A News Feature by IMGlobalWealth.com
Switzerland has been ranked the world’s most resilient country in the inaugural Global Investment Risk and Resilience Index, followed by Denmark, Norway, Singapore and Sweden. The index — the first of its kind — measures national exposure to geopolitical, economic and climate risks alongside each country’s capacity to adapt and recover. It reveals that resilience is increasingly concentrated in smaller, highly adaptive states — the kind of places investors and citizens alike turn to in turbulent times.
Developed by Henley & Partners in partnership with the AI-driven analytics platform AlphaGeo, the index provides investors, families and governments with a structured framework for navigating a world of overlapping risks — from geopolitical conflict and inflation to technological disruption and climate change. By combining risk exposure and resilience capacity into a single score, it identifies the countries best placed to preserve wealth and generate long-term value.
“Smaller states such as Grenada, Malta, Mauritius, and St Kitts and Nevis show how these inflows fund infrastructure, education and long-term stability”
Switzerland leads thanks to exceptionally low risk and world-class performance in innovation, governance and social cohesion. Close behind, the Nordic countries — Denmark (2nd), Norway (3rd) and Sweden (5th) — demonstrate how equitable growth, robust institutions and forward-looking policies sustain long-term resilience. Singapore (4th) registers the world’s lowest legal and regulatory risk.
Dr Christian H. Kälin, Chairman of Henley & Partners, calls the index “a new and practical lens through which to view sovereign risk and resilience”. For investors, companies and global citizens, he says, “it offers unprecedented clarity on where to place confidence and capital in the years ahead.”
The World’s Most Fragile States
The index builds on AlphaGeo’s two-pronged methodology, first developed for its Climate Risk and Resilience Index. It treats exposure and preparedness as distinct yet complementary pillars. The investment categories reflect each market’s balance between risk and resilience: “Prime Markets” combine exceptionally high resilience with low risk, while those on the “Risk Watchlist” display structural weaknesses and elevated exposure.
At the bottom of the rankings are South Sudan (226th), Lebanon (225th), Haiti (224th), Sudan (223rd) and Pakistan (222nd), marked by political instability, legal fragility and weak governance. Limited innovation, economic complexity and low social development further constrain their adaptive capacity.
“High risk is not always negative if matched by strong resilience,” explains Dr Parag Khanna, Founder and CEO of AlphaGeo. “Conversely, high resilience can conceal vulnerabilities — particularly in advanced economies facing political or fiscal stress. Adaptation is the new imperative: societies investing in innovation, governance and climate readiness will attract capital, talent and sustainable growth.”
Country/Territory Profiles
| Rank | State | Filter | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st |  Switzerland | 88.42 | ||
| 2nd |  Denmark | 85.09 | ||
| 3rd |  Norway | 83.54 | ||
| 4th |  Singapore | 83.37 | ||
| 5th |  Sweden | 83.18 | ||
| 6th |  Luxembourg | 83.03 | ||
| 7th |  Finland | 82.14 | ||
| 8th |  Greenland | 81.24 | ||
| 9th |  Netherlands | 80.79 | ||
