The World Bank's annual Doing Business report ranks the ease of doing business within 183 countries based on business-friendly regulations. The formula takes into account the ease of starting a business, factoring minimum cost, time, and available capital. Which economies are fostering start-ups? Get this, entrepreneurs: While the United States ranks fourth in the over-all ease of doing business in 2011, it didn't crack the top 10 for start-ups. Here's the count-down, starting at No. 9.
Rank last year: 7
Days to start a business: 5
Access to credit ranking: 98
Over-all ease-of-doing-business rank: 69
In its overall ranking, the country, which is largely categorized as upper-middle income, made a whopping 22-position jump—going from 91 last year to 69 this year.
Rank last year: 9
Days to start a business: 3
Access to credit ranking: 8
Over-all ease-of-doing-business rank: 45
The World Bank study points out that Sub-Saharan Africa has been making massive efforts to reform economic hurdles for businesses, and Rwanda ranking within the top 10 for starting a business is proof. The country has recently instituted some electronic processes for starting a business, boosting entrepreneurship.
Rank last year: 1
Days to start a business: 2
Access to credit ranking: 8
Over-all ease-of-doing-business rank: 16
Georgia, considered a lower-middle income country, is improving access to credit and protecting investors.
Rank last year: 5
Days to start a business: 3
Access to credit ranking: 24
Over-all ease-of-doing-business rank: 22
This is another country working in several sectors to ease the process of doing business, including dealing with construction permits, getting credit, and registering properties.
Rank last year: 6
Days to start a business: 3
Access to credit ranking: 4
Over-all ease-of-doing-business rank: 2
The study points out that the country is actively making regulation reforms, in the areas of cost and minimum capital, that help foster start-ups.
Rank last year: 4
Days to start a business: 3
Access to credit ranking: 8
Over-all ease-of-doing-business rank: 1
Singapore boasts relatively quick processes for getting construction permits and registering properties, while also has easy access to credit.
Rank last year: 3
Days to start a business: 5
Access to credit ranking: 24
Over-all ease-of-doing-business rank: 13
In a global trend in which where large economies are mentoring developing nations, Canada has been working with Peru to improve its business environment.
Rank last year: 2
Days to start a business: 2
Access to credit ranking: 8
Over-all ease-of-doing-business rank: 15
According to the data, the country has relatively easy access to credit and ease in trading across borders.
Rank last year: 1
Days to start a business: 1
Access to credit ranking: 4
Over-all ease of doing business rank: 3
According to the study, the "one-stop" shop approach, where most of the government agencies that a start-up needs are linked online, keeps the country on top.
