Capability Ratings

Future of Power. 2026 National Capability Ratings.

Mapping the global capability frontier across nine strategic domains

🇸🇬 Singapore leads the 2026 National Capability Ratings, positioned on the global capability frontier (T1) across seven of nine domains. Critical Technology (T3) and National Security (T4) represent the two exceptions.
🇺🇸 United States secures second place, also achieving frontier status (T1) in seven domains. Human Capital sits at Tier 3, whilst Governance & Integrity represents a notable outlier at Tier 7.
🇨🇭 Switzerland claims third position with frontier capability (T1) across six domains. Production & Innovation and Financial Strength both sit at Tier 2, whilst National Security sits at Tier 5.

Power, prosperity and resilience represent the most consequential priorities for any nation. A nation's long-term comparative advantage rests on national capability: the generational systems, structures and frontier capabilities that enable it to endure, adapt and compound advantage over time.

GINC maps and measures national capability to identify the Capability Frontier; the nations leading in indigenous generational capability across all nine domains of the National Capability Framework. Built on individual assessments of over 200 discrete capabilities encompassing hard, soft and economic capability, our ratings prioritise unit-level capability quality rather than aggregate volume. Being on the Capability Frontier represents the future of power.

Figure 1 presents the top 20 nations in the 2026 National Capability Ratings, ranked lexicographically by the number of domains in which they achieve Capability Frontier status. This methodology privileges frontier leadership over average or weighted capability levels.

Figure 1. Top 20 Nations: 2026 National Capability Ratings

National Capability		Hard Capability			Soft Capability			Econ Capability			Frontiers
#	Nation	CT	SI	NS	HC	II	GI	FS	PI	TI	T1	T2	T3
1	🇸🇬 Singapore	T3	T1	T3	T1	T1	T1	T1	T1	T1	7	-	2
2	🇺🇸 United States	T1	T1	T1	T3	T1	T7	T1	T1	T1	7	-	1
3	🇨🇭 Switzerland	T2	T2	T6	T1	T1	T1	T1	T1	T1	6	2	-
4	🇨🇳 China	T1	T1	T2	T3	T1	T7	T2	T1	T2	4	3	1
5	🇪🇪 Estonia	T5	T3	T5	T1	T1	T1	T5	T2	T1	4	1	1
6	🇰🇷 South Korea	T2	T1	T3	T2	T1	T2	T3	T1	T2	3	4	2
7	🇳🇱 Netherlands	T1	T1	T4	T3	T1	T2	T2	T2	T2	3	4	1
8	🇸🇪 Sweden	T3	T2	T5	T2	T1	T1	T2	T1	T2	3	4	1
9	🇯🇵 Japan	T2	T1	T3	T4	T1	T3	T2	T1	T2	3	3	2
10	🇫🇷 France	T1	T1	T2	T4	T1	T5	T2	T3	T3	3	2	2
10	🇳🇴 Norway	T3	T1	T5	T2	T1	T1	T2	T4	T3	3	2	2
12	🇩🇪 Germany	T1	T1	T4	T4	T1	T4	T2	T2	T3	3	2	1
13	🇮🇱 Israel	T2	T1	T2	T3	T2	T3	T4	T1	T3	2	3	3
14	🇩🇰 Denmark	T4	T2	T6	T2	T2	T1	T3	T2	T2	1	5	1
15	🇦🇪 UAE	T4	T1	T4	T4	T2	T2	T2	T3	T2	1	4	1
16	🇫🇮 Finland	T4	T2	T6	T2	T2	T1	T4	T2	T3	1	4	1
17	🇬🇧 United Kingdom	T2	T3	T3	T4	T1	T4	T2	T4	T4	1	2	2
18	🇦🇺 Australia	T3	T3	T4	T4	T2	T3	T3	T4	T4	-	1	4
19	🇮🇪 Ireland	T4	T3	T9	T5	T2	T4	T5	T3	T4	-	1	2
20	🇶🇦 Qatar	T5	T2	T6	T4	T3	T4	T4	T7	T6	-	1	1

Source. GINC Data Laboratory, February 2026

Figure 2 identifies the frontier nations across each of the nine capability domains. The emerging assessment uses synthetic simulation to develop a capability rating for each nation across approximately 250 discrete capabilities. These capability ratings are aggregated into capability group scores. Using Pareto domination analysis, countries are then assigned to tiers within each domain, with Tier 1 (the frontier) identifying nations that are not dominated by any peer in that specific capability area.

