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Globalisation increased moderately in 2021. However, it has not fully recovered from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and remains below its 2019 level. The most globalised country is Switzerland, followed by Belgium and the Netherlands. While economic globalisation is showing signs of recovery, social globalisation is characterised by ongoing restrictions owing to the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has acted as a noticeable drag on globalisation. This is confirmed by the latest KOF Globalisation Index. The coronavirus crisis and the related restrictions have caused the largest and fastest decline in international flows in modern history. There is little change in the top ten most globalised countries, except that Switzerland and the Netherlands have swapped places. Switzerland has therefore regained its position as the most globalised country in the world.

International trade disputes caused a slight decline in globalisation in 2019. The most globalised countries in the world remain Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium, with the Netherlands replacing Switzerland at the top of the rankings. The latest KOF Globalisation Index does not yet include the effects of the coronavirus crisis.

The extent of worldwide globalisation has recently increased only modestly. Protectionist tendencies in many parts of the world are likely to have a dampening effect. Social globalisation is hardly advancing at all. Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium are the most strongly globalised countries in the world overall.

Worldwide globalisation continues to develop flatly. The flattening in globalisation that began in 2015 is continuing. Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium are the most globalised countries in the world. The current KOF Globalisation Index reflects economic, social and political globalisation since 1970.

The level of globalisation fell slightly in 2015. Overall, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden were the most highly globalised countries worldwide. The current KOF Globalisation Index reflects economic, social and political globalisation up to and including 2015.