A country’s culture and heritage often create lasting memories for visitors and are treasured by its citizens. From ancient ruins to diverse cuisines, music, and traditions, culture plays a crucial role in shaping national identity and global presence.
This ranking showcases the 40 countries that people worldwide consider to have the best culture and heritage. The infographic, created by Pallavi Rao at Visual Capitalist, is based on a global survey by U.S. News & World Report.
The survey, conducted from March 22 to May 23, 2024, involved 17,000 respondents who evaluated countries based on five key attributes: cultural accessibility, historical significance, food, cultural attractions, and geographic appeal. It’s important to note that these rankings reflect public perceptions rather than hard data.
The Best Countries for Culture and Heritage
Greece claims the top spot for culture and heritage, thanks to its unmatched historical legacy.
| Culture & Heritage Rank | Country |
| 1 | 🇬🇷 Greece |
| 2 | 🇮🇹 Italy |
| 3 | 🇪🇸 Spain |
| 4 | 🇫🇷 France |
| 5 | 🇹🇷 Turkey |
| 6 | 🇲🇽 Mexico |
| 7 | 🇪🇬 Egypt |
| 8 | 🇹🇭 Thailand |
| 9 | 🇵🇹 Portugal |
| 10 | 🇮🇳 India |
| 11 | 🇯🇵 Japan |
| 12 | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
| 13 | 🇨🇳 China |
| 14 | 🇲🇦 Morocco |
| 15 | 🇬🇧 UK |
| 16 | 🇮🇪 Ireland |
| 17 | 🇦🇷 Argentina |
| 18 | 🇦🇹 Austria |
| 19 | 🇺🇸 U.S. |
| 20 | 🇦🇺 Australia |
| 21 | 🇮🇩 Indonesia |
| 22 | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
| 23 | 🇩🇪 Germany |
| 24 | 🇻🇳 Vietnam |
| 25 | 🇵🇪 Peru |
| 26 | 🇿🇦 South Africa |
| 27 | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
| 28 | 🇲🇾 Malaysia |
| 29 | 🇨🇭 Switzerland |
| 30 | 🇨🇦 Canada |
| 31 | 🇳🇴 Norway |
| 32 | 🇰🇷 South Korea |
| 33 | 🇧🇪 Belgium |
| 34 | 🇸🇬 Singapore |
| 35 | 🇨🇱 Chile |
| 36 | 🇵🇭 Philippines |
| 37 | 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia |
| 38 | 🇭🇺 Hungary |
| 39 | 🇷🇺 Russia |
| 40 | 🇭🇷 Croatia |
As the cradle of democracy, Western philosophy, and the Olympic Games, Greece’s influence is profound. Respondents highlighted its exceptional cuisine, stunning Mediterranean landscapes, and easy access to historical sites. The tourism industry in Greece has thrived, even amid challenging times, and continues to face staffing shortages during peak seasons.
Europe Dominates the Rankings
Europe secures seven of the top ten spots, with Italy, Spain, and France following Greece. These nations are rich in UNESCO World Heritage sites, art, and culinary traditions. Their extensive histories of empire, religion, and art have left lasting imprints on cultures worldwide.
Rising Cultural Influence from Asia
Thailand, India, and Japan are also in the top 15, showcasing Asia’s increasing cultural significance. Thailand is celebrated for its distinctive traditions and cuisine, while India boasts a vast spiritual and architectural heritage. Japan performs well across various categories, ranking high on the best countries list.
Assessing the Best Culture
U.S. News structures its “Best Countries” ranking around 73 attributes categorized into ten thematic subrankings, including Heritage, Quality of Life, Power, and Entrepreneurship. For the Heritage subtheme, five equally-weighted attributes were used:
- Culturally accessible
- Rich history
- Exceptional food
- Numerous cultural attractions
- Geographic appeal
The global survey reaches about 17,000 participants, including business leaders, informed elites, and everyday citizens. Each respondent assesses a random selection of countries (meeting GDP, tourism, and FDI criteria) to determine their association with these five attributes. The scores are normalized on a scale from 0 to 100 to finalize the rankings.