| 10th |  Germany | 80.71 | ||
| 11th |  Iceland | 79.84 | ||
| 12th |  Liechtenstein | 78.86 | ||
| 13th |  Canada | 78.48 | ||
| 14th |  Austria | 78.48 | ||
| 15th |  Estonia | 78.35 | ||
| 16th |  Czechia | 78.01 | ||
| 17th |  Ireland | 77.89 | ||
| 18th |  New Zealand | 77.77 | ||
| 19th |  Hong Kong (SAR China) | 76.52 | ||
| 20th |  Faroe Islands | 76.40 | ||
| 21st |  Andorra | 76.01 | ||
| 22nd |  Slovenia | 75.65 | ||
| 23rd |  United Kingdom | 75.20 | ||
| 24th |  Monaco | 74.92 | ||
| 25th |  South Korea | 74.84 | ||
| 26th |  Kosovo | 74.49 | ||
| 27th |  Belgium | 74.40 | ||
| 28th |  Lithuania | 74.39 | ||
| 29th |  France | 74.20 | ||
| 30th |  Jersey | 74.12 | ||
| 31st |  San Marino | 73.97 | ||
| 32nd |  United States | 73.04 | ||
| 33rd |  Brunei | 72.95 | ||
| 34th |  Latvia | 72.89 | ||
| 35th |  Japan | 71.68 | ||
| 36th |  Malta | 71.47 | ||
| 37th |  Macao (SAR China) | 71.34 | ||
| 38th |  United Arab Emirates | 71.34 | ||
| 39th |  Slovakia | 70.70 | ||
| 40th |  Romania | 70.70 | ||
| 41st |  Isle of Man | 70.22 | ||
| 42nd |  Croatia | 69.78 | ||
| 43rd |  Australia | 69.56 | ||
| 44th |  Poland | 69.53 | ||
| 45th |  Uruguay | 69.28 | ||
| 46th |  Taiwan (Chinese Taipei) | 69.27 | ||
| 47th |  Israel | 69.07 | ||
| 48th |  Italy | 68.55 | ||
| 49th |  China | 68.49 | ||
| 50th |  Vatican City | 68.26 | ||
| 51st |  Qatar | 68.12 | ||
| 52nd |  Georgia | 68.04 | ||
| 53rd |  Bulgaria | 67.87 | ||
| 54th |  Malaysia | 67.42 | ||
| 55th |  Hungary | 67.41 | ||
| 56th |  Chile | 67.13 | ||
| 57th |  Saudi Arabia | 66.96 | ||
| 58th |  Tuvalu | 66.66 | ||
| 59th |  Gibraltar | 66.63 | ||
| 60th |  Kuwait | 66.53 | ||
| 61st |  Spain | 66.35 | ||
| 62nd |  Cyprus | 66.06 | ||
| 63rd |  Portugal | 65.16 | ||
| 64th |  Bermuda | 64.99 | ||
| 65th |  North Macedonia | 64.96 | ||
| 66th |  Nauru | 64.87 | ||
| 67th |  Panama | 64.83 | ||
| 68th |  Costa Rica | 64.78 | ||
| 69th |  Montenegro | 64.78 | ||
| 70th |  Armenia | 64.50 | ||
| 71st |  Serbia | 64.05 | ||
| 72nd |  French Guiana | 63.89 | ||
| 73rd |  Oman | 63.80 | ||
| 74th |  Albania | 63.78 | ||
| 75th |  Kiribati | 63.70 | ||
| 76th |  Marshall Islands | 63.66 | ||
| 77th |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | 63.29 | ||
| 78th |  Indonesia | 63.13 | ||
| 79th |  Micronesia | 63.06 | ||
| 80th |  Mongolia | 62.74 | ||
| 81st |  Belarus | 62.54 | ||
| 82nd |  New Caledonia | 62.22 | ||
| 83rd |  Mauritius | 62.20 | ||
| 84th |  Tanzania | 62.00 | ||
| 85th |  French Polynesia | 61.93 | ||
| 86th |  Botswana | 61.92 | ||
| 87th |  Jordan | 61.88 | ||
| 88th |  Bhutan | 61.76 | ||
| 89th |  Samoa (WS) | 61.38 | ||
| 90th |  Azerbaijan | 61.30 | ||
| 91st |  American Samoa | 60.91 | ||
| 92nd |  Greece | 60.86 | ||
| 93rd |  Aruba | 60.86 | ||
| 94th |  Russia | 60.76 | ||
| 95th |  Kazakhstan | 60.72 | ||
| 96th |  Niue | 60.65 | ||
| 97th |  Vietnam | 60.63 | ||
| 98th |  Guyana | 60.53 | ||
| 99th |  Tonga | 60.50 | ||
| 100th |  Cook Islands | 60.44 |
From the G7 to BRICS: Diverging Paths
The G7 economies continue to balance moderate risk with strong resilience. Germany (10th) leads the group, driven by climate preparedness, innovation and industrial sophistication. It is followed by Canada (13th), the United Kingdom (23rd), France (29th), the United States (32nd), Japan (35th) and Italy (48th). Collectively, they show how institutional depth and adaptability anchor global economic influence.
