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WASHINGTON, Jan. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Switzerland is the No. 1 country in the world for the third consecutive year, according to the 2019 Best Countries Report, a rankings and analysis project by U.S. News & World Report, BAV Group and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. The rankings evaluate 80 countries across a range of categories, from economic influence and military might to education and quality of life, to capture how nations are perceived on a global scale.

For the first time, respondents were asked to pick the countries they would prefer to buy goods from as a measure of a country's brand power. Germany comes out on top with consumers wanting cars, healthcare and pharmaceuticals from the nation. France is No. 1 for cosmetics and fashion, Italy is No. 1 in food and wine, and Japan is first for technology and electronics. At No. 8 on the overall Best Countries list, the U.S. has some catching up to do, ranking No. 7 in wine, No. 10 in healthcare and No. 11 in food. 

"The Best Countries rankings draw on U.S. News' expertise and global authority in measuring complex institutions, such as colleges and hospitals," said Eric Gertler, executive chairman at U.S. News. "The report arms citizens, thought leaders, business executives and government officials with the data to evaluate the global standings of their nations and leadership."

Key Findings in the 2019 Best Countries Report:

"This report can help brands understand the potential power they have in connecting to their home nations, and help guide in managing their own branding," said Michael Sussman, CEO of BAV Group.

The 2019 Best Countries ranking methodology relies on data gathered from a proprietary survey of more than 20,000 business leaders, informed elites and general citizens. "The report speaks to the value of having a strong global standing as nations compete for investment, tourists and influence in the same way companies compete for consumers' dollars," said David Reibstein, professor of marketing at the Wharton School.

The Best Countries rankings are the centerpiece of U.S. News' Best Countries portal, a platform combining in-depth news articles, interactive data visualization tools, video, photos and op-eds from global experts in government, business and academia. The platform is part of U.S. News' civic journalism initiative, which measures government progress locally, nationally and globally. Civic includes the Best States, Healthiest Communities and Cities portals. 

2019 Best Countries Rankings
*See the full rankings here

 Overall 
1. Switzerland
2. Japan
3. Canada
4. Germany
5. United Kingdom
6. Sweden
7. Australia
8. United States
9. Norway
10. France

1. Thailand
2. India
3. China

1. Canada
2. Sweden
3. Denmark

1. United States
2. Russia
3. China

1. Sweden
2. Denmark
3. Canada

1. United Kingdom
2. United States
3. Canada

1. New Zealand
2. Switzerland
3. Australia

Follow the Best Countries coverage on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn using #BestCountries.

About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A digital news and information company focused on Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars and Civic, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

About BAV Group
BAV Group is a global consultancy with expertise in consumer insights and brand marketing strategy. Using BrandAsset® Valuator, a proprietary brand management tool and global database of consumer perceptions of brands, BAV informs strategic and creative solutions that drive business results. Over 25 years, BAV has captured data and consumer insights on more than 60,000 brands in 50 countries around the world, evaluating 75 brand image and equity dimensions that matter.  BAV Group is a unit of VMLY&R, a WPP company. Visit bavgroup.com to learn more.

About the Wharton School
Founded in 1881 as the first collegiate business school, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania is recognized globally for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major discipline of business education. With a broad global community and one of the most published business school faculties, Wharton creates economic and social value around the world. The School has 5,000 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and doctoral students; more than 9,000 participants in executive education programs annually and a powerful alumni network of 94,000 graduates. For more information, visit http://seicenter.wharton.upenn.edu.

SOURCE U.S. News & World Report

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