UAE enters global top 10 in Best Countries ranking

Dubai: The UAE has cemented its position among the world's leading economies after ranking 10th globally in the 2026 Best Countries report, becoming the only Arab nation to secure a place in the top 10 and the highest-ranked country in the Middle East.

The ranking, published by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in partnership with WPP and the Brand Asset Valuator (BAV) analytical platform, also placed the UAE first worldwide in the report's "Rising Power" category, which measures perceptions of future economic growth potential. 

The country achieved a perfect score of 100 points in the category, demonstrating the growing international confidence in its long-term economic prospects, Al Bayan newspaper reported.

Now in its 10th edition, the Best Countries report is widely regarded as one of the world's most influential assessments of national reputation and global standing. 

Unlike traditional rankings focused primarily on economic indicators, it evaluates how countries are perceived across a range of qualitative attributes that influence investment, tourism and trade decisions.

The 2026 edition assessed 85 countries representing approximately 93.2 per cent of global gross domestic product and 78.4 per cent of the world's population. 

The rankings were based on responses from 15,131 participants across 33 countries, including 2,926 business decision-makers and 12,205 members of the public.

Countries were evaluated against 73 attributes grouped under ten pillars, including entrepreneurship, cultural influence, quality of life, openness for business, social purpose, agility, power and rising power.

The UAE scored 86.5 points overall to secure 10th place globally, ahead of several major economies, including the United States, which ranked 11th. 

 Switzerland topped the overall ranking, followed by Japan, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Norway.

Regionally, the UAE led by a considerable margin, outperforming other Middle Eastern and Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, which ranked 29th globally, Egypt in 32nd place and Turkey in 33rd.

The strongest performance came in the Rising Power category, where the UAE achieved the highest possible score. The measure is designed to capture perceptions of future economic momentum and is closely linked to international brand valuation models and long-term growth forecasts used by global institutions.

The report also highlighted the UAE's strengths across several key indicators. The country ranked eighth globally for cultural influence, 10th for power, 11th for entrepreneurship, 17th for agility and 19th for openness for business, reflecting a balance between economic strength, investment appeal and international influence.

According to the report, the UAE's economy is valued at approximately $509 billion, with gross domestic product per capita reaching $78,260 on a purchasing power parity basis. The country's population stands at around 9.5 million people.

The report noted the UAE's transformation from a regional trading hub into a global economic and tourism powerhouse, supported by rapid diversification into sectors including finance, real estate, aviation and tourism, alongside its strategic geographic location and globally significant sovereign wealth funds.