(Denis Balibouse/Reuters)A new ranking of the world's “best countries” is out — and the results don’t look good for America. Switzerland takes top nation honors, according to the second annual “Best Countries” ranking from U.S. News & World Report, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and global brand consultants BAV Consulting. The United States ends up in the seventh spot, just edging out Australia but also lagging Germany, Japan and Sweden. According to the rankings, perceptions of the United States in a number of areas have dropped over the past year. There is one bright spot for the United States: It is still perceived as the most powerful nation on earth, running ahead of Russia, China, the United Kingdom and Germany.

Source: Washington Post March 07, 2017 05:04 UTC