16 Most Technologically Advanced Countries in the World

Technology has become an integral aspect of the 21^st century which is why we, at Insider Monkey, want to keep you updated on the triumphs in this field by offering you the list of 16 most technologically advanced countries in the world.

On my days out in the city, when I get to observe people in public spaces such as restaurants, parks, and trains, I tend to think that we have developed a collective addiction to technology. I myself find it hard to go through a day without going online to see my Facebook feed or to read the news from across the globe. There is no denying that technology has contributed to the quality of life we lead nowadays. Just think about the knowledge in store for us online. At no other point in time was knowledge so accessible as it is nowadays. Keeping in touch with my relatives in Australia is much easier now that I have Skype and do not have to nervously watch on the clock while talking to them over the phone, so as not to get a high phone bill. However, while technology appears to have connected people worldwide, I feel it is because of technology that we have become so alienated from one another. The essence of Friday nights out has become more about taking perfect pictures which will generate a lot of likes, hearts, comments, and whatnots, than about showing a genuine interest in your friends’ lives and listening to them talk about their week. Not that long ago, we wrote about the 11 least technologically advanced countries in the world. This time, however, we are determined to create the list of most technologically advanced countries in the world.

It takes more than just a developed economy for a country to be able to compete in the global market of power successfully. Apart from positive economic indicators, military strength and technological advances are of great significance for a country to be considered powerful and these are greatly affected by the level of economic development of a country. The most powerful country in the world in 2017 in terms of economy is the USA, as it has the highest nominal GDP in the world, $19,417.144. USA had the highest nominal GDP in the world the year before, securing it the title of the most powerful country in the world in 2016. Given such strong economy, it is natural that its military will also be among the most powerful in the world. According to the Global Fire Power, USA is the most powerful country in the world by military. Russia has the second most powerful military in the world, while China comes third in this aspect. In our article on 11 most technologically advanced militaries in the world, we established that the US also has the most technologically advanced military in the world. However, these are not the only lists where the mighty USA comes first.

When it comes to the most technologically innovative countries in the world, USA is doing more than good. According to the data provided by the Martin Prosperity Institute, USA is ranked first in terms of technological innovation. The same data suggests that, alongside the US, Japan, Switzerland, Finland, and Israel are some of the most creative countries in the world. So it would be hard to tell which country has the best technology today since few of them share the throne. Looking at the data, Trump’s presidential slogan “Make America great again” makes no sense whatsoever, as Trump himself makes no sense since the country is already great. It might not be great in 30 years or so, as The Economist Intelligence Unit predicts that the most powerful country in the world in 2050 will be China, which is currently considered to be the 2^nd most powerful in the world. The US government should do their best to maintain the status of power, so the scenario predicted by the EIU does not happen. Let us all hope for the best which is that Trump will not ruin what other Presidents have struggled so hard to build.

On the other side of the spectrum, we have those countries that are least advanced in terms of technology, and if you read the article on this topic we mentioned above, then you know which is the least technologically advanced country in the world. If you didn’t reach the first place on the list, we’re at least going to tell you that it’s not from Africa. Since we already mentioned it, do you want to know which are the most technologically advanced countries in Africa? According to The African Exponent, the first three places are taken by South Africa, Uganda, and Nigeria.

When creating the list of most technologically advanced countries in the world in 2017, I have taken into account a number of indicators which suggest how far countries have come in terms of technological innovations. I considered the ranking of countries by the 2017 Global Innovation Index, which is based on the data provided by sources such as the International Telecommunication Union, the World Bank, and the World Economic Forum. I have also taken into account the ranking of countries with regards to 2017 Bloomberg Innovation Index. Furthermore, since every technological revolution begins with education, I have considered the 2017 ranking of universities worldwide in computer science. Based on these three sources of data, I was able to create the list of the most technologically advanced countries in 2017.

16. Norway

Norway ranks 14^th on the Bloomberg Innovation Index ranking, and it has a score of 76.89. There is a Microsoft Development Center in Oslo which focuses on data search technologies.

15. Austria

We are continuing our list of most technologically advanced countries in the world in 2017 with Austria which is ranked 20^th on the Global Innovation Index ranking, with a score of 53.10. According to Bloomberg Innovation Index, it is the 12^th most innovative country in the world.

14. Israel

As suggested by the Bloomberg Innovation Index, in 2017 Israel is the 12^th most innovative country in the world. Israel Institute of Technology – Technion is among top 100 best performing universities in the field of computer science. Technology is one of Israel’s most developed sectors.

