2026 FM Resilience Index: Europe Tightens Grip on the Top 10 as United States Repositions and Asia Rises

Annual nation-by-nation ranking of world's business environments offers companies a guide to assist with strategic decisions

JOHNSTON, R.I., Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Commercial property insurer FM today released the 2026 FM Resilience Index, its annual ranking of 130 countries and territories by the resilience of their business environments.

The 2026 FM Resilience Index lands with a message for business leaders: In a time of inflation hangovers, shifting climate hazards and mounting cybersecurity gaps, the world's most resilient countries can distinguish themselves with steadiness and adaptability.

Europe dominates the top 10

Europe claimed nine of the top 10 spots in 2026, with Denmark taking the No. 1 position for the third straight year, followed by Luxembourg, Singapore, Norway, Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, Finland and Belgium.

Denmark's performance was driven by an increase in its scores in cybersecurity, climate risk exposure, climate risk quality, fire risk quality and greenhouse gas emissions, reinforcing its position within the FM Resilience Index.  

The United States—which includes three zones—finished outside the top 10, with Zone 1 (Eastern United States) ranking No. 12, Zone 2 (Western United States) No. 16 and Zone 3 (Midwest / Southwestern United States) at No. 11. Elsewhere in the Americas, Mexico (80) slipped by four spots and Brazil (71) by 14. In Asia, India continued its rise, moving up three spots in Zone 1 (Eastern India) to 94, and four spots in Zones 2 (Northern India) to 100 and 3 (Central / Western region) to 76.

Overall, the biggest risers over the past five years include Ghana, which climbed 18 places to rank 70; Rwanda, up 14 places to 67; and Nigeria, which gained 12 positions to reach 102. The steepest declines include Croatia, which dropped 22 places to 44; Cameroon, down 18 to 113; Mongolia, which fell 17 spots to 108; and Iran, which dipped 16 spots to 125.

Taken together, this year's FM Resilience Index results indicate relatively higher scores in Europe and Asia, mixed performance in parts of the Americas and improvements in several African countries.

"What businesses don't see can hurt them, especially as climate and operational risks shift faster than expected," said Leo Kushner, business intelligence director at FM. "The 2026 FM Resilience Index delivers the objective insight leaders need to navigate volatility, understand evolving risk and make more resilient strategic decisions."

Underpinned by real-world property‑loss analysis, the FM Resilience Index carries weight beyond its charts and rankings: Locations that sit within the top 50 tend to recover more than 30% faster from property losses on average than those further down the table.

Geopolitics at the forefront

The 2026 FM Resilience Index also reflects how geopolitical issues can affect a country.

Iran, for example, continued its yearslong downward trend, falling eight spots to 125 year over year. Iran struggled with inflation, dropping five spots to 127 in that category, and lost significant ground in the internet usage rank, falling 14 spots to 87. Ukraine dropped five spots to 84, while Russia rose by one to 59. Russia and Ukraine have fallen by seven and 12 ranks respectively in the last five years.

Denmark's top ranking yet again this year came against the backdrop of tensions with the United States over Greenland, which is not measured as a separate country or territory in the FM Resilience Index. Meanwhile Venezuela dropped by five spots to finish last in the FM Resilience Index at 130. Venezuela's ranking was driven by decreases across several factors, including health expenditure, education, inflation and GDP per capita.

Insights for data centers and power generation

For the rapidly growing data center and power generation industries, the FM Resilience Index highlights countries where large-scale, power-dense infrastructure could thrive.

The United States, China and major European hubs are already significant players in the data center world. Beyond those countries, the Index reveals other growth opportunities for an industry that relies on resilience: Denmark demonstrates strong energy efficiency, and this year saw a 20‑place rise in cybersecurity. Singapore (3), which already has a well-developed data center ecosystem, likewise offers dependable conditions, combining stable governance, strong digital infrastructure and advanced engineering standards.

Switzerland (5), Germany (6), Sweden (7) and Finland (9) also offer compelling environments for operators seeking resilient grids, predictable regulation and low physical‑risk profiles. In Asia, Japan (32) delivers a mature grid and strong cybersecurity, and South Korea (34) offers advanced digital resilience and strong logistics.

By offering country‑level ranks across all 18 drivers, the FM Resilience Index helps give data center and power generation executives a quantified basis for choosing sites, forecasting risk and planning infrastructure investment across the globe.

The FM Resilience Index allows for a country-by-country comparison in both macro and physical risks, such as water stress, fire risk, energy intensity and climate risk—all critical to businesses, especially the rapidly expanding data center and power generation industries. The Index includes data from third parties such as the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, as well as FM risk exposure and improvement measures.

Explore the 2026 FM Resilience Index: https://www.fm.com/resources/resilience-index.

About FM

Established nearly two centuries ago, FM is a leading mutual insurance company whose capital, scientific research capability and engineering expertise are solely dedicated to property risk management and the resilience of its policyholder-owners. These owners, who share the belief that the majority of property loss is preventable, represent many of the world's largest organizations, including one of every four Fortune 500 companies. They work with FM to better understand the hazards that can impact their business continuity to make cost-effective risk management decisions, combining property loss prevention with insurance protection.

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SOURCE FM