Interview:
Finland Continues to Add Value to the World

Finland, with a population of just 5.52 million is one of the world’s most peaceful and organized nations. The Scandinavian nation has been adding value to the rest of the world, with its rapidly advanced economy while building an extensive welfare state based on the Nordic model, resulting in widespread prosperity and one of the highest per capita incomes in the world. That is not all. Finland is a top performer in numerous metrics of national performance, including education, economic competitiveness, civil liberties, quality of life, and human development. In 2015, Finland was ranked first in the World Human Capital and the Press Freedom Index and as the most stable country in the world during 2011–2016 in the Fragile States Index, and second in the Global Gender Gap Report.


The Scandinavian nation proved its mettle once more when it was ranked first in the Good Country Index published on January 23, 2019. The results of the Index indicate that, relative to its size, Finland contributes more to humanity and burdens the planet less than any other country. This is the fourth edition of the Good Country Index, which measures 153 countries’ performance and ranks them on the basis of their overall impact on the planet. In the recent Index, Finland rose from fourth place to the top. The other leading countries are Ireland, Sweden, Germany and Denmark.

The country’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Timo Soini received the recognition on the 23rd of January 2019 during the World Economic Forum in Davos. “This is an excellent recognition. Finland is a good, down-to-earth country and we are a reliable partner in international forums. Our performance is the result of consistent work and I witness it in my work on an almost daily basis. The recognition is good for Finland’s internal discussion and atmosphere. Let’s be proud of ourselves for a moment and let’s continue to pursue even better results,” Minister Soini comments.

The Good Country Index looks at 35 criteria, based on data produced by the United Nations and other international organisations. The criteria produce each country’s “balance sheet”, which shows if the country burdens mankind or if it contributes to the common good of humanity.

Finland, which is now in first place, ranks best in terms of its journal exports, number of patents, freedom of movement, press freedom, cyber security, environmental agreements compliance, open trading, FDI outflows, and food aid. The 35 criteria of the Index are divided into contributions to seven categories: Science and Technology, Culture, International Peace and Security, World Order, Planet and Climate, Prosperity and Equality, and Health and Wellbeing. After the countries have been analysed, each of them will receive scores on each indicator relative to all other countries measured and corrected for the country’s GDP.

The first edition of the Good Country Index was launched in 2014 in a TED Talk. The recording of the launch event has been viewed on the internet for over 5.5 million times, and it has been voted the 5th most inspiring TED Talk ever. Simon Anholt, who is the founder and head of the Index, is also known as the creator of the country brand concept.