13. France

Summing up the value of both innovation indexes, we get a score of 147.13 which places France on 11^th spot on our list of most technologically advanced countries in the world in 2017. L’École Normale Supérieure in Paris is the university with the biggest potential for computer science advancement and is ranked among top 100 in the world. According to the data, “digital technology currently represents 5.5 % of French GDP.”

12. Ireland

On Bloomberg Innovation Index ranking, Ireland occupies 16^th position. University College Dublin is among top 150 best universities in the world in the field of computer science. Johnson Control, Accenture, CRH plc and Medtronic are some of the most notable technology companies.

11. Denmark

Looking at the data, it is clear that Denmark is one of the most innovative countries in 2017. The 6^th most innovative, according to Bloomberg Innovation Index ranking and the 8^th most innovative according to Global Innovation Index ranking. Aarhus University is among top 100 in the world.

10. Netherlands

According to the Global Innovation Index, the Netherlands is the 3^rd country in the world with the greatest capacity for innovation. The Delft University of Technology is the best in the country and among 100 best in the world. As Invest in Holland suggests, “60 % of all Forbes 2000 companies active in the IT industry have already established operations in Holland.”

9. Finland

According to the 2017 Bloomberg ranking, Finland is 5^th most innovative power in the world. The technology industry is the most important in the export sector. It is estimated that around 700.000 people are working in the technology sector.

8. Japan

Japan ranks 8th in our list of most technologically advanced countries in the world in 2017. It has always been at the forefront of the technological advancement. Technology is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy and the government expenditure on technological innovation and science is significant. Hitachi, Panasonic, and Sony are some of the most famous technological companies with headquarters in Japan.

7. Singapore

The Bloomberg Innovation Index value is 83.22, securing Singapore 6^th rank in 2017. Singapore was ranked 6^th last year too. The potential for setting up the bar higher in terms of technological advancements is reflected in the fact that the National University of Singapore is ranked 10^th in the world in computer science.

6. United Kingdom

Unsurprisingly, the United Kingdom is on the list of 16 most technologically advanced countries in the world in 2017. It ranks 5^th on 2017 Global Innovation Rankings, with the score of 60.89. It has a lot to offer when it comes to the education in computer science. The University of Cambridge is 5^th, the University of Oxford is 7^th, and Imperial College is ranked 12^th in the world in their capacity to revolutionize the way we think about technology.

5. Germany

It is known that Germany that ranks 5th in our list of most technologically advanced countries in the world in 2017, has one of the best economies in Europe and the country’s government is evidently investing into technology, as Germany has Bloomberg Innovation Index of 83.92 ranking it 3^rd in the world. One of the largest software companies in the world, SAP, has its headquarters in Germany.

4. Switzerland

We are continuing our list of most technologically advanced countries in the world in 2017 with Switzerland that is at the top of the Global Innovation Index ranking with the score of 67.69. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology is the focal point of innovation in technology. It is ranked 9^th in the world. Solar-powered plane Solar Impulse was invented in Switzerland, and its invention opened up the space for new ideas on sustainable solutions for travel.

3. Sweden

According to the Global Innovation Index and Bloomberg Innovation Index ranking, Sweden, the number 3 in our list of most technologically advanced countries in the world in 2017, is the 2^nd most innovative country in the world. KTH Royal Institute of Technology ranks among the top 100 in the world. As Tech Crunch points out, in 2014 Stockholm “took in 15 percent of all foreign investment in the European tech sector,” which shows the amazing technological potential of Sweden.

2. The United States of America

While the US ranking with regards to innovation indexes seems rather “poor,” that is if we compare it to all the other lists where the US is first, the US has some of the best universities in the world which are the fertile ground for innovation in technology. MIT, Stanford University, and Carnegie Mellon University are the top three universities in the world in the field of computer science. Should I say that the most famous technology companies are all in the US?

1. South Korea

According to the Bloomberg Innovation Index ranking, South Korea is the most innovative country of 2017, establishing it as one of the most powerful countries in 2017. Many universities from South Korea have made the list of top 100, but the best results in computer science are recorded at the Seoul National University. For some years now, Seoul is considered to be the tech capital of the world, which is why South Korea takes the first spot on our list.

This was Insider Monkey’s list of most technologically advanced countries in the world in 2017.