Egypt, located in North Africa and bordered by the Mediterranean Sea, is renowned for its rich history and cultural heritage and plays a significant political and economic role both regionally and globally. The country’s strategic position near the Suez Canal makes it a significant facilitator of international maritime trade. Furthermore, its diverse economy encompasses key sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing, in addition to being a popular tourism destination, making it one of the largest economies on the continent.
But what do global rankings and indices have to say about Egypt – its sustainability, country brand strength, and reputation?
Let’s take a closer look at:
- Egypt’s soft power and country brand strength
- Its appeal to skilled labour, investors, and visitors
- The country’s global contribution to peace and well-being
- How well it fares in terms of happiness and sustainability
Soft Power and Brand Strength
In the Global Soft Power Index 2023 by Brand Finance, Egypt ranks 39th, between Argentina (38th) and Thailand (40th). With a score change of 1.9, it only improved by one position.
The U.S. News Best Countries 2023 study places the country 34th overall, highlighting its performance in various categories, particularly in Movers (3rd), Heritage (7th), Adventure (25th), Cultural Influence (30th) and Power (34th). There is room for improvement in Social Purpose (51st), Quality of Life (52nd) and Open for Business (64th).
The Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brand Index (NBI) calculates its ranking based on averaging the scores of six factors: exports, governance, tourism, culture, people, and immigration. According to the NBI 2023, Egypt ranks 36th and declined only one position.
The UNCTAD World Investment Report 2023 shows that the country’s FDI inflows for 2023 were valued at 9.841 billion USD, a decrease of 1.559 billion USD. Meanwhile, FDI outflows reached 390 million USD, an increase of 48 million USD.
Appeal to Talent, Business, Trade, and Travel
The Country Brand Ranking Trade Edition 2024-2025 places Egypt 47th globally and 4th regionally, reflecting its competitive trade environment. Regionally it sits between Morocco (3rd) and Ghana (5th). In the same firm’s Country Brand Ranking Tourism Edition 2024-2025, it ranks 19th worldwide and 1st in its region ahead of Morocco (2nd), indicating its strong potential as a tourist destination.
Egypt ranks 88th in the Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2023, improving eight positions. The country is categorized as a lower-middle-income country, reflecting its efforts and challenges in attracting and retaining talent.
It has numerous prestigious universities according to the World University Rankings 2024. Cairo University ranks in the 801–1000 bracket of the World University Rankings 2024. However, in the region, it is highly regarded as it ranks 28th in the Arab University Rankings 2023 which place Alexandria University 31st.
How “Good” is Egypt?
The CAF World Giving Index 2023 highlights the importance of generosity and civil society in communities and countries. Egypt ranks 129th, with 63% of the population helping a stranger. However, only 9% of the population donated money and 4% volunteered.
In the Good Country Index, it ranks 75th overall. By categories it performed as follows: International Peace and Security (7th), Health and Wellbeing (29th), Science and Technology (57th), World Order (112th), Planet and Climate (125th), Prosperity and Equality (124th) and Culture (149th).
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Democracy Index 2023, Egypt ranks 127th, an improvement of four positions, indicating ongoing efforts towards democratic governance.
The 2023 Corruption Perception Index ranks it 110th, showing no change, highlighting the persistent challenges in combating corruption.
Peace and Happiness
The Global Peace Index 2024 ranks the country 105th, improving by four positions. Regionally, it ranks 11th, between Saudi Arabia (10th) and Palestine (12th).
The Global Terrorism Index 2024 places it at 20th, an improvement by three positions but there are ongoing concerns about terrorism.
The World Happiness Report 2024 ranks Egypt 127th, a decline of six positions. The report shows that no age group within the country’s population seems to be much satisfied in terms of happiness.
Sustainability Performance
Egypt ranks 99th in the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2024, indicating that there is room for improvement in environmental sustainability. Despite this, it performs comparatively well regionally, where it ranks 8th – between Kuwait (7th) and Saudi Arabia (9th).
The Sustainable Development Report 2024 ranks Egypt 83rd, a decline of two positions. This ranking highlights the ongoing challenges in meeting various sustainable development goals. Although challenges remain, the study reports moderate improvement in SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Challenges remain to achieve its goals in SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
Last updated in July 2024. Find more country profiles here.
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Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended to provide a general overview of Egypt’s economic and cultural landscape and facilitate comparison over time. While we strive for accuracy and completeness, we are not responsible for any typographical errors or inaccuracies. The data is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind. Users should verify any information before relying on it for decision-making purposes.