Figure 2. Frontier Nations by Capability Domain

Capability Domain	ABBREV	Frontier Nations (T1)	T1	T2	T3
Hard Capability
Critical Technology	CT	🇨🇳🇫🇷🇩🇪🇳🇱🇺🇸	5	5	8
Strategic Infrastructure	SI	🇨🇳🇫🇷🇩🇪🇮🇱🇯🇵🇳🇱🇳🇴🇸🇬🇰🇷🇦🇪🇺🇸	11	6	11
National Security	NS	🇺🇸	1	3	6
Soft Capability
Human Capital	HC	🇪🇪🇸🇬🇨🇭	3	5	6
Information Influence	II	🇨🇳🇪🇪🇫🇷🇩🇪🇯🇵🇳🇱🇳🇴🇸🇬🇰🇷🇸🇪🇨🇭🇬🇧🇺🇸	13	6	9
Governance Integrity	GI	🇩🇰🇪🇪🇫🇮🇳🇴🇸🇬🇸🇪🇨🇭	7	4	5
Economic Capability
Financial Strength	FS	🇸🇬🇨🇭🇺🇸	3	9	5
Production & Innovation	PI	🇨🇳🇮🇱🇯🇵🇸🇬🇰🇷🇸🇪🇨🇭🇺🇸	8	5	6
Investment & Trade	IT	🇪🇪🇸🇬🇨🇭🇺🇸	4	7	6

