Atlas. The National Capability Factbook

An open-source factbook on nations and their capabilities. Powered by the Global Institute for National Capability.

National data and statistics are fragmented across agencies, formats and paywalls, making analysis slow and comparison difficult. The Atlas is an open-source factbook on national capability, bringing it all together in one place.

Our mission is simple: to advance the measurement of nations. We are developing new measures and novel indices to bring fresh perspective to a fast-changing world.

Our unit of analysis is the nation. The Atlas profiles more than 280 critical national capabilities, with transparent citation for every measure and published methodology for every index.

The Atlas works anywhere: phone, tablet or desktop. Download PDF briefings on any nation or capability, or query the data directly through factbase.org, our data lab and native AI connector.

Dimensions

50 metrics, five indices, one open-source ontology

Everything on this site is read from the National Capability Framework. Metrics are the standard stocks and flows, measured the same way for every nation. Sovereign capability ratings are the synthesis. Infrastructure is the stock a nation holds. Developments are the ledger, a nation's strategic events over time. Speech is how a nation signals.
National Capability Ratings

197 National Assessments for 288 National Capabilities

2026 National Capability Ratings by Nation
Sovereign capability tiers across nine domains — hard, soft and economic. Each nation is rated from T1 (frontier) down the tiers; the three Frontiers columns count its T1, T2 and T3 results. Filter to a region, or sort any domain column. Rank re-numbers with the active filter.

Pareto Capability Frontiers

APAC = East Asia & PacificECA = Europe & Central AsiaLATAM = Latin America & CaribbeanMENA = Middle East & North AfricaNA = North AmericaSA = South AsiaSSA = Sub-Saharan Africa
National Capability Hard Capability Soft Capability Econ Capability Frontiers
# Nation CTSINSHCIIGIFSPIIT T1 T2 T3
1 🇸🇬Singapore T3T1T3T1T1T1T1T1T1 7 — 2
2 🇺🇸United States T1T1T1T3T1T7T1T1T1 7 — 1
3 🇨🇭Switzerland T2T2T6T1T1T1T1T1T1 6 2 —
4 🇨🇳China T1T1T2T3T1T7T2T1T2 4 3 1
5 🇪🇪Estonia T5T3T5T1T1T1T5T2T1 4 1 1
6 🇰🇷South Korea T2T1T3T2T1T2T3T1T2 3 4 2
7 🇳🇱Netherlands T1T1T4T3T1T2T2T2T2 3 4 1
8 🇸🇪Sweden T3T2T5T2T1T1T2T1T2 3 4 1
9 🇯🇵Japan T2T1T3T4T1T3T2T1T2 3 3 2
10 🇫🇷France T1T1T2T4T1T5T2T3T3 3 2 2
11 🇳🇴Norway T3T1T5T2T1T1T2T4T3 3 2 2
12 🇩🇪Germany T1T1T4T4T1T4T2T2T3 3 2 1
13 🇮🇱Israel T2T1T2T3T2T3T4T1T3 2 3 3
14 🇩🇰Denmark T4T2T6T2T2T1T3T2T2 1 5 1
15 🇦🇪United Arab Emirates T4T1T4T4T2T2T2T3T2 1 4 1
16 🇫🇮Finland T4T2T6T2T2T1T4T2T3 1 4 1
17 🇬🇧United Kingdom T2T3T3T4T1T4T2T4T4 1 2 2
18 🇦🇺Australia T3T3T4T4T2T3T3T4T4 — 1 4
19 🇮🇪Ireland T4T3T9T5T2T4T5T3T4 — 1 2
20 🇶🇦Qatar T5T2T6T4T3T4T4T7T6 — 1 1
Capability Profiles

288 National Capabilities in 73 Capability Groups and 9 Capability Domains

2026 National Capability Ratings by Capability Group
Every component of the National Capability Index — the nine capability domains and their constituent capability groups — with capabilities counted, illustrative score, rating distribution and the current best performer.

