The IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY), published annually since 1989, is the world's most renowned and comprehensive report on the competitiveness of nations, assessing how a nation's environment creates and sustains the competitiveness of enterprises. It provides the first access point to world competitiveness, comprising analysis for 57 countries and over 300 statistical indicators for invaluable benchmarking as well as engaging the help of 54 partner institutes worldwide. This year's results, released in May 2009, were both expected and surprising.

This year's World Competitiveness Ranking also includes a new feature in the form of a "Stress Test" - designed to provide a measure for how countries are likely to perform through the current recession and to gauge which will be the most resilient in the aftermath.

The aim of this sight is to provide an overview and analysis of the results. For further information, you may also log on to www.imd.ch/wcy09 or contact us directly at wccinfo@imd.ch.

With best regards,
Professor Stephane Garelli
Director, IMD's World Competitiveness Center