Which is The Economist’s country of the year?!

In most years most countries improve in various ways. 

In 2020, however, premature death and economic contraction became the new normal, and most countries aspired only to dodge the worst of it. 

Inevitably, our shortlist of most-improved countries includes some that merely avoided regressing much.

Few people would argue that life in New Zealand was better in 2020 than in 2019. But the virus has been contained. 

When only 100 cases had been detected, the prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, closed the borders, locked down the country and urged its “team of 5m” (ie, the whole population) to be kind to each other. 

Only 25 Kiwis have died and life has more or less returned to normal. Rugby stadiums finished the season packed with fans. The amiable Ms Ardern was re-elected with a majority in a country where such things are almost unheard of.