Countries With the Highest Economic Freedom (Fraser)
Every country with a figure for economic freedom (Fraser), ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Hong Kong SAR, China (8.54), Switzerland (8.46) and Singapore (8.44). The middle country of the 165 has 6.68.
What this measures
Economic freedom, summary rating (Fraser Institute), in rating (0-10). Source: Fraser Institute. For this measure, no agreed better direction.
How far a country's laws and policies leave economic choices to people and markets rather than to the government, from 0 to 10, as the Fraser Institute measures it. It is the average of five areas: the size of government, the legal system and property rights, sound money (stable prices), freedom to trade with other countries, and regulation. It comes from a think tank that favours free markets, and a smaller government scores as freer, so no "better" direction is set: how big a government should be is a political question. This series is Fraser's panel version, built to compare years: every five years from 1970, then every year from 2000.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2024–2024. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Economic freedom (Fraser) | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 8.54 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 2 | Switzerland | 8.46 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 3 | Singapore | 8.44 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 4 | New Zealand | 8.39 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 5 | United States | 8.22 | 2024 | North America |
| 6 | Ireland | 8.17 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 7 | Denmark | 8.14 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 8 | Australia | 8.07 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 9 | Mauritius | 7.98 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 10 | Finland | 7.97 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 11 | United Kingdom | 7.97 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 12 | Netherlands | 7.97 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 13 | Iceland | 7.96 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 14 | Japan | 7.96 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 15 | Estonia | 7.93 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 16 | Luxembourg | 7.93 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 17 | Taiwan | 7.91 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 18 | Canada | 7.9 | 2024 | North America |
| 19 | Germany | 7.89 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 20 | Chile | 7.86 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 21 | Malta | 7.86 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 22 | Lithuania | 7.83 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 23 | Czechia | 7.82 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 24 | Cyprus | 7.79 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 25 | Spain | 7.79 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 26 | Georgia | 7.77 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 27 | Guatemala | 7.77 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 28 | Costa Rica | 7.76 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 29 | Latvia | 7.75 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 30 | Portugal | 7.73 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 31 | Albania | 7.68 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 32 | Austria | 7.68 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 33 | Sweden | 7.67 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 34 | Panama | 7.66 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 35 | Malaysia | 7.58 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 36 | Seychelles | 7.58 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 37 | Belgium | 7.55 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 38 | Armenia | 7.53 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 39 | France | 7.52 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 40 | Bahrain | 7.5 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 41 | Dominican Republic | 7.5 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 42 | Cabo Verde | 7.47 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 43 | Jamaica | 7.46 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 44 | Slovak Republic | 7.46 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 45 | Peru | 7.45 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 46 | United Arab Emirates | 7.43 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 47 | Italy | 7.42 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 48 | Norway | 7.42 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 49 | Hungary | 7.41 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 50 | Jordan | 7.39 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 51 | Israel | 7.36 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 52 | Romania | 7.36 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 53 | Korea, Rep. | 7.35 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 54 | Bulgaria | 7.32 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 55 | Slovenia | 7.32 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 56 | Montenegro | 7.31 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 57 | Thailand | 7.24 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 58 | El Salvador | 7.22 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 59 | Uruguay | 7.19 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 60 | Saudi Arabia | 7.18 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 61 | Brunei Darussalam | 7.17 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 62 | Greece | 7.17 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 63 | Philippines | 7.17 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 64 | Croatia | 7.12 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 65 | Poland | 7.11 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 66 | Paraguay | 7.1 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 67 | Honduras | 7.06 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 68 | Gambia, The | 6.99 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 69 | Cambodia | 6.99 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 70 | Botswana | 6.98 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 71 | Qatar | 6.98 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 72 | Indonesia | 6.97 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 73 | Mongolia | 6.96 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 74 | North Macedonia | 6.95 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 75 | Kazakhstan | 6.9 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 76 | Rwanda | 6.85 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 77 | Mexico | 6.84 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 78 | Bahamas, The | 6.82 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 79 | Trinidad and Tobago | 6.82 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 80 | Uganda | 6.82 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 81 | Barbados | 6.8 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 82 | Bhutan | 6.72 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 83 | Moldova | 6.68 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 84 | Serbia | 6.66 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 85 | Brazil | 6.65 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 86 | Kenya | 6.65 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 87 | South Africa | 6.64 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 88 | India | 6.63 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 89 | Oman | 6.63 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 90 | Nepal | 6.6 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 91 | Kuwait | 6.57 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 92 | Morocco | 6.57 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 93 | Kyrgyz Republic | 6.56 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 94 | Nicaragua | 6.51 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 95 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6.5 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 96 | Tajikistan | 6.47 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 97 | Colombia | 6.46 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 98 | Ecuador | 6.46 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 99 | Benin | 6.42 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 100 | Senegal | 6.38 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 101 | Namibia | 6.35 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 102 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 6.34 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 103 | Nigeria | 6.29 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 104 | Tanzania | 6.27 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 105 | Mozambique | 6.25 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 106 | Djibouti | 6.23 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 107 | Cote d'Ivoire | 6.21 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 108 | Mauritania | 6.18 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 109 | Madagascar | 6.17 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 110 | China | 6.15 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 111 | Viet Nam | 6.15 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 112 | Zambia | 6.14 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 113 | Azerbaijan | 6.11 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 114 | Guinea | 6.09 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 115 | Papua New Guinea | 6.07 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 116 | Liberia | 6.06 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 117 | Togo | 6.06 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 118 | Belize | 6 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 119 | Sri Lanka | 5.99 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 120 | Mali | 5.99 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 121 | Lesotho | 5.93 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 122 | Timor-Leste | 5.93 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 123 | Fiji | 5.92 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 124 | Niger | 5.91 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 125 | Belarus | 5.9 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 126 | Ghana | 5.9 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 127 | Tunisia | 5.9 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 128 | Haiti | 5.89 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 129 | Bangladesh | 5.82 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 130 | Suriname | 5.79 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 131 | Comoros | 5.78 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 132 | Burkina Faso | 5.73 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 133 | Pakistan | 5.71 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 134 | Ethiopia | 5.69 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 135 | Lebanon | 5.69 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 136 | Ukraine | 5.69 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 137 | Lao PDR | 5.68 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 138 | Sierra Leone | 5.68 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 139 | Cameroon | 5.63 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 140 | Guinea-Bissau | 5.61 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 141 | Guyana | 5.6 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 142 | Turkiye | 5.59 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 143 | Russian Federation | 5.5 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 144 | Bolivia | 5.48 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 145 | Eswatini | 5.42 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 146 | Gabon | 5.36 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 147 | Burundi | 5.21 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 148 | Chad | 5.15 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 149 | Central African Republic | 5.02 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 150 | Angola | 4.88 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 151 | Argentina | 4.87 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 152 | Iraq | 4.86 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 153 | Syrian Arab Republic | 4.86 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 154 | Yemen, Rep. | 4.84 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 155 | Congo, Rep. | 4.82 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 156 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 4.81 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 157 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 4.8 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 158 | Malawi | 4.76 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 159 | Algeria | 4.55 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 160 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 4.52 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 161 | Myanmar | 4.45 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 162 | Libya | 4.3 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 163 | Sudan | 4.17 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 164 | Zimbabwe | 3.63 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 165 | Venezuela, RB | 2.95 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
More on economic freedom (Fraser)
- Countries With the Lowest Economic Freedom (Fraser)
- Economic freedom (Fraser) by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Highest Small Government (Fraser)
- Countries With the Highest Sound Money (Fraser)
- Countries With the Highest Freedom to Trade (Fraser)
- Countries With the Highest Light Regulation (Fraser)
- Countries With the Highest Public Social Spending
- Countries With the Highest Family Benefits Spending
- Countries With the Highest Old-age Spending
- Countries With the Highest Aid Given
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.