World's 15 Best Countries for Business

According to the "Forbes" here are the World's 15 Best Countries for Business:

 1) New Zealand:

New Zealand is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The currency in here is the New Zealand dollar, informally known as the "Kiwi dollar". New Zealand was ranked 5th in the 2011 Human Development Index, 4th in the The Heritage Foundation's 2012 Index of Economic Freedom, and 13th in INSEAD's 2012 Global Innovation Index.  

The island country, New Zealand has a modern, prosperous and developed market economy. Historically, extractive industries have contributed strongly to its economy. The country is heavily dependent on international trade and has a high demand for agricultural products.

GDP: GDP: $162 billion

GDP per capita: $39,300 

Public debt as % of GDP: 36%

2) Denmark:

Denmark is a sovereign state in Northern Europe. Denmark has a modern, prosperous and developed mixed market economy. Denmark's economy stands out as one of the most free in the Index of Economic Freedom and the Economic Freedom of the World. The economy has high levels of international trade and Denmark is known as a free trade advocate in the European Union.

It has a large labour force and Employers can hire and fire whenever they want (flexibility), and between jobs, unemployment compensation is very high (security). The World Bank ranks Denmark as the easiest place in Europe to do business. Establishing a business can be done in a matter of hours and at very low costs.Denmark has a competitive company tax rate of 25%

GDP: $333 billion

GDP per capita: $59,684 

Public debt as % of GDP: 44%

3) Hong Kong:

Hong Kong is a special administrative region and is considered to be one of the world’s leading financial centers. It is known for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour and also one of the most densely populated areas in the world with the population of seven million people. As one of the world's leading international financial centres, Hong Kong has a major capitalist service economy characterised by low taxation and free trade, and the currency, Hong Kong dollar, is the eighth most traded currency in the world as on 2010.

GDP: $244 billion

GDP per capita: $34,457

Public debt as % of GDP: 30%

4) Singapore:

Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is a southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Today, Singapore has a highly developed market-based economy.

The Singaporean economy is known as one of the freest, most innovative, most competitive, and most business-friendly. The 2011 Index of Economic Freedom ranks Singapore as the second freest economy in the world, behind Hong Kong. According to the Corruption Perceptions Index, Singapore is consistently ranked as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, along with New Zealand and the Scandinavian countries. The economy depends heavily on exports and refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing.

GDP: $240 billion

GDP per capita: $46,241

Public debt as % of GDP: 118%

5) Canada:  

Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean. Canada is the world's second-largest country by total area, and its common border with the United States is the world's longest land border. It is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the G8, and is one of the world's top ten trading nations, with a highly globalized economy. Canada has a mixed economy and manufacturing, mining and service sectors have transformed the nation from a rural economy to an industrialized one. The country is one of the world's largest suppliers of agricultural products.

GDP: $1.7 trillion

GDP per capita: $50,345

Public debt as % of GDP: 87%

6) Ireland:

The economy of Ireland mainly focuses on services and high-tech industries. Exports play a very important role and Ireland is considered to be one of the world’s most profitable countries.

GDP: $217 billion

GDP per capita: $48,423 

Public debt as % of GDP: 105%

7) Sweden:

Sweden is an export-oriented mixed economy. Timber, hydropower and iron ore constitute the resource base of an economy heavily oriented toward foreign trade. The country ranks among the highest in telephone and Internet access penetration. The country’s engineering, telecommunications, automotive and pharmaceutical industries are of great importance.

GDP: $538 billion

GDP per capita: $56,927

Public debt as % of GDP: 38%

8) Norway:

Today, Norway ranks as the second wealthiest country in the world in monetary value, with the largest capital reserve per capita of any nation. According to the CIA World Factbook, Norway is a net external creditor of debt. Norway maintained first place in the world in the UNDP Human Development Index (HDI) for six consecutive years (2001–2006), and then reclaimed this position in 2009 and 2010. The standard of living in Norway is among the highest in the world. Norway is a mixed economy. It features a combination of free market activity and large state ownership in certain key sectors. It is also one of the largest oil exporters in the world.