Source. GINC Data Laboratory, February 2026

Regional Ratings

Figure 1. Europe & Central Asia: 2026 National Capability Ratings

Figure 1. East Asia & Pacific: 2026 National Capability Ratings

National Capability			Hard Capability			Soft Capability			Econ Capability			Frontiers
#R	#G	Nation	CT	SI	NS	HC	II	GI	FS	PI	TI	T1	T2	T3
1	1	🇸🇬 Singapore	T3	T1	T3	T1	T1	T1	T1	T1	T1	7	-	2
2	4	🇨🇳 China	T1	T1	T2	T3	T1	T7	T2	T1	T2	4	3	1
3	6	🇰🇷 South Korea	T2	T1	T3	T2	T1	T2	T3	T1	T2	3	4	2
4	9	🇯🇵 Japan	T2	T1	T3	T4	T1	T3	T2	T1	T2	3	3	2
5	18	🇦🇺 Australia	T3	T3	T4	T4	T2	T3	T3	T4	T4	-	1	4
6	21	🇳🇿 New Zealand	T5	T4	T6	T5	T3	T2	T4	T5	T5	-	1	1
7	22	🇭🇰 Hong Kong	T5	T2	T8	T4	T4	T5	T4	T6	T5	-	1	-
8	28	🇹🇼 Taiwan	T4	T4	T5	T4	T4	T4	T5	T3	T3	-	-	2
9	43	🇲🇾 Malaysia	T7	T4	T7	T7	T6	T9	T5	T6	T7	-	-	-
10	59	🇹🇭 Thailand	T7	T5	T8	T8	T8	T12	T6	T10	T8	-	-	-
11	62	🇲🇵 N. Mariana Islands	T6	T7	T5	T10	T9	T9	T9	T9	T11	-	-	-
12	63	🇬🇺 Guam	T7	T6	T5	T11	T9	T9	T13	T17	T16	-	-	-
13	65	🇧🇳 Brunei	T13	T5	T10	T8	T9	T8	T9	T17	T15	-	-	-
14	70	🇹🇻 Tuvalu	T7	T10	T6	T13	T11	T9	T6	T6	T8	-	-	-
15	74	🇮🇩 Indonesia	T7	T7	T7	T11	T6	T10	T6	T11	T8	-	-	-
16	79	🇻🇳 Vietnam	T8	T6	T7	T9	T7	T10	T7	T11	T8	-	-	-
17	88	🇲🇴 Macao	T10	T6	T7	T10	T11	T10	T11	T11	T14	-	-	-
18	96	🇵🇭 Philippines	T11	T9	T8	T12	T6	T13	T9	T15	T12	-	-	-
19	114	🇦🇸 American Samoa	T10	T11	T7	T18	T15	T14	T11	T8	T12	-	-	-
20	115	🇳🇨 New Caledonia	T12	T7	T8	T12	T14	T12	T13	T16	T15	-	-	-
21	119	🇰🇵 North Korea	T11	T12	T7	T27	T19	T27	T22	T27	T25	-	-	-
22	131	🇳🇷 Nauru	T13	T14	T8	T19	T14	T17	T9	T10	T12	-	-	-
23	137	🇲🇲 Myanmar	T15	T14	T8	T26	T20	T24	T20	T24	T21	-	-	-
24	141	🇵🇫 French Polynesia	T15	T15	T10	T18	T14	T11	T9	T10	T12	-	-	-
25	148	🇼🇸 Samoa	T20	T15	T9	T20	T13	T15	T11	T12	T12	-	-	-
26	166	🇲🇳 Mongolia	T14	T11	T10	T17	T14	T15	T12	T17	T15	-	-	-
27	190	🇫🇯 Fiji	T17	T13	T11	T21	T13	T17	T15	T21	T18	-	-	-
28	191	🇻🇺 Vanuatu	T21	T19	T11	T22	T16	T19	T13	T14	T14	-	-	-
29	192	🇰🇭 Cambodia	T16	T13	T11	T21	T15	T19	T14	T21	T15	-	-	-
30	195	🇹🇴 Tonga	T18	T17	T11	T22	T14	T19	T14	T15	T15	-	-	-
31	204	🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea	T18	T13	T12	T24	T19	T21	T18	T23	T19	-	-	-
32	207	🇲🇭 Marshall Islands	T22	T22	T12	T25	T18	T23	T15	T21	T20	-	-	-
33	208	🇹🇱 Timor-Leste	T21	T17	T12	T24	T18	T20	T16	T21	T18	-	-	-
34	209	🇵🇼 Palau	T22	T21	T12	T23	T17	T20	T19	T21	T19	-	-	-
35	210	🇰🇮 Kiribati	T22	T21	T12	T25	T18	T23	T18	T18	T18	-	-	-
36	211	🇱🇦 Laos	T17	T13	T13	T24	T18	T21	T19	T25	T18	-	-	-
37	214	🇸🇧 Solomon Islands	T15	T16	T14	T26	T18	T21	T21	T28	T24	-	-	-
38	215	🇫🇲 Micronesia	T23	T17	T14	T28	T20	T25	T20	T26	T23	-	-	-

