People who may not have heard of Qatar today will definitely know what the country is all about in the proverbial tomorrow.

That’s the conclusion of a new index that ranks Qatar and the UAE among the world’s strongest future country brands, based on global perceptions and the nations’ cultural, economic and public policy initiatives.

Today, the UAE ranks 23rd in the 2012-2013 top 25 country brands, and Qatar 72nd out of 118 nations, design consultancy group FutureBrand says.

But the company’s Country Brand Index, now in its eighth edition, has added a new “Future Brand” feature, which puts the UAE at number one and Qatar at fourth.

Factors that affect a country’s ranking include whether people know it exists, how highly esteemed the country is in people’s minds and whether visitors would recommend the country to family and friends.

But future drivers like governance, growth and influence also play a role, the study states:

Qatar is a prime example of reverse colonialism, investing heavily in markets, businesses and even infrastructural updates within Europe.

It goes on to cite the natural gas-rich country’s role in the Arab Spring, its Al Jazeera headquarters and hosting of the 2022 World Cup as examples of Qatar’s growing clout. 

But it index also warns that politics could derail the country’s rising influence:

Qataris report a relatively high level of satisfaction and happiness, despite playing little to no role in influencing the country’s policies and political institutions. 

Regardless, this could be a major obstacle to  Qatar’s success in the future, as more and more nations in the region demand opportunities to engage with democratic institutions.  

Other top future brands include Chile (2), China (6) and India (13).

Here’s the full report:

Thoughts?

Credit: Photo by Joseph Tony