | 1 | Based on those 25- to 64-year-olds having completed tertiary education of G7 countries. For two decades Canada has led OECD countries in percentage of adults with post-secondary education.[5] | 2024 |
| Asher & Lyric | LGBTQ+ Danger Index[6][7] | 1 | Measures the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, 2-spirit and intersex (LGBTQ2I) people in 203 countries. Note: Canada ranked second in the Gay Travel Index chart in 2023,[8] and sixth in the Equaldex Equality Index in 2023.[9] | 2023
|
| Reputation Lab | Best reputation[10] | 2 | Measures which countries have the best international standing according to citizens of G7 countries. | 2025
|
| Anholt-Ipsos | Nation branding[11] | 3 | Measures national competence, governance, immigration and investment, people; exports, tourism and culture in the 50 most developed countries | 2025 |
| Fund for Peace | Fragile States Index[12] | 3 | Measures risk and vulnerability of individuals of 179 countries | 2022 |
| U.S. News & World Report | Best Countries for Education[13] | 4 | Measures quality of education in the 80 most developed countries | 2024 |
| Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development | OECD Better Life Index[14] | 4 | Measures wellbeing, environmental quality, quality of public services and security of the 36 most developed countries: | 2020 |
| International Comparisons (OECD) | Social justice[15] | 4 | Arithmetic average of individual indicators of a "Just society" of the 40 most developed countries: | 2020 |
| U.S. News & World Report | Social Purpose[16] | 5 | Measures social progressiveness, inclusiveness and committed to social justice in the 80 most developed countries | 2022 |
| The Economist | Democracy Index[17] | 5 | Measures pluralism, civil liberties and political culture of 167 countries | 2020 |
| Institute of Fiscal Studies and Democracy | Social Development and Quality of Life[18] | 6 | Measure country's institutional quality, political stability, and social justice | 2025 |
| United Nations | Good Country Index[15] | 6 | Measure how much each country contributes to the planet and to the human race, relative to its size (measured in GDP) of 125 countries | 2020 |
| Social Progress Imperative | Social Progress Index[19] | 6 | Measures well-being of a society of 132 countries | 2021 |
| The Economist | Global Food Security Index[20] | 7 | Measures food affordability, availability, quality, safety, sustainability and adaptation of 109 countries | 2022 |
| Charities Aid Foundation | World Giving Index[21] | 8 | Ranks over 140 countries according to how charitable they are (foreign aid). See also List of development aid sovereign state donors | 2022 |
| State of World Liberty Project | State of World Liberty Index[22] | 10 | Degree of economic and personal freedoms of 183 countries | 2025 |
| Institute for Economics and Peace | Global Peace Index[23] | 11 | Measures overall peacefulness of 162 countries | 2024 |
| Transparency International | Corruption Perceptions Index [24] | 11 | Based on public sector corruption of 175 countries & territories | 2021 |
| Travel Safe - Abroad | Safest countries Index[25] | 12 | Measures public safety based on the number of incidents including mugging, drugs, violent crimes, bribery, property crimes, stolen vehicles, religion, and racial tolerance of 163 countries | 2022 |
| Theglobaleconomy.com | Public services index[26] | 12 | Measures quality of public services of 177 countries | 2022 |
| International Institute for Management Development | Most competitive economies[27] | 13 | Economic indicators such as gross domestic product (GDP), unemployment and healthcare / education of the 67 most developed countries | 2019 |
| Reporters Without Borders | Press Freedom Index[28] | 14 | Level of freedom available to journalists of 180 countries | 2021 |
| World Economic Forum | Global Competitiveness Index[29] | 14 | Measures level of prosperity of citizens of 144 economies | 2019 |
| Legatum | Prosperity Index[30] | 15 | Measures wealth, economic growth, education, health, personal well-being, and quality of life of 167 countries | 2021 |
| UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network | World Happiness Report[31] | 15 | Based on (quality of) life factors of 156 countries | 2024 |
| United Nations Development Programme | Human Development Index[32] | 15 | Based on life expectancy, education, and per capita income of 187 countries. Note: Norway has been ranked the highest sixteen times, Canada eight times, Japan and Iceland twice and Switzerland once. See Human Development Index#Past top countries. See also List of Canadian provinces and territories by Human Development Index | 2022 |
| World Intellectual Property Organization | Global Innovation Index[33] | 14 | Measures success in innovation of 133 countries | 2024 |
| World Population Foundation | Best Countries To Live[34] | 16 | Measures equality among genders, literacy, average life expectancy, and financial stability of 146 countries | 2022 |
| Georgetown University | Women, Peace and Security Index[35] | 17 | Measures women’s well-being—inclusion (economic, social, political); justice (formal laws and informal discrimination); and security (at the family, community, and societal levels) | 2023 |
