Qatar – Country Performance, Brand Strength and Reputation

Nestled in the heart of the Middle East, Qatar has emerged as a crucial link between the East and the West. With its abundant oil and gas reserves, Qatar boasts one of the highest GDP per capita globally, underscoring its economic prowess. Guided by the ambitious Qatar National Vision 2030, the nation is working towards sustainable development and economic diversification.

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

Let’s take a closer look at:

• Qatar’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 Country Brand Strength

In the Global Soft Power Index 2024 by Brand Finance, Qatar ranks 21^st, just behind Belgium (20^th) and Denmark (19^th). It has climbed by three positions since last year, and the score has risen from 49.9 in 2023 to 54.5 in 2024.

In the U.S. News Best Countries 2023 ranking, Qatar secures the 26^th position, behind Portugal (25^th) and Luxembourg (24^th). It especially excels in the key area Movers (2^nd).

Assessing a country’s future growth is dependent on a range of factors, including how prepared it is to weather challenges posed by the global economy. Qatar’s ranking improved by three positions, now at 29^th in the overall ranking in 2022.

The Anholt-Ipsos Nation Brand Index (NBI) calculates its ranking based on averaging the scores of six different factors: exports, governance, tourism, culture, people, and immigration. According to the NBI 2023 ranking, Qatar came in the 50^th position, slightly improved from its 53^rd position in 2022.

Is Qatar a ‘Good’ Country?

In the Good Country Index, Qatar currently holds the 109^th position overall. All the factors need improvement, as none rank in the top 50. Health and Wellbeing (71^st), Science & Technology (143^rd), Culture (136^th), International Peace & Security (81^st), World Order (82^nd), Planet & Climate (143^rd), and Prosperity & Equality (78^th). Previously, it ranked 59^th in 2022 and 95^th in 2021. Therefore, the country is experiencing inconsistent ranking fluctuations in the Good Country Index.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Democracy Index 2023, Qatar ranked in the orange zone (3-4 range) with a 3.65 out of 10. This is rather low but higher than neighbouring Saudi Arabia (2.08) or the United Arab Emirates (2.90).

In the 2022 Corruption Perception Index, Qatar comes 40^th, just behind Latvia (39^th). Qatar’s score has dropped by five points since 2021.

The Sustainable Development Report 2023 ranks Qatar 100^th, scoring 66.2. The report highlights that it faces major challenges in many of the 17 SDGs. However, the country is experiencing increasing positive changes in SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), although SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) factors are experiencing a downward trend in Qatar.

Talent Attraction

The World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Index 2019 edition placed Qatar at 29^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.

In the Global Talent Competitiveness Index 2023, Qatar holds the 35^th position, just behind Chile (34^th). In this report, the country is classified as a high-income country within Northern Africa and Western Asia, and is ranked 4^th on a regional level. It ranks best in the VT skills pillar (21^st), while the Retain pillar ranked 77^th, indicating that this represents a challenge.

Regarding education excellence, according to the World University Rankings 2024, Qatar has no university within the top 100 overall scores. However, Qatar University ranks 24^th in the Times Higher Education Young University Rankings 2023.

Appeal to Investors, Business, and Travel

According to Expat Insider 2023, Qatar ranks in 31^st place, right behind the USA (30^th) and Estonia (29^th). It performs quite well in Healthcare (3^rd), Travel and Transit (8^th), Safety and Security (16^th), Career Prospects (6^th) and Salary and Job Security (13^th).

However, the country ranks comparatively low in the ‘ease of settling in’ factors, such as Culture and Welcome (32^nd), Local Friendliness (34^th), and Finding Friends (33^rd). Such rankings show Qatar is a good place to work; however, there are potential struggles for expats to settle in. Moreover, Qatar ranks low in the Environment and Climate factor (41^st).

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. In Asia, Qatar ranks 27^th, dropping two positions from the previous report. Qatar stands behind Azerbaijan (26^th) and Oman (25^th). Worldwide, Qatar ranks 88^th.

In addition, in the Bloom Consulting Country Brand Ranking Tourism Edition 2022-2023 ranking, Qatar remains in the 18^th position in Asia, behind Saudi Arabia (17^th) and Sri Lanka (16^th). Worldwide, Qatar ranks 58^th. The country’s mix of traditions with modern advancements makes it a unique and attractive destination for visitors.

In the IMD 2023 World Competitiveness Ranking, Qatar came in 12^th position, improving from its 18^th position in 2022, and 17^th position in 2021. Currently, Qatar stands right behind Finland (11^th) and the United Arab Emirates (10^th), and surpasses Belgium (13^th) and Norway (14^th).

Regarding specific characteristics, Qatar significantly improved its Economic Performance factor, climbing from 11^th place in 2021 to 5^th position in 2023. Government Efficiency slightly improved from 7^th in 2022 to 4^th in 2023, according to the World Competitiveness Ranking. Business efficiency climbed by two positions from 14^th in 2022 to 12^th in 2023.

How Peaceful?

The Global Peace Index 2023 ranks Qatar 21^st, climbing by one position since last year’s index. The country currently ranks behind Belgium (20^th), Malaysia (19^th), and Hungary (18^th) and ahead of Australia (22^nd), Mauritius (23^rd), and Norway (24^th). All of these fall under the “high sector” of the ‘State of Peace’ spectrum as defined by the Institute for Economics & Peace. Within the region, Qatar ranks 1^st, followed by Kuwait (2^nd) and Oman (3^rd).

The Institute for Economics & Peace similarly ranks Qatar within the ‘no impact’ zone in terms of ‘Impact of Terrorism’ in the 2024 Global Terrorism Index. It ranks 89^th, tying with many countries such as Portugal, Romania, Poland, Morocco, and Laos.

Environmental Sustainability

The 2022 edition of the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) ranks Qatar 137^th, having experienced a slight drop of -2.30 over the last ten years.

Last updated in March 2024. More country profiles here.

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