Intro
Year after year, little Switzerland achieves big scores in international country rankings and proves what is important for the country: environment, cleanliness, safety, efficient infrastructure, and high living standards.
These rankings help international executives, investment strategists and other business leaders to make informed choices. For conference and event organizers, the same indices also offer useful insights into the relative quality and value of different destinations.
Quality of Life
2025 Smart City Index Report
3 Swiss cities under top 10, out of 146 cities: Zurich (1st), Geneva (3rd), Lausanne (10th)
2024 World Happiness Report
Report of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), which publishes a ranking of the happiest countries Switzerland is in 13th place out of 145 countries.
More than 241 cities worldwide are being analyzed; three Swiss cities - Zurich (1st), Geneva, (3rd) Bern (9th) and Basel (10th) - were ranked among the ten best.
2023 Legatum Prosperity Index
Measures prosperity based on 12 criteria. In the latest edition, Switzerland ranks 5th out of 167 countries.
Innovations
2025 The Good Country Index
Measures how well each country contributes to preserving the planet. Switzerland ranked 16th out of 174.
2025 The Global Innovation Index
14th place out of 100 innovation clusters by intensity (relative to population density)
2025 IESE Cities in Motion Index
The University of Navarra Business School studies 183 cities based on nine criteria and assesses their potential for future success. Four Swiss cities ranked highly: Zurich (14th), Bern (31st), Basel (22nd) and Geneva (50th).
Sustainability
2025 Sustainable Development Report
Switzerland rankes of the overall performance of all 193 UN Member States
2023 World Energy Trilemma Index
Switzerland ranked 3nd out of 99 countries.
2024 Environmental Performance Index
Switzerland ranks 9th out of 180 countries in the EPI Ranking with 67.8 points.
Freedom and Gender equality
2025 The Human Freedom Index
The annual report of the Economic Freedom Network (Fraser Institute) uses 42 distinct pieces of data to measure economic freedom in 165 nations. Switzerland ranks 1st.
2025 Gender Gap Report (WEF)
The ranking benchmarks the evolution of gender-based gaps among four key dimensions (Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment) and tracks progress towards closing these gaps over time. Switzerland ranks 17 out of 148 countries.
Best in tourism
Best Ski Resort 2023 (next ranking will publish the 2026 Best Ski Resort. Publication as soon as announced)
Three ski resorts rank in the top 10 of Alpine destinations: Zermatt (1st), Aletsch Arena (6th), Laax (8th)
Travel & Tourism Development Index 2024
Switzerland ranks 10th of 119
2025 World Travel Awards / Europe Winners
Switzerland is regularly under the best.
World's Leading Airline to Europe – SWISS International Airlines
Europe's Leading Airline - First Class 2025 – SWISS International Airlines
Europe's Leading Airport 2025 – Zurich Airport, Switzerland
Europe's Leading Hotel Suites 2025 – Royal Suite @ Bürgenstock Hotel & Alpine Spa, Switzerland
Europes's Leading Luxury Business Hotel 2025 – Mandarin Oriental, Geneva, Switzerland
Education
2025 European University Ranking
The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETH) ranks 5th, the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne 31st of 200 universities.
2025 World Talent Ranking
Switzerland emerges as the obvious winner, followed by Luxembourg and Iceland. The countries are assessed due to their ability to develop, attract as well as retain talent.
2025 QS World University Rankings
Two universities in the top 30. the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich ETH (7th) and EPFL (22nd).