The Good Country Index

The idea of the Good Country Index is pretty simple: to measure what each country on earth contributes to the common good of humanity, and what it takes away, relative to its size. Using a wide range of data from the U.N. and other international organisations, we’ve given each country a balance-sheet to show at a glance whether it’s a net creditor to mankind, a burden on the planet, or something in between.

It’s important to explain that we are not making any moral judgments about countries. What we mean by a Good Country is something much simpler: it’s a country that contributes to the greater good of humanity. A country that serves the interests of its own people, but without harming - and preferably by advancing - the interests of people in other countries too.

The Good Country Index is one of a series of projects that Simon Anholt launched in 2014 to start a global debate about what countries are really for. Do they exist purely to serve the interests of their own politicians, businesses and citizens, or are they actively working for all of humanity and the whole planet? The debate is a critical one, because if the first answer is the correct one, we’re all in deep trouble.

You can look at the complete results of all past editions of the Good Country Index here. If you have any questions about how it works, why certain countries are missing, how the results are calculated, or why certain countries don't rank where you expect them to, please check out the FAQs: there are several pages of detailed answers to most of the questions people usually ask.