The 10 Most Beautiful Countries In The World, According To Global Rankings
New Zealand Claims the Crown of Natural Beauty
New Zealand has claimed the title of the most beautiful country in the world, celebrated for its “amazing scenery” and “insane variety of natural beauty packed into a relatively small country.” In Rough Guides’ 2024 survey, New Zealand secured the number one spot, followed by Italy and Canada. The country’s dramatic contrasts — from the towering Southern Alps to pristine beaches — create landscapes that feel almost otherworldly. Visitors can hike on Fox and Franz Josef glaciers in the morning and explore the geothermal wonderlands of Rotorua by afternoon, showcasing the unmatched diversity that continues to make New Zealand a top destination in 2025.
What makes this island nation truly special isn’t just its scenery. The Southern Alps offer snow-capped mountains, glaciers, fjords, lakes and rivers, while visitors encounter the greenest grass and most rugged coastline with sheep, cows and deer grazing in roadside fields alongside countless hiking and bike trails. Places like Fiordland National Park and Tongariro National Park look straight out of a fairytale.
Italy’s Timeless Romance Secures Second Place
Italy consistently ranks near the top for having “something for everyone,” from the marvelous Dolomite mountains and tranquil Italian Lakes to the rolling vineyards of Tuscany and the sparkling Amalfi Coast. In 2024, Italy appeared in second place in multiple global rankings, celebrated alongside New Zealand and Canada as one of the world’s top three most beautiful countries. The nation’s incredible diversity spans from Sicily’s volcanic landscapes to Venice’s romantic waterways. Rome remains the birthplace of Western civilization, with ancient sites waiting to be explored, while the Cinque Terre settlement of Vernazza invites romantics to wander through candy-colored streets before reaching the harbor.
This boot-shaped country extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with historical cities, world-renowned cuisine and geographic beauty attracting over 50 million international tourists annually. Many travelers believe Italy has “the best food in the world.” The country houses Mount Etna, Europe’s tallest and most active volcano, and contains two sovereign nations within its borders.
Canada’s Vast Wilderness Earns Third Position
Canada consistently ranks among the world’s most beautiful destinations. In 2024, it placed third in multiple global beauty rankings, recognized alongside New Zealand and Italy as part of the top three most stunning countries worldwide. Holding a steady position in the top five across consecutive polls, Canada is celebrated for its “epic landscapes” and the vastness of its “wide-open spaces,” complete with “mountain scenery that is amazing.” Positioned above the United States in these rankings, Canada is admired not only for its notoriously friendly people but also for its rugged wilderness. From soaring mountains and serene lakes to deep forests blanketed in winter snow, the country offers awe-inspiring beauty for visitors year-round.
British Columbia’s mountains draw skiers and snowboarders in their thousands, while East Coast cities like Toronto and Montreal charm with world-class restaurants and cosmopolitan vibe, plus there’s the otherworldly Bay of Fundy, hailed as one of the most remarkable places on earth. The sheer scale of Canada’s natural beauty spans from Arctic tundra to coastal rainforests, offering travelers experiences that range from whale watching to Northern Lights viewing.
Switzerland’s Alpine Perfection Takes Fourth
Switzerland remains in fourth place in global rankings, known for its mountainous landscapes, stunning lakes, and efficient transportation system. This country attracts millions of tourists with unique nature and diverse landscapes, from modern Zurich to sophisticated Geneva and charming cities like Montreux and Vevey, where visitors can enjoy majestic alpine landscapes, admire cozy lakes and mountain peaks, or travel by train through picturesque mountain valleys. Often considered a winter paradise, Switzerland’s snowy Alps and pure fresh air have drawn tourists for millennia, with skiers flocking to secluded towns like Zermatt, though the country remains equally beautiful in warmer months with emerald lakes and rich valley forests, plus Bern’s ancient city boasts remarkable Medieval and Renaissance architecture.
This mountainous European country is perhaps best known for quaint, almost storybook-like villages nestled amid towering mountains, with attractions including the famous Matterhorn, Lauterbrunnen Valley with its 72 waterfalls, and St. Moritz, a postcard-worthy winter resort town famous for ski courses and invigorating mineral springs.
