Despite Trump US remains most valuable nation brand

The UK – as yet to feel the full effect of Brexit and the fall of the pound – fell one place in the rankings to 5 with a drop in brand value of 2% to $2,942bn.

Luxembourg is this year’s fastest growing nation brand, increasing 43% to $85bn. The Grand Duchy has made efforts to shed its reputation for financial secrecy and recover from the LuxLeaks scandal of 2014 by initiating a nation brand campaign to unify its messages and highlight its strengths.

Pakistan is the second fastest riser, with a year on year increase of 41%. It has established a series of economic reforms backed by the IMF.

The effects of the Syrian war are being felt by many countries in the region. So that, at the other end of the nation brand scale, Jordan is this year’s biggest faller as a result of continued conflict in neighbouring Syria. As the World Bank reports, the security situation is deteriorating, affecting tourism, construction and trade.

Turkey is similarly suffering from the instability of its war-torn neighbour as well as its own problems following this year’s failed coup and the government’s response. Turkey’s nation brand value has fallen more rapidly than that of almost any country this year, down $474bn, a 29% drop.