Competitiveness has a European name. Denmark, Ireland and Switzerland have topped this year top 3 most competitive country in the worldby rating World Competitiveness, produced annually by the Swiss business school IMD. Spain remains trapped outside top 30half the table from the 64 countries analyzed.

As such, Spain’s competitiveness has stayed in line in recent years, setting a similar record since 2017, ranking between 36th and 39th. Between 2013 and 2017, Spain recovered ten positions, having fallen to 45th after the Great Recession, but has since not managed to surpass the number 36 position in any year.

Among the top thirty positions on the list, the Old Continent continues to reign supreme, with sixteen nations. After Denmark, Ireland and Switzerland are the Netherlands, in fifth; Sweden, in eighth; Finland, in eleventh; Belgium, at thirteenth; Norway, at fourteenth; Iceland, sixteenth; Czech Republic, eighteenth, and Luxembourg, twentieth. Great Britain, Latvia, Austria and Germany also make the top thirty list. Southern European countries have signed a more modest performance. Together with Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece and France have fallen under the top thirty most competitive countries in the world.

Spain has not gone beyond 36th place in the last five years

After Europe, Asia is the second continent with the largest number of countries posted in top 30. Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong are in the top ten. China, Malaysia, South Korea and Thailand round out the list.

The Middle East is also strong, with five countries in the top thirty. In particular, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Israel and Bahrain have made their way into the rankings. The United States also stands out on the list, continuing at ninth position, or Canada, at fifteenth.

Spain has fallen to number 51 in terms of government efficiency

IMD has also released country-by-country economic performance data, ranking led by Ireland, followed by the United States and Singapore. Spain rose to the number 32 position, three more than last year and ten more than recorded in 2021.

In terms of government efficiency, Spain has fallen back to number 51, ten positions below 2018, and surpassed by most European countries. The list is led by Switzerland and Hong Kong, who repeat at the top of the table, and Ireland, who close out top 3 after climbing from eleventh position.

Finally, the list of business efficiencies places Spain at number 37, performance similar to that listed in the general index. Europe topped the standings, with Denmark, the Netherlands and Ireland on top 3.