When World War II ended in 1945, many countries were left in bad shape. Japan was bombed, Germany lost all its clout and power, and India was waiting to get independence from the British Empire.

But just in the last few decades, a lot has changed. If you made a list of technologically advanced countries in 1945 and compared it to today’s list, you would notice a lot of surprises. For countries like Japan and India, it was important to look towards the future and create new opportunities for their citizens, and one of the best ways to do that was through technology.

In fact, it would’t be wrong to say that technology has revolutionized the way we live our lives. From magnet-stripped metro cards to university identity cards with barcode scanners, a lot has changed over the years. Now we have bullet trains that have reduced the travel time for us and self-driving cars which can take us wherever we want. Not to mention the many advancements that have been made in the fields of medicine, military, bioscience, and digital technology.

Here are the top most technologically advanced countries in the world:

15. The Philippines

The Philippines might already have a lot of competition technology-wise just in Asia itself, but the technological advancements in this country are on a continuous rise. With billion dollar unicorn startups sprouting in the country, Philippines have generated more and more jobs. Not to mention, it’s also an attractive place for American companies with its well-educated, English-speaking, and young workforce which they can hire at a very affordable price.

With the second fastest growing economy in the world, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Philippines jumps ahead of its Asian counterparts in the next decade.

14. France

According to a recent study done by the United Nations, France is a new leader in the European Union when it comes to online services provided by the government. In fact, it was one of the first countries in the world to adopt e-governance, which is changing everything for its citizens.

Not to mention, with 13 million public WiFi terminals spread all across the country, over 83% of the citizens are connected to the internet, as compared to the European average of 75%. Currently, only 5% of France’s GDP represents digital technology, but this number is expected to triple by 2020.

13. England

It was during the Second World War when the United Kingdom joined the Allied Forces in association with the United States of America to create new technology in order to win the war.

With a history that stretches over hundreds of centuries, it’s no wonder that England was the first industrialized nation. The country was responsible for inventing the locomotive engine, worldwide web, electrical telegraph, jet engine, combat air vehicle, electric motor, and BAE Systems Taranis.

Since the British Empire was big on colonization back in the day, the Empire also took the technology to other countries. There are many rail tracks and bridges in India that were built by the British and were so strong that they are used even today.

12. Finland

Finland is best known as the land where one of the world’s most successful mobile phone companies, Nokia, was born. But that’s not all this Scandinavian country has to offer. It is also the land of Linux, Internet Relay Chat, wireless wearable technology, and the first graphical user browser. The country is a pioneer when it comes to healthcare facilities and high-tech projects. Finland also provides the best and the most affordable healthcare facilities in Europe and has the highest per capita income in the world.

A pioneer in biosciences, environmental science, and mobile communication, we are absolutely not surprised that the country also leads in happiness index of citizens in the world.

11. Sweden

While most of the other European nations have been dealing with an economic turmoil ever since 2008, Sweden has not just managed to stay afloat, but the country has seen a constant growth in the last ten years.

Many people might not know this, but Sweden is behind some of the most globally recognized brands including IKEA, Ericsson, Electrolux, H & M, Volvo, and of course Skype.

In fact, the country’s capital, Stockholm, produces more unicorn startups per capita than any other city in the whole world. With around 22,000 technological companies in Stockholm, around 18% of the city population is employed in technological jobs only.

All this success has been possible because of Sweden’s R&D sector and the government which goes out of its way to help startups succeed.

10. Singapore

Singapore was in a crippled situation when the country got its independence from Malaysia. There were already scarce resources, and less land mass meant the agriculture industry couldn’t be the solution. But today, this city-sized country has become a major player in the IT industry, not just in Asia but the entire world.

Take any of the big technological companies in the world; chances are, they have their offices set up in Singapore. With the GDP growing and a constant cash flow, many venture capitalist firms have also been established in the country which are always investing in new unicorn startups and helping to create jobs in Singapore.

9. Canada

You might not have expected to find Canada on this list, but here we are. Being a rather silent contributor to the tech industry worldwide, Canada has seen a big boom in the technological sector in the last decade. While Montreal and Ontario are known for their R&D and tech sector, Vancouver has been a place for mobile tech companies.

