Countries that command cultural influence are often synonymous with fine food, fashion and easy living. They are trendsetters – the country equivalent of the cooler, older sibling. Their products have that certain “je ne sais quoi” that makes them fly a little faster off the shelves. Their music, television and movies are absorbed by other cultures, becoming part of a wider global conversation.

The 2019 Best Countries rankings, formed in partnership with BAV Group, a unit of global marketing communications company VMLY&R, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, are based on a survey that asked more than 20,000 people from four regions to associate 80 countries with specific characteristics.