Capability Group Rating Distributions

Index ComponentCapabilitiesScoreRating DistributionBest Performer
Critical Technology 47 – Israel🇮🇱
Advanced Materials & Manufacturing 7 93.4 ↓ China🇨🇳
Energy Technologies 5 99.6 ↑ Norway🇳🇴
Semiconductors & Advanced Computing 6 99.6 = China🇨🇳
Artificial Intelligence 3 92.2 = Norway🇳🇴
Quantum Technologies 4 99.6 ↓ Estonia🇪🇪
Connectivity, Cyber & Trust Technologies 5 98.7 ↓ United Kingdom🇬🇧
Sensing, Timing & Navigation 5 84.3 ↓ China🇨🇳
Robotics & Autonomous Systems 4 99.6 = Singapore🇸🇬
Biotechnology & Health Technologies 5 99.6 ↓ Germany🇩🇪
Space Technologies 3 88.1 ↓ China🇨🇳
Strategic Infrastructure 62 – South Korea🇰🇷
Resource Infrastructure 4 99.6 ↓ Singapore🇸🇬
Agriculture & Food Infrastructure 4 95.9 ↑ Norway🇳🇴
Energy Infrastructure 8 99.6 ↑ Switzerland🇨🇭
Water, Sanitation & Waste Infrastructure 5 88.2 = Denmark🇩🇰
Advanced Manufacturing 5 99.0 ↑ Estonia🇪🇪
Transport Infrastructure 8 99.6 ↑ Norway🇳🇴
Communications & Digital Infrastructure 7 99.6 = Denmark🇩🇰
Financial Infrastructure 4 99.6 ↑ United Kingdom🇬🇧
Social Infrastructure 11 94.8 ↑ United States🇺🇸
Space, Aerospace & Defence Infrastructure 6 99.6 ↓ Finland🇫🇮
National Security 39 – Israel🇮🇱
Force Generation & Mobilisation 3 91.8 ↑ Japan🇯🇵
Intelligence & Assessment 6 91.7 ↓ Netherlands🇳🇱
Joint Command, Projection & Sustainment 6 78.3 ↑ Norway🇳🇴
Land Power 4 93.0 = Netherlands🇳🇱
Maritime Power 4 85.9 ↓ Finland🇫🇮
Air Power 4 99.6 ↑ Netherlands🇳🇱
Strategic Strike & Missile Defence 3 92.0 ↓ Denmark🇩🇰
Space Operations 3 94.0 = Israel🇮🇱
Cyber & Electromagnetic Operations 3 90.6 = United States🇺🇸
Nuclear Deterrence 3 90.3 ↑ United States🇺🇸
Human Capital 25 – United Kingdom🇬🇧
Early Childhood Development 2 69.8 ↑ Finland🇫🇮
Foundational Education 4 94.5 = United States🇺🇸
Advanced Education 3 71.1 ↓ Japan🇯🇵
Technical & Vocational Skills 2 89.9 = Netherlands🇳🇱
Digital & AI Competence 2 78.5 ↑ Netherlands🇳🇱
Lifelong Learning & Reskilling 3 73.4 ↑ Japan🇯🇵
Research Talent & Knowledge Creation 3 90.9 ↑ Netherlands🇳🇱
Population Health 3 87.0 = Sweden🇸🇪
Health System Capability 3 72.5 ↑ Finland🇫🇮
Information & Influence 18 – Sweden🇸🇪
Diplomatic Statecraft & Global Networks 4 99.6 ↓ Denmark🇩🇰
Alliances & Security Cooperation 2 99.6 ↓ Japan🇯🇵
Development Cooperation & Global Assistance 2 83.0 = China🇨🇳
Culture, Language & Education Diplomacy 5 96.9 ↑ Netherlands🇳🇱
Diaspora & Global Communities 2 90.1 ↑ Singapore🇸🇬
Information Environment & Strategic Communication 3 99.6 = Finland🇫🇮
Governance & Integrity 28 – South Korea🇰🇷
Political Institutions & Civic Participation 3 64.6 ↑ Finland🇫🇮
Justice System & Fundamental Rights 4 59.7 ↓ United Kingdom🇬🇧
Internal Security & Order 3 49.3 ↓ United Kingdom🇬🇧
Regulatory Governance & Strategic Controls 3 55.1 ↓ Denmark🇩🇰
Government Effectiveness & Public Administration 5 55.1 = Estonia🇪🇪
Public Integrity & Anti-Corruption 2 48.4 ↓ Israel🇮🇱
Transparency, Oversight & Accountability 3 46.6 ↑ Netherlands🇳🇱
National Resilience & Crisis Management 5 65.4 ↓ Switzerland🇨🇭
Financial Strength 24 – China🇨🇳
Monetary & Currency Capability 3 76.8 = Norway🇳🇴
Fiscal Capacity & Public Finance 4 97.4 ↑ Switzerland🇨🇭
Financial System Depth & Access 5 92.6 = Finland🇫🇮
Financial Regulation & Integrity 4 99.6 ↑ Estonia🇪🇪
Financial Stability & Crisis Management 3 91.9 = Finland🇫🇮
Sovereign Capital & External Financial Power 5 90.1 ↓ Netherlands🇳🇱
Production & Innovation 23 – Finland🇫🇮
Economic Output & Productivity 2 93.3 ↓ South Korea🇰🇷
Labour & Employment 4 94.9 ↑ South Korea🇰🇷
Industrial & Sectoral Base 4 96.4 = Japan🇯🇵
Structural Transformation & Complexity 3 99.6 ↓ Singapore🇸🇬
Business Dynamism & Entrepreneurship 4 99.6 ↓ South Korea🇰🇷
Innovation & Commercialisation 4 96.6 ↑ Estonia🇪🇪
Technology Adoption & Diffusion 2 99.6 ↓ Switzerland🇨🇭
Trade & Investment 22 – Estonia🇪🇪
Trade Facilitation & Logistics 2 99.6 ↓ Denmark🇩🇰
Trade Policy & Market Access 4 85.9 ↓ Estonia🇪🇪
Digital & Services Trade 4 79.2 = Norway🇳🇴
Investment Attraction & Projection 3 97.5 ↑ Netherlands🇳🇱
Export Capability & Sophistication 3 99.6 ↓ Japan🇯🇵
Global Value Chain Position 3 81.1 ↓ Netherlands🇳🇱
Economic Leverage & Dependence 3 99.6 ↓ Denmark🇩🇰
Testimonials

