The Times of Israel reports: An international survey has ranked Israel as the eighth most powerful nation in the world for the second consecutive year, narrowly ahead of Iran, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

The annual survey by the US News & World Report was published during the weekend, based on the answers of more than 21,000 people from four regions. The survey ranked 80 countries on a range of issues, including power, cultural influence, economy and entrepreneurship, with the categories adding up to an overall “best countries” ranking.

Israel was ranked 30th on the best countries list, the same ranking as last year, with Switzerland and Canada taking the first two slots.

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