TOP 10 8

Change in ranking : -3 Yet another casualty of the fall in oil prices , Brazil has placed outside the top 3 positions for the first time . While the country ’ s middle class has grown in the past two decades , this has not been enough to prevent job losses in the wake of the commodities slump . This has also compounded the fact that the country ’ s infrastructure network needs to be upgraded while , at the same time , new frameworks need to be developed to eliminate corruption and save time .

Change in ranking : -3 It is perhaps unsurprising to see that Saudi Arabia has slipped down in the rankings given its dependence on oil , but the importance of its economic planning should not be understated . Taking into account its strategic position in the Gulf , the Kingdom is taking measures to exploit this while making concerted efforts to diversify its economy for a post-hydrocarbon future .

24 June 2016