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World Leaders in Economic Strength

The global economy may show signs of recovery but many countries still face a long slog. To make the most of the current economic climate, countries from Spain to Singapore must focus on attracting investment through a combination of business-friendly policies, world-class infrastructure, and a large pool of highly-trained local talent.

Those are among the findings of the World Economic Forum's annual Global Competitiveness Report 2009-2010. This year, as Switzerland knocked the U.S. out of the No. 1 position it held for years, European countries continue to represent the largest percentage of countries in the top 20. Nations such as Finland and Hong Kong score well in business sophistication while France and Australia, for instance, beat rivals in maintaining highly-skilled workforces. No matter the category, competition between countries all over the world is as fierce as ever.

Click on to see which nations rank as the most competitive countries of 2009.

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