EE/FSU: Summary of Global Competitiveness Report
Overview:
The GCR for 2011-2012 continues to suggest that European economies remain some of the world’s most competitive (taking seven of the top ten rankings). Asian economies also tend to perform well as do many in the Gulf and Middle East. Latin America and Africa have a couple of stronger performers even if many countries in those regions are relatively lowly ranked. Eastern Europe/Former Soviet Union (EE/FSU) tends to be widely spread as a region as a whole but more concentrated in sub-regional clusters. Estonia (33rd) is highest ranked and the Kyrgyz Republic the lowest (126th of 142). However, countries in CEE/Baltic States tend to be fairly competitive while countries in the Western Balkans are less so. The concept of competitiveness is hard to measure but the GCR is a reasonable guide.