What we believe about a place can often be more powerful than the hard
facts. A country's reputation can influence everything from foreign policy to
foreign investment – to whether or not people want to visit or live there.
One recent study by the Reputation Institute, a consultant and
advisory firm specializing in reputation, sought to quantify the idea of the
most well-thought-of countries. They measured 16 different factors – including
being a beautiful and safe place to visit, and having friendly and welcoming
residents, progressive policies and an effective government – via an online
survey with more than 48,000 residents in the G8 countries, representing the
world’s eight leading industrialized nations. The 55 countries rated as part of
the survey include those with the largest GDPs, largest populations, and
countries with relevant events.
To find out if the reputation matched up to the facts, we
talked to residents and expats living in the top five reputable countries.
Sweden
Newly ranked as the most reputable country in the world
(knocking out Canada), Sweden hits all the marks of being safe, welcoming and
beautiful, according to its residents. The county is also unique in Western
Europe, having been spared from much of the impact of World War II and
remaining neutral today.
"Swedes seem to be happy with this independent status, while at the
same time being one of the most welcoming countries for refugees in all of
Europe," said Dr Ernest Adams, an American-born British citizen who lives
in Sweden part time as a consultant and a senior lecturer at Uppsala University. "This is a virtue
they have had for a long time – they saved almost all of Denmark's Jews during
the war."
Most expats live in Stockholm where the business and
government hubs are located. English is commonly spoken, though some expats
initially feel that residents can be standoffish.
"But after being here a while, you begin to realise
that people like to keep themselves to themselves and they afford that respect
to others too, for better or worse," said Kat Trigarszky, current resident
and author of an An English Mamma
in Stockholm. "It's quite usual not to know your neighbours
at all well."
Entertainment and luxury items can be quite expensive in
the city (VAT is 25%, and residents regularly complain about the high price of
alcohol, which averages around 130 krona a cocktail). Still, many Swedes cook
at home, and save on car costs by using the country's vast and affordable
public transportation network.
Canada
Despite dropping to second on the list, Canadians speak
more positively than ever about their home country, especially as the
government continues an "arms wide open" approach to Syrian refugees.
"There's a national concern to ensure that those who
have suffered so much can rebuild the lives they deserve," said Jeremy
Arnold, a native and frequent
Quora author on
life in Canada. "The average Canadian is defined by their zeal to see our
inclusive and communal way of life protected. We love seeing the videos of
Syrian immigrants enjoying their first Canada Day."
Canada also scores high for being one of the world’s safest countries.
That doesn't mean it's without its problems. "It isn't a utopia. We have
crime. We have gangs," Arnold explained. "But we also have a strong
social safety net and a shared commitment to values like mutual respect and
joyful multiculturalism."
Almost all Canadian residents live in cities that are
within 100 miles of the US border, making it especially easy for American
expats to come and go. "We also have fairly open visa policies for member
countries of the Commonwealth of Nations," Arnold said. Vancouver
and Toronto are perennial favourite expat spots, but many choose to live near
friends and family or where previous generations of a country's expats have settled.
While both Vancouver and Toronto are expensive cities
relative to world prices, Canada in general is relatively affordable compared
to many other developed countries. Even the big cities can be navigated
affordably by living a little further away from main amenities, said Arnold.
Switzerland
While natural beauty may be a matter of luck, factors
like friendly residents and progressive policies come down to a country's
wealth and culture, both of which Switzerland has in spades, explained Jason
Li, who lived in Switzerland for three years and now lives in Canberra,
Australia.
"It’s needless to say that Switzerland is a wealthy
country. It has a long tradition of organized hospitality ever since the days
of the grand tours of the English aristocracy and Thomas Cook’s first organized
tours of the country in 1841," he said. "Twenty percent of Swiss
residents are expats, and tourism is a significant industry, so those who work
in hospitality and tourism are accustomed to dealing with foreigners."
While many expats end up in business centres like Geneva, Basel and
Zurich, Li found himself partial to Lausanne, located in 60km east of Geneva.
"Unlike Zurich or Geneva, it is university town that
is not dominated by industry," said Li. "Students from UNIL [Université
de Lausanne] and EPFL [École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne]
provide the energy and thrust, and it has one of the best nightlife scenes in
Switzerland."
Despite Zurich being consistently ranked as one of the
world's most expensive countries, residents who enjoy a Swiss salary find it
manageable, since there is rent control and universal healthcare.
Australia
The land down under is loved by residents for its
feelings of safety, security and peacefulness, driven in some part by the
country's stance on firearms.
"Australia banned guns few decades back, which means
that gun violence is minimal," said Ganesh Krishnan, originally from India
who currently lives in Melbourne. "Here in Melbourne we can be assured
that we can walk free of fear anytime, night or day, on the streets."
Retired US Navy sailor Pedro Vasquez feels similarly from his three
years stationed in Canberra, praising the illegality of firearms. "This is
very important to me because as someone that values life, I do not want to put
mine at risk," he said. "I also like that Australians care so much
about the environment and about animal welfare. Of course, it helps that
Australians are such a friendly bunch."
Melbourne has been ranked as one of the world's most
liveable cities, largely due to its extensive public transportation system that
covers the city and much of the suburbs. Family-friendly Perth and economic hub
Sydney also typically top the list of cities that attract expats from around
the world.
The country tends to be very affordable to live, with
universal and high-quality health care and government-funded tertiary
education.
Norway
As a safe and scenic country, Norway more than lives up
to its reputation according to residents.
"The prejudices about Norway are all true: the
people are beautiful, gender equality is anchored in daily life and the natural
scenery is breathtaking," said Barbara Schwendtner, an Oslo resident from
Austria, and a guide for Your
Local Cousin, a travel startup that matches travellers with
locals. Norway is also a rich country, and is both investing oil money in
development and saving in funds for future generations.
Expats also fit in here easily; residents don't really distinguish
between locals and those who've moved from abroad. Most residents choose to
live in Oslo, which is not a very big city, so activities usually congregate
around the city centre.
No matter where they live, Norwegians spend plenty of time
in the fresh air. "Norwegians are crazy about the outdoors!"
Schwendtner said."They love to be outside, go cross-country skiing in
winter and hiking in summer. The activity level of the population is extremely
high, with gym memberships often offered to employees."
That love for the outdoors can be a good thing,
especially as other activities can be quite expensive. "While one can dine
out several times a week in other countries, the same lifestyle is certainly
not recommended in Norway," Schwendtner said. "Naturally, people try
to find leisure activities for less money, such as training or enjoying
nature."
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