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Dubai - The UAE ranks at a world-beating No. 1 in terms of the 'Movers' sub-ranking in the Best Countries rankings
Published: Wed 8 Mar 2017, 11:20 AM
Updated: Thu 9 Mar 2017, 4:45 PM
A new report ranks the UAE among the world's best countries based on nine benchmarks including movers, quality of life, business-friendliness, entrepreneurship and heritage, etc.
The UAE ranks at a world-beating No. 1 in terms of the 'Movers' sub-ranking in the Best Countries rankings, produced by US News in partnership with global marketing communications company Y&R's brand strategy firm BAV Consulting, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania,
The report is based on a survey that asked more than 21,000 people from four regions to associate 80 countries with specific characteristics.
The 'Movers' sub-ranking grades nations on their growth potential and ranks economies that are set to consolidate their position on the world stage in the years to come.
The sub-ranking on which the UAE tops is predictive of a country's future growth in terms of per capita purchasing power parity gross domestic product, proving that the country has the brightest economic future ahead.
The 'Movers' sub-ranking is based on a metric, developed by US News partner and brand strategy firm BAV Consulting, to track nations that differentiate themselves, i.e., those that have the resiliency and momentum to overcome the challenges.
The UAE also ranks highly in other sub-rankings like Power (#10 in the world), which ranks countries on the basis of being a leader, economically influential, politically influential, strong international alliances, and a strong military.
On the 'Cultural Influence' sub-ranking, which grades countries on being culturally significant in terms of entertainment, fashionable, happy, has an influential culture, modern, prestigious, and trendy, the UAE ranks at #16 in the world.
On 'Quality of Life', which assesses parameters including a good job market, affordable, economically stable, family friendly, income equality, politically stable, safe, well-developed public education system, and a well-developed public health system, the UAE ranks at #24 in the world.
Overall, the UAE is ranked at No. 22 in the world out of 80 countries ranked, ahead of its regional peers and other bigger and more established economies such as South Korea (#23), Portugal (#24) and India (#25).
The report highlights forecasts from the World Bank that predict that the global economy will grow at the fastest rates it's seen since the global financial crisis for the next couple of years.
Developing nations - those that are not considered high-income - are poised to grow at a rate that's almost double the global average, it states.