The best country
in the world

In 2019, Finland ranked first in the Good Country Index that measured 153 countries’ performance based on 35 factors ranging from science and technology, international peace and security all the way to health and wellbeing. The study revealed that, relative to its size, Finland contributes more to humanity and burdens the planet less than any other country, ranking top in press freedom, cyber security, environmental agreements compliance, food aid and a handful of other criteria. The Good Country Index uses a wide range of data from the U.N. and other international organisations.

Finland Clinches #1 Spot in Digibarometer 2023!

Digibarometer assesses countries based on their digital adoption and benefits across three levels—capabilities, utilisation, and implications—and three sectors: firms, civic, and public, forming a nine-dimension matrix. Historically, Finland has consistently led the Digibarometer rankings, securing the top position in 2016. Its high rank in 2023 is credited to strong performances in all nine areas: retaining its top rank in capabilities, remaining third in utilisation, and rising to second in implications—a significant four-place leap from 2022.

The most stable
country in the world

According to the Fragile States Index 2019, Finland is the most stable country in the world. The score is based on key political, social and economic indicators and more than 100 Sub-indicators, including public services, income distribution, human rights and the rule of law. The index is produced by The Fund for Peace.

The world’s
happiest country

For the second consecutive year, Finland was named the world’s happiest country by the Global Happiness Report in 2019. The annual ranking of 156 countries looked at GDP per capita, life expectancy, social support, freedom to make life choices and a number of other important factors. The World Happiness Report is a landmark survey of the state of global happiness that ranks 156 countries by how happy their citizens perceive themselves to be. The report is produced by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.

Best air quality

Air quality in Finland is the best in the world, according to statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO) published by the Finnish Meteorological Institute in 2018. The level of airborne particles in Finland is an average 6 µg/m3 or 6 micrograms per cubic metre which is the lowest level for any individual country. The air in Estonia, Sweden, Canada, Norway, and Iceland showed particle concentrations that were nearly as low. The information comes from an extensive body of material published by WHO containing airborne particle measurements from 2,500 locations in nearly 100 different countries between 2008 and 2016.

Quality education

According to the latest PISA assessment, Finnish students are still among the top performers in the world. Since the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) began in 2000, Finnish 15-year-olds have consistently done well. Conducted every three years by the OECD, PISA tests the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students in dozens of countries in order to evaluate education systems worldwide. PISA 2018 showed that Finland has succeeded in preventing the differentiation of learning outcomes between schools. The Government Programme seeks to raise Finland’s level of education and competence further to reduce learning gaps and to increase equality in education.

Great environment
for start-ups

Finland is ranked Europe’s 9th best country for startups. NimbleFins, a research and data-driven personal finance site, compared the economic health, cost of doing business, business environment and labour force quality of each country. Finland ranks in the top 5 in both the categories of Labour Force Quality (3rd) and Business Climate (5th). According to the survey, 34.4% of the Finnish population have a tertiary education degree (the 5th most in Europe) and 74% have at least secondary education degree (6th). In addition, Finland is rated the 3rd best in Europe when looking at how easy it is for people to learn new, professional skills.

Front-row digital innovation

Finland might be the best kept secret among global superpowers in ICT and digitalization. Our innovations enable companies and individuals around the world to enjoy experiences and solutions like never before.

We are changing the world with our digital skills. Finland has brought SMS, 5G, and the Linux operating system to the world.Some of the key protocols behind today’s strongest encryption systems were invented in Finland in the early 1990s. For example, the SSH protocol is one of the world’s most widely-used encryption protocols. Today, our numerous cyber security companies actively develop new state-of-the-art solutions to protect the digital world. We are also the leading nation in terms of connectivity speeds and mobile data usage. Our powerful networks pave way for innovations that create new business models for global market – from financial technology and AR/VR innovations to digital education and health solutions. Finland is known as the leader in mobile game development as well. We are the global game development hub that has unleashed Angry Birds and Clash of Clans – just to name a couple of legendary titles from the ever-growing list.

Top ability to develop,
attract and retain talent

Finland ranked seventh overall in an annual overall ranking of countries’ ability to develop, attract and retain talent. Adecco Group’s 2020 Global Talent Competitiveness Index evaluated altogether 132 countries and 155 cities with a particular focus on digital skills “in an age of AI”. The impact of the rise of machines and algorithms is being felt across all industries, placing an urgent emphasis on creating measures to attract, develop and retain talent. Finland recently facilitated this on a broader scale, offering European citizens access to a free online course series, the Elements of AI. The initiative aims to encourage people to learn the basics of artificial intelligence, regardless of age or education level.