15. Canada — Over the last several years, Canada has become a well-respected country in tech, especially in cities like Montreal and Vancouver.
14. Hong Kong — Though it has dipped four spots since 2014, Hong Kong is playing an ever-expanding role in the world's economy.
13. Iceland — A country that's bouncing back from financial woes is making storage of the world's internet data its primary goal, coming in 13th for the second straight year.
12. Luxembourg — The tiny country's ranking comes from high scores in the trade, investment, and education categories.
12. Republic of Korea — The Global Innovation Index says South Korea's greatest growth is in its booming research and development sector.
10. Germany — The country ranks at the top of the list's measurement of patent creation, and also has strong technology output, especially in automobile tech.
9. Netherlands — With its strong online culture, the Netherlands ranks at the top of the survey's "e-participation" rankings (for interacting with the government online), and near the top in research and technology outputs.
8. Denmark — Denmark leads for its efficient system of government, large number of researchers in the country, and quality of education.
7. Ireland — Up three places in the ranking since 2014, Ireland is recognized for its infrastructure and creative outputs, like its thriving design culture.
6. Singapore — One of the most consistently highly ranked countries, Singapore stands out for its political environment and ecological sustainability.
5. Finland — Hovering around the top five for the last several years, Finland is recognized for its successful work in technology, research, and higher education.
4. United States — The US jumped six spots since 2012, most notably due to the strength of its global-facing markets, value of stock trades, and widespread implementation of internet technology.
3. United Kingdom — Education and productivity hold the UK back, the Index says, while its well-roundedness in all other aspects keeps it ranked high overall.
2. Sweden — Well-designed universities and high-achieving graduates have kept Sweden in the top 3 for the last five years.
1. Switzerland — The country has been number one since 2011 because of its knowledge-based economy and ability to turn innovative thinking into lucrative projects. For example, local bank UBS is now using virtual reality to project investment portfolios to clients.