“Resilience is no longer the task of governments alone,” says David K. Young, President of the Committee for Economic Development at The Conference Board. “It requires partnership between states, businesses and societies. Those aligning stability with adaptability will not only withstand future shocks but turn uncertainty into long-term prosperity — the true resilience dividend.”
Among the BRICS, China (49th) falls under the Favourable Outlook category, with moderate risk offset by considerable resilience from innovation and investment capacity. Russia (94th) sits in the Cautious Potential band: high resilience meets equally high risk, driven by political volatility and regulatory uncertainty.
South Africa (145th), Brazil (150th) and India (155th) show moderate resilience undermined by elevated risk, with India’s exposure to physical climate hazards worsening its profile.
“Resilience — not size or wealth — determines a nation’s ability to safeguard prosperity,” says Dr Tim Klatte, Partner at Grant Thornton China. “Fragile states bear the double burden of high risk and low resilience. Without stronger governance and diversification, they remain caught in cycles of vulnerability. Economic complexity and institutional quality are the bedrock of true resilience.”
“Resilience now matters more than wealth or political structure, It is the defining driver of future success in an age of volatility. For nations, it underpins prosperity; for investors, it ensures both protection and long-term value creation.”
– Dr Christian H. Kälin
Strength Beyond Scale
Smaller nations continue to shine. Luxembourg (6th) and Finland (7th) excel through transparency, climate resilience and sustainability. They are joined by Greenland (8th), the Netherlands (9th) and Germany (10th), proving that adaptability, not size, defines resilience.
“Nine of the world’s ten most resilient countries are European,” notes Misha Glenny, BBC journalist and Rector of the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna. “Yet Europe’s long-term stability is not guaranteed — geopolitical tension, social unrest and technological dependence expose deep structural fault lines.”
Just outside the top ten, Iceland (11th) and Liechtenstein (12th) remain among the safest markets. Canada (13th) maintains low macroeconomic risk, while Austria (14th) excels in social progress and innovation. Estonia, Czechia, Ireland, New Zealand, Slovenia, and South Korea also rank high for governance, technology and social cohesion.
Building Resilient Sovereign Portfolios
Countries offering structured residence and citizenship programmes consistently perform better on resilience metrics. By attracting long-term capital and entrepreneurial talent, such schemes bolster governance and fiscal health. Singapore’s Global Investor Programme has driven broad-based growth, while Portugal’s Residence by Investment Programme proved crucial during its debt crisis.
Smaller states such as Grenada, Malta, Mauritius, and St Kitts and Nevis show how these inflows fund infrastructure, education and long-term stability.
For ultra-wealthy families, resilience is becoming the ultimate asset. The index helps construct evidence-based jurisdictional diversification to withstand compound shocks. Switzerland, Singapore, Luxembourg, New Zealand and select Caribbean states provide core stability; Hong Kong, Austria and Canada add diversification; and emerging hubs like the UAE and Uruguay broaden opportunity.
“Resilience now matters more than wealth or political structure,” says Dr Kälin. “It is the defining driver of future success in an age of volatility. For nations, it underpins prosperity; for investors, it ensures both protection and long-term value creation.”
Dr Khanna concurs: “Low risk and high resilience are not the same thing. The most competitive countries balance both — creating environments where capital and confidence thrive.”
Prof Dr Khalid Koser, Founding Executive Director of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) and Professor of Conflict, Peace and Security at Maastricht University, says the index “offers more than a diagnosis — it’s a roadmap. It links investment and development to measures that strengthen social and institutional resilience, calling for collaboration between policymakers, investors and communities.”
As Jacob Shapiro, Head of Geopolitical and Macro Research at Bespoke Group, concludes: “No index is a crystal ball, but this one is a powerful guide. By mapping both risk and resilience, it helps investors sharpen judgement and test assumptions. Its strength lies not in prediction but in perspective.”
The Global Investment Risk and Resilience Index is available on the Henley & Partners website, accompanied by expert commentary and in-depth analysis.
