The UAE has placed 10th in the 2026 Best Countries Index, published by the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in partnership with WPP and its BAV analytics tool. It is the only Arab country in the global top ten and the highest-ranked nation in the Middle East by a clear margin.
The index, now in its tenth year, assesses 85 countries representing roughly 93.2% of global GDP and 78.4% of the world’s population. Its 2026 edition drew on a survey of 15,131 respondents across 33 countries, including 2,926 business decision-makers and 12,205 members of the general public. Countries were evaluated across 73 attributes grouped into ten categories: Adventure, Agility, Cultural Influence, Entrepreneurship, Heritage, Movers, Open for Business, Power, Quality of Life, and Social Purpose.
The UAE’s overall score was 86.5. Switzerland topped the ranking, followed by Japan, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Norway. The UAE edged out the United States, which finished 11th. Regionally, Saudi Arabia came in at 29th, Egypt at 32nd, and Turkey at 33rd.
The standout result was the UAE’s first-place finish in the Movers category, which measures expectations for future economic growth, with a perfect score of 100. The index’s authors note that this category carries a statistical link to long-term growth forecasts from international institutions.
Beyond Movers, the UAE ranked 10th in Power, 8th in Cultural Influence, 11th in Entrepreneurship, 17th in Agility, and 19th in Open for Business.
On economic fundamentals, the report puts the UAE’s GDP at around $509 billion, with GDP per capita at $78,260 on a purchasing power parity basis, and a population of approximately 9.5 million. The report describes a structural shift in the UAE economy away from its origins as a regional trading hub toward a broader role in finance, real estate, aviation, and tourism, supported by a strategic geographic position and sovereign wealth funds with significant global weight.
