The World’s Top Ranked Tech Countries

April 9, 2008, 6:00 am
The World's Top Ranked Tech Countries
Posted by Ben Worthen

Want to work for a business that not only uses the most advanced technology, but is part of a culture that promotes the adoption of new technologies? Move to Denmark.

That country just topped the World Economic Forum's rankings of the most networked nations for the third year in a row. The rankings take into account the extent to which businesses, governments and individuals use information technology, how prepared these constituencies are to adopt new technologies, and how tech-friendly a country's laws and regulations are.

Denmark finished first because it has the highest average broadband-Internet speed and penetration rate of any country, as well as a government that prioritizes technology and a culture that is open to new technology, according to the WEF report. There's evidently something in the snow: The top 10 is dominated by Nordic countries, with Sweden coming in second, Finland sixth, Iceland eighth and Norway 10th. (In case you're wondering what people in these countries do with their super high-tech Internet access, the 75-year old Swedish woman who has the world's fastest home Internet connection mostly uses it to dry her laundry.)

The United States came in fourth, which is up three places from last year. It's rated highly for its research institutions, innovation - the U.S. files for the most patents of any country - and thriving marketplace. It was dinged for its high tax rate, burdensome regulatory environment and relative inefficiency of the legal system.

The so-called BRIC countries ?- Brazil, Russia, India and China ?- were all far down in the rankings, coming in 59th, 72nd, 50th and 57th respectively. Among countries in sub-Saharan Africa, only South Africa (51st) and Mauritius (54th) finished in the top half of the rankings. Latin America only had four countries in the top 50: Chile (34th); Barbados (38th); Puerto Rico (39th); and Jamaica (46th). Of the 127 countries in the report, Chad came in last.