Image by flydime via Flickr
The news that America is the world’s most popular country, according to Anholt-GfK Roper Nations Index, broke early this week everywhere but here. Yesterday, news came that Russia did not make it into the list of top ten favorites. (Apparently, they were expecting to?)
The index takes six factors into account: desirability of exports (everyone loves oil, right?); opinions of the nation’s government (mmm-hmmm); culture and heritage (+1); friendliness and competence of the people (no chance, Russia); capacity as a tourism magnet; capacity as an investment and immigration magnet (Russia’s been shrinking, population-wise, and, after last year’s war in the Caucasus tens of billions of dollars have yet to return).
But, with things going so well, maybe next year?
