Kenya has dropped one spot in the world prosperity 2019 ranking to emerge at position 113 out of 167 countries.
According to the just-released 2020 Prosperity Index by Legatum Institute, Kenya has moved up the rankings table by 8 places since 2010. The country’s score improved to 51 points from 46 points in 2010 with greater society inclusiveness pushing up the overall score and ranking.
Kenya performed most strongly in Social Capital and Enterprise Conditions but is weakest in Safety & Security. The biggest improvement compared to a decade ago came in Social Capital.
The country registered notable gains in its scoring on institutional trust, macro-economic stability, health interventions, connectedness, property rights, and investor protection.
Additional gains have been noted in areas such as civil & social participation and the creation of a conducive environment for business creation.
Kenya however marked a dip in pillars such as political-related terror and violence, freedom of assembly & association, freedom of speech & access to information, personal and family relationships, and social networks.
The Legatum Prosperity Index rankings are based on a variety of factors including wealth, economic growth, quality of life, health, education, and personal well-being.
The index is based on an analysis of 167 countries around the world across 104 different variables. The most prosperous countries in the world have high levels of freedom, safety and security, education, and health. These countries also have healthy natural environments and conditions that allow for economic prosperity such as protection of investments, favorable business regulations, and market infrastructure.
As you would expect, Scandinavian countries are the most prosperous with Denmark taking top spot ahead of Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands.
New Zealand, Germany, Luxembourg, and Iceland complete the top 10.
In Africa, Mauritius is the most prosperous nation at position 44 globally followed by Seychelles(position 48), Botswana(76), Cape Verde(77), and South Africa at position 83.
Rwanda emerged 106 globally, Tanzania 120, and Uganda at 135.
South Sudan(167), Yemen, Central African Republic, Chad, Afghanistan, DRC, Somalia, Eritrea, Burundi, and Sudan(158) occupied the bottom spots.
