Which countries have the best-performing residential real estate markets?

Home prices may be slipping in the U.S., but they’re booming in some other nations. The Knight Frank Global House Price Index measures the performance of residential real estate markets around the world. According to the firm’s June report, these 10 countries saw the greatest increase in housing prices in the one-year period that ended in the first quarter of 2012.

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10. Canada

According to the Knight Frank Global House Price Index, Canada saw a 6.8 percent increase in its housing prices for the 12-month period ended March 2012. Here, townhouses face the waterfront at the Dockside Green residential development in Victoria, British Columbia.

Enrico Dagostini / Bloomberg

9. Iceland

The Scandinavian country had a 7.3 percent increase in its housing prices for the 12 months ended March 2012. Here, homes line a street in Reykjavik, Iceland's capital. Researchers said this installment of their report showed that the Global House Price Index "recorded its weakest annual performance since the depths of the recession in 2009."

Arnaldur Halldorsson / Bloomberg

8. Russia

In Russia, housing prices jumped 8.2 percent for the 12-month period ended March 2012. Here, residential housing is seen in front of the illuminated Ministry of Foreign Affairs building in Moscow.

Andrey Rudakov / Bloomberg

7. Turkey

Turkey's home prices rose 8.7 percent during the 12-month period ended March 2012. Here, condominium buildings dot the city skyline in Ankara.

Kerem Uzel / Bloomberg

6. Colombia

This South American nation had a 9.6 percent increase in its housing prices for the 12 months ended March 2012. Here, a view of the financial district of Bogota, the country's capital city.

Jose Cendon / Bloomberg

5. Germany

Despite economic woes in neighboring European nations, Germany saw a 9.8 percent rise in its housing prices for the 12 months ended March 2012. Here, pedestrians amble down Brandenburger Street in Potsdam.

Michele Tantussi / Bloomberg

4. Austria

Austria saw an 11.0 percent increase in housing prices for the 12-month period ended March 2012. The eastern European nation also had the largest quarterly increase of any nation, with prices jumping 8.5 percent from the fourth quarter of 2011 to the first quarter of 2012. Here, a look at Vienna.

Jakob Polacsek / For The Washington Post

3. India

Home prices in India gained 12 percent for the 12 months ended March 2012. Here, residential buildings stand in Malabar Hill in Mumbai.

Dhiraj Singh / Bloomberg

2. Estonia

Estonia saw a 13.9 percent increase in its housing prices during the 12-month period ending in March 2012. Pictured here is a cobbled street in the old town area of Tallinn.

Simon Dawson / Bloomberg

1. Brazil

This South American country's 23.5 percent increase far outpaced that of any other nation. Pictured here are a mix of commercial and residential high rise buildings in Sao Paulo.

Marcos Issa / Bloomberg

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