First, we'd better define what we mean by 'highest rank'. Most national Scout associations have various awards for adults and Scouts. These can include awards that are bestowed, such as a medal for bravery or saving life. And they can include other awards that can be earned, such as those for training or service. But by 'highest rank' (award/badge), we are referring to the highest award for advancement (achievement) that a boy or girl (under age 18) can earn.
Baden-Powell created the original system of Scout advancement, starting with Tenderfoot (basically a new or inexperienced Scout), followed by Second Class, and culminating with First Class. B-P's Scouting for Boys explains general requirements for these awards, which are often called 'ranks' or 'awards' (and sometimes 'badges') in English-speaking countries. In 1909, Britain's King Edward VII authorized a new top rank, King's Scout (called Queen's Scout since approval by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953). This is available to Scouts in countries that are members of the UK Commonwealth. A similar Queen's Guide award is authorized for Girl Guides. Many national Scout associations have since created similar highest awards.
Some national Scout associations do not have an advancement system, and hence do not have a highest level of advancement/achievement/rank that a Scout can earn. For those associations that have an advancement system, they often have a highest award for each program section (Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Venturers, Rovers, etc). But the highest award, and the one with the most prestige (and carryover value into the adult world) is typically the top award available to a Scout in the association's program for older Scouts (typically aged about 14 until 18, although some associations that have Rovers allow earning their top award up to about age 25, and some have a separate top award for adult Rovers).
So far, we've found 50 Scout/Guide Associations in 43 countries where there is a highest rank or advancement award. We'd be delighted if you would email us with addtional information, as we have certainly missed many, and we have not found images of all the top badges. A website that has information and photos of top ranks in many countries is ATAS595, sponsored by ATAS (Association of Top Achiever Scouts), an international Scouting organization for recipients of the top Scouting award in the Asia/Pacific Region of WOSM/WAGGGS.
It's interesting that the name of the highest rank typically falls into one of three categories
(1) Named after the Chief of State (King, Queen, President, Sultan)
(2) Named after an animal (sometimes mythical or religious) (condor, dolphin, dragon, eagle, garuda, lion, quetzal, sable, springbok, tiger)
(3) A name with national pride or religious significance
Country
(Scout Association)
Top Award
Picture of Top Award
Scout / Venturer Advancement Progression
Australia
(Scouts Australia)
Queen's Scout
A Scout in Australia can earn a number of awards,
starting with the Scoutcraft badge, then Pioneer(red)/
Explorer(blue)/Adventurer(green) target badges,
followed by similar colored cords with additional
requirements, and culminating in the Australian Scout
Medallion.
A Venturer can earn 4 awards: Venturing Skills Award,
The Venturer Award, Endeavour Award, and Queen's
Scout Award.
Australia
(Girl Guides Australia)
Queen's Guide
Bangladesh
(Bangladesh Scouts)
President's Scout
Belize
(The Scout Association of Belize)
Queen's Scout
[no picture;
presumably the same as the UK]
Brazil
(União dos Escoteiros do Brasil)
Escoteiro da Pátria
(Scout of the Fatherland)
A Scout or Guide (Escoteiro/Escoteira) in Brazil can
earn the Lis de Ouro (Gold Badge).
A Senior Scout or Guide (Sênior/Guia) can earn the
Escoteiro da Pátria award.
Brunei
(Persekutuan Pengakap Negara Brunei
Darussalam)
Pengakap Sultan
(Sultan Scout)
Canada
(Scouts Canada)
Queen's Venturer
A Scout in Canada can earn 4 advancement awards:
Pioneer Scout, Voyageur Scout [the top half circle],
Pathfinder Scout [the bottom half circle], and Chief
Scout's Award.
A Venturer can earn 2 awards: Venturer Award and
the Queen's Venturer Award.
Canada
(Girl Guides of Canada /
Guides du Canada)
Chief Commissioner's Gold Award
The highest achievement for a Pathfinder (ages 12-15)
is the Canada Cord.
A Ranger (ages 15-17) can earn various awards,
culminating in the Chief Commissioner's Bronze, Silver,
and Gold Awards.
Chile
(Asociación de Guías y Scouts de Chile)
Condor Scout
China / Hong Kong
(The Scout Association of Hong Kong)
Dragon Scout
Cyprus
(Cyprus Scouts Association)
Proskopos Dimokratias
(Republic's Scout)
Czech Republic
(Junák-Svaz Skautu a Skautek)
Tri-Orli-Pera
(three eagle feathers)
Greece
(Soma Ellinon Proskopon)
Proskopou Ethnous
(Scout of the Nation)
Guatemala
(Asociación de Scouts de Guatemala)
Quetzal Scout
(the resplendent quetzal is the
national bird)
[no picture]
Honduras
(Asociación de Scouts de Honduras)
Caballero Scout Lempira
(Knight Scout Lempira; refers to a
16th Century leader who fought
against the Spanish conquistadors)
A Scout or Guide in India can earn 5 advancement
awards after passing the Pravesh (Entry) requirements:
Pratham Sopan (First Level), Dwitiya Sopan (Second
Level), Tritiya Sopan (Third Level), Rajya Puraskar (State
Award), and Rashtrapati Puraskar (President Award).
