Here's where Canada ranks among the best countries in the world

Canada has slipped slightly in an annual ranking of the best countries in the world.

U.S. News & World Report released its 2024 Best Countries list, which reflects perceptions of 89 countries based on a survey of close to 17,000 citizens worldwide.

Respondents connected nations to dozens of attributes within 10 categories, such as heritage, adventure, cultural influence, power, and social purpose.

Scores resulting from those associations decided the overall ranking of the world's best countries.

So, where did Canada place this year?

U.S. News & World Report ranked Canada 4th, with the above scores in each category.

The True North dropped two spots from its second-place finish in 2023. This year, Canada ranks fourth, ranking high under the categories of agility and social purpose. The country also got top marks under the categories of friendliness and religious freedom.

"Canadians pride themselves in encouraging all of their citizens to honour their own cultures," reads the report. "In 1971, Canada adopted a national policy of multiculturalism, which celebrates the country's diversity."

Canada follows closely behind our neighbours to the south. The U.S. took the third spot, continuing "its multi-year move back up the rankings" by jumping two spots from 2023.

Third place is the highest level the U.S. has reached in the report's history. It ranked high in power, agility, and entrepreneurship, and its strong international alliances made it perceived as a leader.

U.S. News & World Report's scores for the U.S.

If you're wondering who took the top spot, it goes to the same country for the third consecutive year — Switzerland.

It ranked highly in the open-for-business category, safety, and low level of corruption.

"The country's cultural contributions are disproportionate to its small size. Swiss citizens have won more Nobel Prizes and registered more patents per capita than many other nations," reads the report. "And its neutrality during periods of conflict attracted some of the world's greatest minds to immigrate, including James Joyce, George Byron and Voltaire."