France’s Cultural Splendor Claims Fifth
France might come as a surprise ranking only fifth, trailing three spots behind Italy despite its mountains, crystal-clear seas, and art cities with the magnificent Paris. France offers a “bevy of beautiful locales,” whether it’s Gothic architecture of Paris like the newly reconstructed Notre Dame Cathedral or lavender fields of Provence, with no shortage of sights that leave even jaded travelers speechless, while ventures to the Mediterranean coast remain a summertime must as beaches along the French Riviera attract mega-yachts as beautiful as the ocean they sail on. One of Europe’s largest countries, France is known for both manmade and natural beauty, with Paris offering urban beauty in architecture, art, food, and fashion, but moving outside the city reveals a plethora of beautiful sights from snow-capped mountains to rolling fields of vineyards and lavender to sunny beaches.
Great Britain’s Island Heritage Ranks Sixth
Great Britain holds sixth place as an island rich in history and culture, ranking among the top countries worldwide for tourist entries, bolstered by having the most spoken language globally. Great Britain comprises three countries (England, Scotland, and Wales), while the broader United Kingdom includes Northern Ireland as well, spellbinding visitors with vast mountain ranges, glimmering lakes, and oceanside cliffs, plus an abundance of small, historic towns and villages such as England’s Bibury, Castle Combe, and Bath that are worth stops for afternoon tea among blooming gardens and timber-framed architecture that makes you feel like you were dropped into a Disney storybook.
Norway’s Fjords and Northern Lights Take Seventh
Norway holds seventh place, famous for its spectacular fjords and high standard of living, positioning it among the world’s wealthiest nations at the top of life quality indexes. The Scandinavian country offers diverse, breathtaking topography from green-capped mountains and deep coastal fjords to pebble-lined beaches and sky-slicing glaciers, with its capital Oslo surrounded by water and forests, welcoming wellness-minded visitors worldwide with opportunities to swim, hike, kayak, and ski without venturing far from the city center. Norway’s beauty is unrivaled, earning its spot as one of the world’s most stunning countries with landscapes that are both breathtaking and diverse, featuring mountains, fjords, waterfalls, and breathtaking views where everything is clean and beautiful.
Australia’s Unique Ecosystem Earns Eighth
Australia stands out in eighth place, a continent in its own right with its vastness, incredible beaches, and extraordinary wildlife. Australia boasts one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems with a whopping 40 identifiable and distinct eco-regions ranging from rainforests and outback deserts to mangroves and the iconic Great Barrier Reef, with stays at the latter potentially requiring a boat or helicopter, though even that trip is spectacular with over 900 islands to see from above or among its lapis water-lined cays. The country offers everything from the red desert heart of Uluru to the tropical paradise of the Whitsundays. Sydney’s iconic harbor with its Opera House and Harbor Bridge creates one of the world’s most recognizable urban landscapes, while the vast Outback provides solitude and star-filled skies unlike anywhere else on Earth.
Greece’s Ancient Beauty Claims Ninth
Greece holds ninth place as the cradle of Western civilization with its ancient ruins and beautiful islands. According to some global surveys conducted by US News and World Report, Greece is ranked first as the most beautiful country, followed by New Zealand and Italy in second and third places. Greece could probably make beauty lists based on Santorini alone, whose iconic white buildings with bright blue domes are virtually guaranteed to appear in any photographic essay of beautiful scenery, while mainland Greece features architectural sites including the Parthenon, scenic ruins of Delphi with dramatic mountainside views, and monasteries at Metéora, plus abundant beaches featuring sand in colors from white, black, pink, or red, all surrounded by jewel blue Mediterranean waters.
Passionate travelers describe Greece’s greatest lures as “the islands are truly special – the white buildings, blue domes, traditional villages, beautiful islands like Crete, and high cliffs looking down on the incredibly blue Mediterranean Sea,” combined with history, gracious people that make you “never want to leave.”
South Africa’s Diverse Landscapes Round Out the Top Ten
South Africa finishes the top ten as the only African country in this ranking, a nation that spans two oceans and boasts rich cultural and landscape diversity. South Africa serves as a great safari destination where Kruger National Park allows observation of the “Big Five” African animals – elephants, lions, buffaloes, leopards, and rhinos in their natural environment, while Boulder Beach offers a unique place where visitors can meet real penguins, and the country’s natural landscapes are incredibly diverse from high Drakensberg Mountains to flower fields of Namaqualand and Blyde River Canyon. Cities like Cape Town and Durban are must-sees as they reflect the cultural and historical richness of South Africa, with Cape Town attracting tourists to The Cape of Good Hope and Table Mountain, while Durban is famous for beautiful beaches and lively atmosphere.
These rankings reflect more than just pretty pictures. They represent countries where natural wonders meet cultural richness, where ancient history blends with modern accessibility, and where travelers can find both adventure and tranquility. What strikes you most about these diverse landscapes – the dramatic contrasts or the unexpected similarities?