Figure 1. Latin America & Caribbean: 2026 National Capability Ratings

Figure 1. North America: 2026 National Capability Ratings

Figure 1. South Asia: 2026 National Capability Ratings

Figure 1. Sub-Saharan Africa: 2026 National Capability Ratings

National Capability			Hard Capability			Soft Capability			Econ Capability			Frontiers
#R	#G	Nation	CT	SI	NS	HC	II	GI	FS	PI	TI	T1	T2	T3
1	68	🇿🇦 South Africa	T6	T6	T6	T9	T7	T9	T7	T9	T9	-	-	-
2	72	🇲🇺 Mauritius	T13	T6	T10	T9	T6	T8	T6	T10	T8	-	-	-
3	81	🇧🇼 Botswana	T14	T7	T9	T11	T6	T8	T7	T14	T13	-	-	-
4	82	🇷🇼 Rwanda	T14	T7	T8	T10	T6	T7	T10	T13	T12	-	-	-
5	89	🇳🇬 Nigeria	T12	T10	T6	T14	T7	T13	T10	T14	T12	-	-	-
6	100	🇨🇫 Central African Republic	T23	T20	T10	T25	T16	T12	T6	T14	T12	-	-	-
7	107	🇰🇪 Kenya	T12	T7	T8	T11	T7	T12	T9	T13	T11	-	-	-
8	108	🇨🇬 Republic of the Congo	T18	T12	T8	T20	T14	T11	T7	T7	T9	-	-	-
9	109	🇪🇷 Eritrea	T20	T16	T8	T21	T15	T14	T7	T7	T10	-	-	-
10	116	🇨🇮 Côte d'Ivoire	T14	T7	T9	T17	T11	T14	T9	T15	T12	-	-	-
11	118	🇨🇻 Cabo Verde	T17	T15	T11	T18	T7	T10	T14	T18	T16	-	-	-
12	121	🇰🇲 Comoros	T17	T19	T8	T22	T13	T13	T9	T8	T8	-	-	-
13	122	🇬🇭 Ghana	T13	T9	T8	T14	T8	T10	T10	T14	T12	-	-	-
14	126	🇸🇳 Senegal	T13	T11	T8	T16	T8	T13	T10	T16	T13	-	-	-
15	132	🇬🇳 Guinea	T19	T15	T9	T20	T15	T13	T12	T8	T13	-	-	-
16	134	🇲🇷 Mauritania	T13	T12	T8	T22	T14	T16	T11	T14	T13	-	-	-
17	138	🇹🇩 Chad	T22	T19	T8	T24	T18	T22	T19	T19	T16	-	-	-
18	142	🇳🇦 Namibia	T13	T10	T9	T17	T14	T11	T12	T15	T14	-	-	-
19	149	🇿🇲 Zambia	T15	T9	T12	T20	T15	T16	T11	T18	T14	-	-	-
20	150	🇦🇴 Angola	T14	T11	T9	T23	T14	T18	T13	T20	T15	-	-	-
21	151	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	T12	T12	T9	T19	T13	T17	T16	T19	T14	-	-	-
22	152	🇺🇬 Uganda	T15	T13	T9	T17	T13	T16	T12	T18	T14	-	-	-
23	153	🇸🇱 Sierra Leone	T19	T16	T9	T24	T16	T19	T12	T13	T13	-	-	-
24	154	🇱🇸 Lesotho	T19	T16	T9	T21	T15	T18	T12	T14	T13	-	-	-
25	155	🇲🇬 Madagascar	T17	T15	T9	T21	T15	T18	T12	T15	T14	-	-	-
26	157	🇨🇲 Cameroon	T15	T13	T9	T20	T15	T18	T13	T17	T14	-	-	-
27	160	🇨🇩 DR Congo	T18	T15	T9	T24	T17	T20	T15	T19	T16	-	-	-
28	161	🇸🇸 South Sudan	T24	T20	T9	T30	T20	T22	T16	T17	T15	-	-	-
29	162	🇸🇩 Sudan	T17	T15	T9	T26	T19	T24	T18	T23	T20	-	-	-
30	164	🇸🇨 Seychelles	T14	T13	T10	T11	T13	T12	T14	T18	T17	-	-	-
31	165	🇹🇿 Tanzania	T14	T11	T10	T19	T12	T17	T13	T19	T14	-	-	-
32	168	🇳🇪 Niger	T20	T18	T10	T23	T17	T20	T12	T12	T13	-	-	-
33	169	🇬🇦 Gabon	T15	T12	T10	T22	T17	T19	T13	T18	T17	-	-	-
34	172	🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau	T22	T20	T10	T29	T19	T21	T12	T18	T17	-	-	-
35	174	🇬🇲 Gambia	T19	T18	T10	T21	T16	T17	T13	T15	T14	-	-	-
36	175	🇹🇬 Togo	T17	T14	T10	T24	T17	T19	T14	T19	T15	-	-	-
37	177	🇸🇴 Somalia	T21	T17	T10	T27	T16	T22	T14	T17	T18	-	-	-
38	180	🇲🇼 Malawi	T17	T15	T10	T23	T17	T19	T16	T20	T18	-	-	-
39	189	🇲🇿 Mozambique	T16	T12	T11	T24	T16	T18	T15	T22	T15	-	-	-
40	194	🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea	T19	T13	T11	T25	T18	T22	T17	T23	T19	-	-	-
41	197	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	T15	T14	T11	T22	T15	T20	T16	T21	T16	-	-	-
42	199	🇲🇱 Mali	T19	T16	T11	T25	T18	T22	T14	T22	T18	-	-	-
43	200	🇸🇿 Eswatini	T16	T15	T11	T22	T17	T20	T17	T21	T16	-	-	-
44	201	🇱🇷 Liberia	T20	T17	T11	T26	T18	T21	T17	T24	T19	-	-	-
45	205	🇧🇯 Benin	T18	T14	T12	T23	T16	T19	T14	T21	T16	-	-	-
46	206	🇧🇫 Burkina Faso	T19	T17	T12	T25	T19	T24	T14	T23	T20	-	-	-
47	212	🇸🇹 São Tomé and Príncipe	T22	T20	T13	T27	T19	T22	T19	T25	T22	-	-	-
48	213	🇧🇮 Burundi	T21	T19	T13	T27	T21	T24	T20	T24	T20	-	-	-

