No. 8 Taiwan

Change Since 2009 Ranking: +15
Real GDP Growth, 2009: –1.9 percent
Per Capita GDP, 2009: $31,834

World Competitiveness Rankings:

Economic Performance: 16
Government Efficiency: 6
Business Efficiency: 3
Infrastructure: 17

Jumping 15 places in this year's rankings, Taiwan is the most improved country in the IMD's 2010 competitiveness yearbook. The country's focus on technology, coupled with its deep economic connections across Asia Pacific, has left it positioned to profit from the global recovery. There's just one concern: Rising competition for foreign investment from neighbors looking to copy Taiwan's economic model eventually could dampen growth.