| World Economic Forum | Global Gender Gap Report[36] | 19 | Measures gender equality of 142 countries | 2020 |
| Yale and Columbia Universities | Environmental Performance Index.[37] | 20 | Environmental performance of 178 countries | 2020 |
| World Bank | Ease of doing business index[38] | 23 | Regulatory environment of 189 countries | 2021 |
| Numbeo | Quality of Life Index[39] | 29 | Measures eight indices: purchasing power (including rent), safety, health care, cost of living, property price to income ratio, traffic commute time, pollution and climate. | 2025 |
Freedom assessments
Freedom indices produced by several non-governmental organizations publishes assessments of political rights and civil liberties for countries around the world.[40]
| According to Freedom in the World, an annual report by US-based think-tank Freedom House, which rates political rights and civil liberties, in 2023 Canada was ranked "Free" (the highest possible rating), with a Global Freedom Score of 97 out of 100.[41] |
| According to the Democracy Index, an annual index published by the U.K.-based Economist Intelligence Unit, that measures pluralism, civil liberties, and the state of democracy, in 2023 Canada was ranked 13th out of 167 countries and received a score of 8.69 out of 10.00.[42] |
| According to the annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, Canada ranked 14th out of 180 countries in 2024, up one spot from 15th in 2023 and from 19th in 2022.[43] |
| According to the annual Corruption Perceptions Index, published by Transparency International, Canada was ranked 12th out of 180 countries from the top least corrupt in 2024.[44] |
| The Index of Economic Freedom an annual index by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal to measure the degree of economic freedom, ranks Canada 14th out of 177 in 2024, with a score [45] |
U.S. News Best Countries
In 2024, Canada ranked fourth in the world in U.S. News & World Report's Best Countries rankings, with an overall indexed score of 94.1 out of 100: Canada's strong ranking was due to its performance in several categories.[2] Canada has been ranked in the top five countries by U.S. News for the past four years. Canada ranked first in 2021,[46] and 2nd place a few years in a row.[2]
| Ranking Theme | Score | Ranking |
| Adventure | 57.5 | #16 |
| Agility | 89.2 | #2 |
| Cultural Influence | 52.6 | #16 |
| Entrepreneurship | 81.9 | #6 |
| Heritage | 41.1 | #30 |
| Movers | 27.2 | #43 |
| Open for Business | 79.8 | #15 |
| Power | 41.2 | #13 |
| Quality of Life | 94.2 | #5 |
| Social Purpose | 97.8 | #3 |
| 2nd overall among the best countries to headquarter a corporation (the only country in the top ten outside of Europe and Asia); |
| 4th overall among countries with the best education systems; |
| 5th overall among countries with the most racial equity*; |
| 5th overall among countries with the most perceived transparency (the only country outside of Europe to be on the list); |
| 6th overall among countries where people could have a comfortable retirement*; |
| 6th overall among the best countries to raise a child*; |
Lowest rankings of the most developed countries
A developed country (or industrialized country) has a high quality of life, developed economy and advanced technological infrastructure relative to other less industrialized nations.[47] Note: Below each survey uses a limited number of countries for its assessment, see "Notes" for country number variables.
| Organization | Survey | Rank | Notes | Measurement(s) | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OECD | Nominal house prices[48] | 1 | Most unaffordable housing of the 38 most developed countries | Comparing average home prices to average incomes. See also Lists of countries by GDP per capita | 2022 |
| Rewheel | Most expensive wireless costs[49] | 1 | 4G and 5G prices of the 50 most developed countries | Measures wireless costs | 2021 |
| OECD | Lowest amount of acute care beds[50] | 1 | Comparing the healthcare systems of the 9 most developed countries | Measures acute care beds per capita | 2021 |
| International Energy Agency | Fuel-inefficient vehicles[51] | 1 | Ranked against the 53 most developed countries | Measures the fuel economy of private cars from 2005 to 2017 | 2019 |
| Commonwealth Fund | Worst healthcare system[52] | 2 | Comparing the healthcare systems of the 11 most developed countries, Canada ranked 10th - second -to-last. | Measures access to care, care process, administrative efficiency, equity, and health care outcomes | 2021 |
| University of Calgary | Worst corporate tax system[53] | 2 | Ranked against the 94 most developed countries | Measures openness to foreign direct investment | 2020 |
Maps of indices
Country ratings from Freedom in the World 2022 by Freedom House
Press freedom in 2023, according to Reporters Without Borders
The Economist Democracy Index in 2023 by the Economist Intelligence Unit
The Corruption Perceptions Index in 2024
Better Life Index 2020
Good Country Index 2020
Global Peace Index 2022
Income inequality Gini index 2020
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