Survey Says? What are the Best Nations in the World

On a globe with nearly 200 countries, deciding where to go for a student trip could make you dizzy. What if you want more adventure, more culture, or more scenery? There are so many options, it’s like being that proverbial kid in the candy store.

The publication U.S. News and World Report tries to make it easier by annually ranking countries on various factors. One caveat is that only 78 nations are included in their 2021 survey based on factors like GDP.

Criteria based on economic factors prevent smaller countries like the Fiji Islands from being considered. Still the report is a great snapshot if you want to see what other people around the world think about various nations.

To come up with the list, U.S. News worked with the University of Pennsylvania and other partners to survey 17,000 people around the globe, asking them to score countries on 76 attributes. The nations picked as the “best” overall tend to be developed nations that do well on metrics focusing on economic power, along with education and business opportunities.

In 2021, Canada took the top spot away from Switzerland, which had been ranked number 1 for several years. However, outside the overall “best” country list, the country rankings in many categories have surprises.

The United States, as an example, is ranked number 6 in the world overall with a number one ranking in the power category. But it trails smaller countries in a number of areas, including adventure and quality of life.

Several smaller countries that Rustic students visit did remarkably well in some of these categories. Here is a look at how these nations shined in the report.

Thailand

The country of Thailand is only about twice the size of the state of Wyoming, but it gets a big thumbs up from the global community in the rankings. It scored in the top 10 in several categories, including adventure, heritage, and solo travel.

Thailand had scores at or near 90 for the subcategories “good for tourism”, “scenic” and “great food”. It also scored high in cultural and geographic attractions. On top of that, it ranked number 11 in the world for studying abroad.

Why the high rankings? Thailand is the only country in southeast Asia that was not colonized by Europeans, allowing it to maintain much of its culture. In the country, Rustic students can see so much in one program – ranging from ancient ruins to picturesque beaches and biodiverse rainforests. The country known as the Land of Smiles has a little bit of everything for travelers who want an activity-filled adventure.

Costa Rica

Costa Rica has a population of only five million people, which is several million less than New York City. Yet, this mecca for travelers ranked 10th in the world in adventure. In that category it scored well in all the criteria areas, particularly the ones for “pleasant climate” and “fun.” Maybe that’s not surprising in a place where “pura vida” or pure life is the national theme.

Rustic students traveling to Costa Rica surf, zip line over rainforests, whitewater raft, rappel down cliffs, and hike in some of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. Along the way, they interact with local community members during service projects and other outings.

The combination of options has allowed Costa Rica to rank 21st in the world for solo travel – the smallest country by far to rank in the top 25 in that category.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic also did well in the adventure category, ranking number 16 in the world. The nation did particularly well in the subcategory for pleasant climate. The beautiful weather allows students to soak in the sun while they are learning about marine life or joining in a host of other activities.

Another highlight for the nation is a high rank in racial equality.

Peru

The land where the Incan Empire once thrived is still a treasure for travelers interested in heritage and culture. That led Peru to being ranked number 20 in the world in the heritage category with the highest scores in geographic and cultural attractions.

Students on both the Sacred Valley Service and Andes to Amazon program visit the most famous heritage site in Peru – the Machu Picchu ruins. In addition, on the geographic front Peru has stunning landscapes with the mountains and the rainforest providing the perfect backdrop for any trip.

Morocco & Vietnam

These nations may be very different on multiple fronts, but they had similar scores in a couple of categories. Both of them ranked in to the top 25 in the movers category since they are considered to be nations with loads of economic potential. Other top 25 rankings include Morocco for adventure with its beach and desert activities, and Vietnam for heritage. In addition, Morocco also ranked high in the study abroad category, coming in at number 19.

Australia

It’s not surprising Australia was among the nations listed as being the best. It came in at number 5 in the overall best list in 2021, behind Canada, Japan, Germany, and Switzerland. It ranked highest in agility (#2), quality of life (#6), adventure (#8), and social purpose (#8).

Of particular note it scored a 100 for caring about animal rights and in the 90s for tourism, scenery and geographic attractions. That’s particularly wonderful for students participating in the Animal Conservation program, and really any of the Aussie offerings that showcase the country from the outback to the oceans to the cities.

Aside from these nations, other highlights in the rankings include India at number 6 for heritage and Croatia in the top 30 for social purpose. For more details on the scores for each nation, you can read the rankings here.

To see more reasons why each of these nations work so well for our students, visit our alumni page and our program pages for more details.