- On Prosperity Index Globally, Switzerland ranked first, followed by Norway, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Germany, Australia and the Netherlands.
- China fell to 110th from 54th in 2023, with its ranking particularly affected by weak freedom indicators. Russia dropped to 103rd from 77th, while Belarus fell to 132nd from 78th in 2023. Both countries recorded particularly weak results in freedom-related indicators.
Kuwait ranked first in the Arab world and 50th globally in the 2026 Global Prosperity Index issued by the UK-based Legatum Institute, leading all Arab countries included in the ranking.
The annual index assesses prosperity across 161 countries, using a broad measure that goes beyond GDP to examine economic development, freedoms, health, education, social conditions, state integrity and other factors linked to quality of life and sustainable prosperity.
Strong economic freedom ranking
Kuwait’s strongest results included 21st globally in economic freedom and 22nd in living standards. It ranked 37th in health and 39th in state integrity. Kuwait also placed 42nd in development, 59th in personal freedom and 62nd in civil peace.
Education was the country’s weakest major pillar, with Kuwait ranking 105th globally on the indicator measuring the duration and quality of education. Kuwait also topped the Gulf rankings, followed by the UAE at 51st globally, Oman at 54th, Qatar at 78th, Bahrain at 80th and Saudi Arabia at 97th.
Globally, Switzerland ranked first, followed by Norway, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Germany, Australia and the Netherlands. The report also highlighted the United States overtaking the United Kingdom for the first time since the index began in 2015. The US ranked 17th, compared with 18th for the UK, with overall scores of 85.5% and 85.4%, respectively.
The US advantage was attributed mainly to stronger living standards and higher average per-capita gross national income. However, it ranked lower in several social indicators, including health, family cohesion and community cohesion.
China, Russia and Belarus fall
Several major countries recorded substantial declines under the updated methodology. China fell to 110th from 54th in 2023, with its ranking particularly affected by weak freedom indicators. Russia dropped to 103rd from 77th, while Belarus fell to 132nd from 78th in 2023. Both countries recorded particularly weak results in freedom-related indicators.
The report also examined potential trade-offs associated with higher prosperity, noting trends including higher tax burdens, declining fertility rates and greater prevalence of illicit trade in highly dangerous drugs. It also highlighted that highly prosperous societies do not necessarily perform better on some measures of everyday social interaction and community life.
