Croatia edged up one position from the previous year, scoring the best result in the quality of math and science education category (37th place) and the worst in the venture capital availability category (97th position).
The United States has topped the rankings of the Networked Readiness Index for the third time in five years, maintaining its position as a leader in innovation and communication technology.
Nordic countries have consistently held top ten positions over the past five years, with Denmark placing third in the latest survey. It is followed by Iceland and Finland at fourth and fifth positions respectively and Sweden at eighth.
Their high rankings reflect the same set of factors that have propelled these economies to the top of the world competitiveness league, including highly developed educational institutions which have fostered a strong culture of innovation, transparency in government and a strong predisposition to adopt the latest technologies, the report says.
Among the top 20 also are Switzerland (9th), the United Kingdom, the Netherlands (12th), Norway (13th), Germany (17th) and Austria (18th).
Among the Central and Eastern European countries, Estonia placed best at 23rd position thanks in part to an excellent regulatory framework for information and communication technology. Slovenia took 35th position, Hungary 38th, Turkey 48th, Romania 58th and Bulgaria 64th.
The bottom of the list is occupied by Central American and African countries, including Bolivia, Guyana, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Chad and Ethiopia.