Figure 1. Middle East & North Africa: 2026 National Capability Ratings

National Capability			Hard Capability			Soft Capability			Econ Capability			Frontiers
#R	#G	Nation	CT	SI	NS	HC	II	GI	FS	PI	TI	T1	T2	T3
1	13	🇮🇱 Israel	T2	T1	T2	T3	T2	T3	T4	T1	T3	2	3	3
2	15	🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates	T4	T1	T4	T4	T2	T2	T2	T3	T2	1	4	1
3	20	🇶🇦 Qatar	T5	T2	T6	T4	T3	T4	T4	T7	T6	-	1	1
4	32	🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia	T5	T4	T5	T8	T5	T9	T3	T6	T7	-	-	1
5	35	🇰🇼 Kuwait	T9	T3	T8	T9	T8	T11	T6	T20	T15	-	-	1
6	42	🇲🇦 Morocco	T10	T5	T6	T10	T4	T9	T6	T7	T6	-	-	-
7	49	🇧🇭 Bahrain	T9	T4	T7	T7	T9	T9	T6	T7	T9	-	-	-
8	50	🇮🇷 Iran	T6	T8	T4	T15	T11	T19	T16	T13	T15	-	-	-
9	51	🇴🇲 Oman	T9	T4	T7	T9	T7	T9	T7	T13	T10	-	-	-
10	71	🇪🇬 Egypt	T9	T6	T6	T12	T6	T13	T7	T13	T11	-	-	-
11	86	🇯🇴 Jordan	T11	T6	T8	T10	T7	T11	T11	T15	T13	-	-	-
12	90	🇩🇿 Algeria	T10	T7	T6	T18	T12	T16	T14	T19	T13	-	-	-
13	127	🇮🇶 Iraq	T14	T8	T8	T21	T15	T18	T16	T24	T17	-	-	-
14	139	🇸🇾 Syria	T18	T16	T8	T27	T19	T25	T21	T25	T22	-	-	-
15	140	🇹🇳 Tunisia	T10	T9	T9	T12	T11	T17	T13	T14	T13	-	-	-
16	144	🇵🇸 Palestine	T16	T16	T10	T17	T14	T17	T9	T12	T12	-	-	-
17	156	🇱🇾 Libya	T17	T12	T9	T26	T21	T26	T18	T26	T21	-	-	-
18	173	🇱🇧 Lebanon	T14	T14	T10	T21	T13	T21	T20	T22	T20	-	-	-
19	182	🇾🇪 Yemen	T21	T18	T10	T31	T22	T27	T20	T25	T23	-	-	-
20	202	🇩🇯 Djibouti	T13	T14	T12	T25	T18	T21	T20	T23	T14	-	-	-

Future of Power. 2026 National Capability Ratings.

Regional Ratings

Read more

Critical Technology: 2026 National Capability Ratings

Future of Hard Power: 2026 National Capability Ratings

Production and Innovation: 2026 National Capability Ratings

Trade and Investment: 2026 National Capability Ratings