Scotland ranked 15th out of 60 countries in mayor international survey of 60,000 people – Angus Robertson

Scotland has achieved its highest ever reported score in a respected international survey which asks 60,000 adults from 20 countries what their perceptions are of 60 nations.

The Nation Brands Index (NBI) has been used since 2008 by the Scottish Government as a key measure of this country’s reputation in our National Performance Framework and the latest ranking saw our overall score jump to 65.3 out of 100, compared to 62.6 out of 100 in 2020.

According to this year’s survey, Scotland achieved 15th place in the world for culture; 11th for governance; 13th for people; 17th for immigration and investment; 12th for tourism; ninth for welcoming people; and tenth for both international peace and security, and historic buildings and monuments. This run of fantastic scores means we rank 15th overall and puts us ahead of many large and successful economies.

It is also encouraging to see that governance in Scotland has also scored well internationally, which may be due to international interest in forward-thinking and outward-looking Scottish Government policies such as the baby box, free period products, and our ambitious work to help tackle climate change.

Of course, there is still room for improvement, especially since the challenges created by Brexit, the ongoing Covid pandemic, and the current cost-of-living crisis. The survey shows some areas that we can work on and the Scottish Government will leave no stone unturned in doing so.

Angus Robertson is the SNP MSP for Edinburgh Central and Scotland’s Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Secretary