Netherlands ranked 5th in world's leading knowledge nations

The Netherlands has been ranked fifth among the world's leading knowledge nations in a new report conducted by the World Economic Forum.

Coming in behind Switzerland, Singapore, Finland and Sweden, the Netherlands has risen two places from the previous year's report, one place above Eastern neighbours Germany and two ahead of the United Kingdom.

The report states that the improved ranking is based on a "continued strengthening of its innovative capacity as well as the heightened efficiency and stability of its financial markets."

The report praises the sophistication and innovative nature of Dutch business and notes how the country is "rapidly and aggressively harnessing new technologies for productivity improvements."

The report does, however, point out the posting of consecutive fiscal deficits in the previous few years.

It does go on to qualify this by noting that the macroeconomic environment in the country is much more stable than that of other similarly advanced economies.