In fact, many of the US companies are setting their headquarters in Canada because of the strict NSA laws about cloud data.

The country has also seen major advancements in engineering and education, and we won’t be surprised if it slips into the top five positions on this list in the next five years.

8. South Korea

While North Korea keeps talking about its advanced missiles and submarines, which we never get to see, its more open and happier neighbor South Korea has made some real strides in the technological sector.

Being the headquarters of companies like Hyundai, LG, and of course Samsung, South Korea has made great contributions in the field of robotics as well. In fact, South Korean technological companies are now counted as some of the best in the world.

Also, the average Internet speed in South Korea is 26.1 Mbit/s which is almost four times faster than the world’s average internet speed of 7 Mbit/s.

7. Israel

Israel has more technological companies listed on the NASDAQ stock market than any other company in the world. In fact, its military is one of the most technologically advanced in terms of medicine, civil drones, satellites, and self-driving cars.

Many of the notable Nobel Peace Prize winners in the last ten years were from this country. Ultrasound was also developed here, along with advanced MRI and CT scans.

Waze was an Israeli company, which was a major rival of Google Maps. Google eventually acquired the company for $1.15 billion in a massive bidding war against Apple and Facebook.

6. Russia

We all remember the Cold War where Russia was in a close race with the USA to reach the moon. While the country might not have been the first one to reach the moon, it is still a pioneer in space technology. It also has an advanced military unit, all thanks to its talented engineers.

Russia is also an innovator in the field of nuclear energy, medicine, chemical, and machine technology. Also, the country is responsible for producing some of the most talented hackers in the world. Whenever there is a hacking scandal, it’s almost expected that the Russian hackers have something to do with it.

5. Germany

Germany might have lost the Second World War, but the technological advancements made in the country during that time are still being used and further developed. Most people think Germany’s contribution to the world is just car manufacturing and Albert Einstein, but that is far from the truth.

Germany has become a global leader in medicine (both allopathy and homeopathy), scientific research, infrastructure, military technology, and engineering. With the German government readily supporting research and development through organizations and universities, new technology are developing in the country every day. The focus on education in Germany is also readying a more skilled generation.

4. China

China has always had two things working in its favor – skilled and affordable labor, and space to expand manufacturing. In the last few decades, China has become the most preferred for companies when it comes to setting up manufacturing plants. The government gives companies tax breaks, and the companies in turn get cheap labor.

From the top tech companies like Apple and Google to clothing companies like Adidas, Zara, and Forever 21, all of them have manufacturing plants in China. So whether it’s your brand new iPhone or Adidas sneakers, chances are, they are all made in China.

3. India

India got its independence from the British Empire in 1947, and in just over 75 years, the country has become the world’s most premier location for outsourcing work, whether it’s accounting, customer service, or information technology.

With the second largest population in the world, 60% of India’s population is within the age group of 16-24. That means the country is filled with skilled young professionals.

With another Silicon Valley cropping up in the city of Bangalore, more and more companies are investing in India including Facebook, Microsoft, and Apple, which recently set up its first manufacturing unit here. Over the last decade, the country has also become a leader in business solutions, e-commerce, and mobile apps.

2. Japan

If there was one country that was the most severely hit by the Second World War, then it was Japan. The government had to literally pick up the broken pieces and plan out for a future where the country would never be in turmoil again.

Now, when we talk about Japan, we don’t talk about how a nuclear bomb destroyed the country. Instead, we talk about how the country is the birthplace of companies like Canon, Sony, Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Nintendo. We talk about the bullet trains, vast and complicated bridges, and their robotic technology.

Not to mention, Japan also gave the world talking smart toilets and instant noodles.

1. USA

Just like England benefitted a lot by being a part of the Allied Forces during the Second World War, the USA did too. GPS was first invented in America for fighter jets, and now we use it to find the nearby McDonald’s.

And of course, the country is famous for its Silicon Valley, which did not just inspire a whole generation of software engineers, but also a very funny show on HBO.

Silicon Valley houses some of the biggest tech companies in the world including Google, Facebook, Apple, Intel, IBM, Microsoft, and Uber. And there are more startups launching in the Valley every day.