GDP: $486 billion

GDP per capita: $98,102

Public debt as % of GDP: 58%

9) Finland:

Finland has a highly industrialized mixed economy with a per capita output equal to that of other European economies such as France, Germany, Belgium or the UK. The largest sector of the economy is services at 66%, followed by manufacturing and refining at 31%. Although Finland was relatively late for industrialization, the country’s economy grows rapidly. The country is highly integrated in the global economy, and international trade.

GDP: $266 billion

GDP per capita: $49,391

Public debt as % of GDP: 49%

10) United Kingdom:

The UK has a partially regulated market economy. Based on market exchange rates the UK is today the sixth-largest economy in the world and the third-largest in Europe after Germany and France, having fallen behind France for the first time in over a decade in 2008. United Kingdom was the world’s first industrialized countries and is a now considered as one of the great powers in with its economic influence. The country has a partially regulated market economy.

GDP: $2.4 trillion

GDP per capita: $38,818

Public debt as % of GDP: 86%

11) Australia:

Australia is a wealthy country with a market economy with high GDP per capita and a low rate of poverty. The Australian dollar is the currency for the nation. The country was ranked second in the United Nations 2011 Human Development Index and first in Legatum's 2008 Prosperity Index. All of Australia's major cities fare well in global comparative livability surveys; Melbourne reached first place on The Economist's 2011 and 2012 world's most livable cities lists, followed by Sydney, Perth, and Adelaide in sixth, eighth, and ninth place respectively. The country is a major exporter of agricultural products.

GDP: $1.4 trillion

GDP per capita: $60,642

Public debt as % of GDP: 27%

12) United States:

The United States has a capitalist mixed economy, which is fueled by abundant natural resources, a well-developed infrastructure, and high productivity. The United States is the largest importer of goods and second largest exporter, though exports per capita are relatively low. China is the largest foreign holder of U.S. public debt.Apart from being known for its large exports the country is also one of the largest importers of goods.

GDP: $15.1 trillion

GDP per capita: $48,442

Public debt as % of GDP: 68%

13) Belgium:

Belgium's strongly globalized economy and its transport infrastructure are integrated with the rest of Europe. Its location at the heart of a highly industrialized region helped make it the world's 15th largest trading nation in 2007. The economy is characterized by a highly productive work force, high GNP and high exports per capita. It is characterized by high productive work force. The country is heavily is service-oriented and has an integrated transport infrastructure.

GDP: $512 billion

GDP per capita: $46,469

Public debt as % of GDP: 100%

14) Netherlands:

The Netherlands has a developed economy and has been playing a special role in the European economy for many centuries. Since the 16th century, shipping, fishing, trade, and banking have been leading sectors of the Dutch economy. The Netherlands is one of the world's 10 leading exporting countries. Foodstuffs form the largest industrial sector. Other major industries include chemicals, metallurgy, machinery, electrical goods, and tourism. The Netherlands has the 17th largest economy in the world, and ranks 10th in GDP (nominal) per capita.The Netherlands has a market-based mixed economy that is well known for its liberal stance.

GDP: $836 billion

GDP per capita: $50,087

Public debt as % of GDP: 65%

15) Switzerland:

Switzerland has a stable, prosperous and high-tech economy. In 2011, it was ranked as being the wealthiest country in the world in per capita terms (with 'wealth' being defined to include both financial and non-financial assets). Switzerland has the highest European rating in the Index of Economic Freedom 2010, while also providing large coverage through public services. The World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report currently ranks Switzerland's economy as the most competitive in the world. Switzerland is known as one of the most stable, prosperous and wealthiest economy. The high tech economy’s main sector is manufacturing and the Switzerland’s largest exported goods are chemicals.
GDP: $636 billion
GDP per capita: $80,391
Public debt as % of GDP: 52%