Netherlands – Country Performance, Brand Strength and Reputation

Situated in the heart of Europe, the Netherlands is a perfect mix of natural beauty, technological advancement, and rich culture, visible in the work of influential artists and architects. Serving as a gateway to the European market, the country is a prime location for international business operations, boasting efficient ports like the Port of Rotterdam.

But what do leading rankings and indices have to say about the country’s economic performance, its brand strength, soft power, and reputation?

Let’s take a closer look at:

• The Netherlands’ 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 Country Brand Strength

In the Global Soft Power Index 2024 by Brand Finance, the Netherlands secures the 14^th spot, slightly trailing Australia (13^th) and Sweden (12^th). Its score has grown by +4.50, climbing by two positions since last year’s edition.

In the U.S. News Best Countries 2023 ranking, the Netherlands secures 10^th position, behind the United Kingdom (9^th) and New Zealand (8^th). Notably, the Netherlands ranks within the top 10 in three key areas: Agility (9^th), Quality of Life (7^th), and Social Purpose (7^th).

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 ranking, the Netherlands secured the 13^th position in both 2023 and 2022.

Talent Attraction and Competitiveness

The World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Index 2019 edition placed the Netherlands at 4^th position among 141 countries. However, it’s important to note that an updated version of this report hasn’t been released in the past five years, and rankings may have shifted since then.

The Netherlands is classified as a high-income country within the European group, and it currently holds the 5^th overall position and 3^rd regional position in the Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2023. Notably, the Netherlands ranks high in all pillars. The best one is the GROW pillar (4^th), while the GK SKILLS pillar presents its biggest challenge, where it ranked 16^th.

In terms of education excellence, the Netherlands is home to many top 100 universities according to the World University Rankings 2024. Delft University of Technology is ranked 48^th in this ranking and 40^th in the World Reputation Rankings 2023. University of Amsterdam (61^st) also ranked 61^st-70^th in World Reputation Rankings 2023. Wageningen University & Research (64^th) also ranked 71^st-80^th in World Reputation Rankings 2023. Leiden University (77^th) also ranked 81^st-90^th in World Reputation Rankings 2023. Moreover, the University of Groningen (79^th) and Erasmus University Rotterdam (99^th).

Is the Netherlands a ‘Good’ Country?

In the CAF World Giving Index 2023, the Netherlands ranked 28^th, performing admirably in the sub-factor of donating money, with 64% of the adult population partaking in such activity. It slightly improved from the 29^th position from the previous year’s edition.

In the Good Country Index, the Netherlands holds 4^th overall position, dropping from 1^st in 2020. It is ranked 5^th in World Order, Health & Wellbeing (7^th), and Culture (7^th).

Other sub-factors ranked as follows: Science & Technology (11^th), International Peace & Security (41^st), Planet & Climate (42^nd), and Prosperity & Equality (9^th).

The Netherlands experienced a drop in International Peace & Security from 25^th place in 2022 to 41^st position in 2023; however, Prosperity & Equality improved from 25^th position in 2022 to 9^th in 2023.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Democracy Index 2023, the Netherlands ranked in the dark blue zone (8-9 range) with a 9.00 out of 10. This is similar to neighbouring countries: Germany (8.80), France (8.07), Belgium (7.64), and the UK (8.28).

The 2022 Corruption Perception Index ranks the Netherlands 8^th, behind Switzerland (7^th) and above Germany (9^th). Its score has dropped by two points since 2021.

The Sustainable Development Report 2023 ranks the Netherlands 20^th. The report highlights that it still faces significant issues with certain SDGs, such as SDG 2 Zero Hunger, SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 13 Climate Action, SDG 14 Life Below Water, and SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals. Moreover, SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities is experiencing a downward trend.

Appeal to Talent, Business, Trade and Travel

The Expat Insider 2023 notes that the Netherlands ranks 22^nd, behind the Czech Republic (21^st). The country performs well in Safety and Security (5^th), Work Culture and Satisfaction (4^th), Work and Leisure (5^th), Salary and Job Security (5^th), Career Prospects (7^th), and Digital Life (6^th). However, the country needs improvements in Environment and Climate (28^th), Healthcare (48^th), Culture and Welcome (40^th), Local Friendliness (30^th), and Finding Friends (46^th).

The Bloom Consulting biannual Country Brand Ranking Trade Edition 2022-2023 assesses investment-related variables, emphasising perceptions of a country’s trade-specific brand and evaluating branding performance. Regionally, the Netherlands ranks 5^th, surpassing Ireland (6^th) and behind the Russian Federation (4^th). Worldwide, the Netherlands ranks 12^th.

In addition, the Bloom Consulting Country Brand Ranking Tourism Edition 2022-2023 places the Netherlands in the 12^th position in the Europe Region, climbing two positions since last year’s ranking. The Netherlands ranks behind Greece (11^th) and Austria (10^th). Worldwide, the Netherlands ranks 21^st, behind South Korea (20^th) and surpassing India (22^nd).

In the IMD 2023 World Competitiveness Ranking, the Netherlands secured the 5^th position, climbing by one position since 2022. Currently, it sits just behind Singapore (4^th) and Switzerland (3^rd) while surpassing Taiwan (6^th) and Hong Kong (7^th).

Regarding specific characteristics, the Netherlands ranked 11^th in economic performance in 2023. Government efficiency ranked 12^th. The Netherlands also ranked 2^nd in business efficiency. Infrastructure in the country ranked 5^th.

How Peaceful and Safe?

The Global Peace Index 2023 ranks the Netherlands 16^th, climbing five positions since last year’s index. The Netherlands now sits ahead of Bhutan (15^th) and Hungary (14^th). It falls in the very high sector of the ‘State of Peace’ spectrum as defined by the Institute for Economics & Peace. It is positioned 11^th within the Europe Region, led by Denmark (2^nd) and Iceland (1^st).

The Institute for Economics & Peace similarly ranks the Netherlands within the very low spectrum in terms of ‘Impact of Terrorism’ in its 2024 Global Terrorism Index. The Netherlands ranks 74^th, tying with countries such as Cyprus or Slovakia.

Meanwhile, the World Happiness Report 2023, which displays the Ranking of Happiness based on a three-year-average (2021–2023), ranks the Netherlands 6^th, dropping from 5^th position in 2023. Just behind Israel (5^th) and Sweden (4^th). It is also ranked 9^th for happiness amongst youth (under 30) and 7^th for the elderly (over 60 years old).

Environmental Performance

The 2022 Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks the Netherlands 11^th. The EPI analyses the performance of 180 countries, scoring and ranking these countries on their environmental performance using the most recent year of data available, as well as providing calculable changes in scores over the previous decade. The Netherlands has experienced a positive change in score of 5.90 in the past 10 years.

Last updated in June 2024. More country profiles here.

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Disclaimer: The information in this article is intended to provide a general overview of the Netherlands’ 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.