See what people have to say about the Atlas

Here's how it's making a difference for professionals, academics, students, and the general public.
Policy analystForeign ministry, EU member state
The thing I keep coming back for is the source line under every field. I can put a number in a ministerial brief and show exactly which authority published it, in one click.
Head of researchNational statistics office
Comparable like for like across 196 nations, which is the part nobody else gets right.
Director of strategyDefence and security institute
We used the capability framework to structure a whole review. Nine domains, 250 capabilities, and a defensible rating on each one. It replaced a spreadsheet we had been maintaining by hand for four years, and it is better than ours was.
Postgraduate studentInternational affairs programme
I write every essay with a nation profile open in the next tab. It is the only place I have found where the sourcing is good enough to cite and the reading is quick enough to actually do.
Investment strategistSovereign wealth fund
Being able to pull the series straight into our own models, rather than screenshotting a chart, is the difference between a nice website and a tool we actually use.
LecturerDepartment of international relations
I set the Pareto frontier table as a seminar exercise. Students argue about the rankings for an hour, which is exactly what I wanted.
Data scientistEconomic policy unit
Asked the connector to rank nations by frontier domains and had the answer in my own notebook before the kettle boiled.
Desk officerTrade ministry
The trade and investment capabilities line up with how we are actually organised internally. That sounds small. It saves a translation step on every piece of analysis we publish.
EditorForeign affairs desk
Clean, fast, and it cites everything. I wish more public data sites were built this way.
Curious readerNo institution, just interested
I came for one country and lost an hour. No paywall, no sign-up, and it tells you where every number came from.
+1000s visitors enjoy Atlas
FAQs

Got questions?
We got answers

What is Atlas?

An open index of sovereign capability. It rates 196 nations across nine capability domains — spanning hard, soft and economic power — and decomposes those domains into 250+ individually measured capabilities, so a nation's strengths and gaps can be compared like for like.

How are nations rated?

Every capability is scored on a common scale and benchmarked against every other nation, then rolled up into a tier per domain — T1 (frontier) down through the tiers. The Frontiers columns count how many T1, T2 and T3 results a nation holds, which is what drives the headline ranking.

What are the nine capability domains?

Critical Technology, Strategic Infrastructure and National Security under hard power; Human Capital, Information & Influence and Governance & Integrity under soft power; and Financial Strength, Production & Innovation and Investment & Trade under economic power.

Where does the data come from?

Primary sources only — national statistical offices, ministries and the originating international authorities (UN, IMF, World Bank, ILO, FAO, ITU, UNHCR, SIPRI, IISS and others). Every field on a nation profile carries its own source line, so any figure can be traced back to the body that published it.

Can I pull the ratings into my own tools?

Yes. The underlying data is published as JSON alongside the site, and the GINC MCP connector lets you query the index from your own LLM in plain language — asking sovereign-capability questions of nations, domains and individual capabilities.

How often is the index updated?

The headline ratings are published annually, with the 2026 edition current. Underlying indicators refresh as their source authorities release new figures, and each nation profile shows the year attached to every value.