International travel websites are reporting on a new list of the world's best 10 countries, but New Zealand has failed to make the cut.
The US News & World Report ranks 80 countries in its list, which is decided on by surveying more than 20,000 people in the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
- NZ bumped off Lonely Planet's list of best countries to visit
- NZ plummets 25 places in list of world's 'friendliest' countries
Countries are graded on 65 attributes - how well they rank in citizenship, cultural influence, education, heritage, power and quality of life, among other factors.
Switzerland has topped the list, again; the small European nation was also number one in 2018 and 2017.
Although it didn't make the top ten, New Zealand comes in at number 12 - behind Australia, which places 7th on the list.
Our neighbour across the Tasman Sea "comes in third on the list for comfortable retirement, and fifth on the best countries to travel alone list," reports Condé Nast Traveler.
"Chalk it up to that renowned Aussie friendliness and the country's unrivaled landscapes."
The planet's worst countries are named as Iraq (80), Iran (79), Angola (78) and Serbia (77).
The US News & World Report's top ten countries of 2019 are as follows:
1) Switzerland
2) Japan
3) Canada
4) Germany
5) United Kingdom
6) Sweden
7) Australia
8) United States
9) Norway
10) France
The full list can be viewed in pdf format at usnews.com.
Newshub.
