These are the world's 23 most competitive countries
T=22. Czech Republic — 50.8. The central European nation scores well overall, despite being outside the top 100 for its natural capital levels.
T=22. Canada — 50.8. Canada's overall score is helped by finishing 3rd in the Natural Capital sub-index. This is unsurprising given the country's huge areas of forests and protected lands.
T=19. United Kingdom — 51.0. Brexit has not stopped the UK from being one of the 20 most competitive countries on earth. It was 14th overall in the Intellectual Capital ranking.
T=19. Latvia — 51.0. Just as competitive as the UK is the Baltic state of Latvia, which picked up 60.2 points in the Natural Capital sub-index.
T=19. Croatia — 51.0. The former Yugoslav nation of Croatia scored well across the board, but its best individual sub-index was Social Capital, where it finished 22nd.
T=16. Lithuania — 51.8. Another Baltic state to make the list, Lithuania's best individual score was for Natural Capital, where it finished 22nd overall.
T=16. France — 51.8. Europe's third largest economy, France remains globally competitive, despite poor productivity and a few poor scores in sub-indexes. It was 66th for its Governance.
T=16. Slovakia — 51.8. The eastern European nation of Slovakia scores solidly across the board, but does best in the Governance sub-index, where it finished 8th.
15. Japan — 52.0. Japan's growth may be sluggish and its population ageing, but it scores highly overall, thanks in part to being the 4th best country ranked when it comes to Intellectual Capital.
14. Germany — 52.1. Europe's most powerful economy, and the de facto leader of the eurozone, Germany is the 5th best governed country in the world, according to SolAbility.
13. Liechtenstein — 52.4. Liechtenstein may be a tiny nation nestled in the Alps, but it punches well above its weight in competitiveness, ranking in the top 20 of three sub-indexes.
12. New Zealand — 53.5. According to the Legatum Institute's 2016 Prosperity Index, New Zealand has the world's top economy, and it does well for competitiveness too. It is the only southern hemisphere nation in the top 20.
11. Estonia — 53.6. All three Baltic states feature on this list, but Estonia is the highest ranked, thanks to the best Governance score of any nation.
T=9. Austria — 53.8. Nestled in the Alps, Austria is the world's 29th largest economy, despite a population of under nine million people. Its best sub-index score from SolAbility was 10th for governance.
T=9. Luxembourg — 53.8. Famous as a haven for bankers and the home of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Luxembourg has the second highest Social Capital score of any nation surveyed.
8. Ireland — 53.9. Despite finishing 8th overall, Ireland did not stand out in any single sub-index, with 21st in the management of its resources the best score it achieved.
7. Switzerland — 54.4. Switzerland is often held up as an example of a top nation, and it shows it deserves that reputation in the Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index. It had the 13th-best Social Capital score of any nation.
6. Slovenia — 54.8. If we were to discount northern European and Scandinavian countries, Slovenia would be the world's most competitive. It was 6th in the Social Capital sub-index.
T=4. Iceland — 56.0. The isolated island nation in the north Atlantic has less than 400,000 citizens, but consistently punches above its weight in international rankings. Here it was helped by finishing 13th in the Governance sub-index.
T=4. Denmark — 56.0. Denmark ruled over Iceland for 104 years in the 19th and 20th centuries, and it beats the country here as well, finishing 8th overall for Innovation.
3. Finland — 56.2. Many Finns hate it when outsiders call them Scandinavian, but the country is grouped with other Scandi countries in SolAbility's ranking, coming 4th for its Natural Capital.
2. Norway — 59.4. Oil-driven Norway is the world's second most competitive nation, thanks to finishing 3rd in Governance, and top in Social Capital.
1. Sweden — 60.9. Topping the Global Sustainable Competitiveness Index, Sweden is the only country with a score higher than 60. It finished 2nd in both the Natural Capital and Innovation sub-indexes.
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