Countries With the Highest Freedom to Trade (Fraser)
Every country with a figure for freedom to trade (Fraser), ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Hong Kong SAR, China (9.67), Singapore (9.57) and Netherlands (9.25). The middle country of the 165 has 7.25.
What this measures
Economic freedom, area 4, freedom to trade internationally (Fraser Institute), in rating (0-10). Source: Fraser Institute. For this measure, no agreed better direction.
How freely people can trade with other countries: low tariffs, few other trade barriers, a market exchange rate and few limits on moving money and people across borders, from 0 to 10. No "better" direction is set: how open to trade a country should be is a political question.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2024–2024. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Freedom to trade (Fraser) | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 9.67 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 2 | Singapore | 9.57 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 3 | Netherlands | 9.25 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 4 | Denmark | 9.12 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 5 | Portugal | 9.1 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 6 | Estonia | 9.05 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 7 | Malta | 9.05 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 8 | Ireland | 9.05 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 9 | Cyprus | 9.01 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 10 | Italy | 9.01 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 11 | Luxembourg | 9 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 12 | France | 8.98 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 13 | Lithuania | 8.94 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 14 | Sweden | 8.9 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 15 | Czechia | 8.89 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 16 | Panama | 8.88 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 17 | Belgium | 8.88 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 18 | Latvia | 8.87 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 19 | Austria | 8.86 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 20 | Finland | 8.86 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 21 | Spain | 8.86 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 22 | Georgia | 8.83 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 23 | Hungary | 8.83 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 24 | Israel | 8.82 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 25 | Mauritius | 8.77 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 26 | Germany | 8.76 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 27 | Slovak Republic | 8.75 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 28 | United Kingdom | 8.73 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 29 | Croatia | 8.7 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 30 | Greece | 8.65 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 31 | Poland | 8.64 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 32 | Slovenia | 8.64 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 33 | United Arab Emirates | 8.63 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 34 | Japan | 8.62 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 35 | Romania | 8.62 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 36 | Chile | 8.6 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 37 | Albania | 8.57 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 38 | Bulgaria | 8.57 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 39 | New Zealand | 8.55 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 40 | Iceland | 8.54 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 41 | Peru | 8.53 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 42 | Qatar | 8.42 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 43 | Norway | 8.4 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 44 | Guatemala | 8.38 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 45 | Switzerland | 8.36 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 46 | Montenegro | 8.29 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 47 | Bahrain | 8.23 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 48 | Costa Rica | 8.22 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 49 | Taiwan | 8.2 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 50 | Canada | 8.19 | 2024 | North America |
| 51 | Armenia | 8.15 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 52 | Jordan | 8.14 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 53 | Australia | 8.14 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 54 | United States | 8.14 | 2024 | North America |
| 55 | Dominican Republic | 8.12 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 56 | Mexico | 8.12 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 57 | Serbia | 8.09 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 58 | Uruguay | 8.07 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 59 | Haiti | 8.05 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 60 | Seychelles | 8.04 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 61 | El Salvador | 8.03 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 62 | Nicaragua | 7.97 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 63 | Malaysia | 7.91 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 64 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 7.79 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 65 | Timor-Leste | 7.75 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 66 | North Macedonia | 7.73 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 67 | Saudi Arabia | 7.72 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 68 | Brunei Darussalam | 7.67 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 69 | Cabo Verde | 7.62 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 70 | Moldova | 7.61 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 71 | Thailand | 7.57 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 72 | Rwanda | 7.52 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 73 | Kyrgyz Republic | 7.48 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 74 | Brazil | 7.46 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 75 | Paraguay | 7.4 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 76 | Cambodia | 7.4 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 77 | Mongolia | 7.37 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 78 | China | 7.37 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 79 | Korea, Rep. | 7.37 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 80 | Kuwait | 7.36 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 81 | Gambia, The | 7.35 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 82 | Oman | 7.35 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 83 | Tajikistan | 7.25 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 84 | Azerbaijan | 7.24 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 85 | Jamaica | 7.23 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 86 | Turkiye | 7.23 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 87 | Ukraine | 7.2 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 88 | Morocco | 7.18 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 89 | Indonesia | 7.18 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 90 | Philippines | 7.16 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 91 | Honduras | 7.13 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 92 | Senegal | 7.1 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 93 | Suriname | 7.1 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 94 | Trinidad and Tobago | 7.08 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 95 | South Africa | 7.02 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 96 | Botswana | 7 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 97 | Kazakhstan | 7 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 98 | Madagascar | 6.95 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 99 | Bhutan | 6.89 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 100 | Uganda | 6.88 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 101 | Colombia | 6.87 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 102 | Lao PDR | 6.86 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 103 | Ecuador | 6.8 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 104 | Mauritania | 6.8 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 105 | Barbados | 6.78 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 106 | Viet Nam | 6.75 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 107 | Ghana | 6.75 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 108 | Tunisia | 6.74 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 109 | Zambia | 6.67 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 110 | Sierra Leone | 6.64 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 111 | Papua New Guinea | 6.58 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 112 | Belize | 6.58 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 113 | Mozambique | 6.53 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 114 | Russian Federation | 6.49 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 115 | Kenya | 6.46 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 116 | Lesotho | 6.45 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 117 | Nepal | 6.4 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 118 | Mali | 6.39 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 119 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 6.39 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 120 | Namibia | 6.37 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 121 | Belarus | 6.33 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 122 | Burkina Faso | 6.3 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 123 | Sri Lanka | 6.3 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 124 | India | 6.28 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 125 | Comoros | 6.26 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 126 | Guyana | 6.25 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 127 | Nigeria | 6.19 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 128 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 6.16 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 129 | Iraq | 6.14 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 130 | Benin | 6.11 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 131 | Lebanon | 6.11 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 132 | Fiji | 6.07 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 133 | Ethiopia | 6.04 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 134 | Guinea | 6.02 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 135 | Pakistan | 6.02 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 136 | Guinea-Bissau | 6.01 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 137 | Angola | 5.97 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 138 | Bangladesh | 5.96 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 139 | Togo | 5.92 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 140 | Liberia | 5.83 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 141 | Tanzania | 5.78 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 142 | Cote d'Ivoire | 5.75 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 143 | Eswatini | 5.66 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 144 | Bahamas, The | 5.61 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 145 | Gabon | 5.6 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 146 | Djibouti | 5.58 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 147 | Argentina | 5.56 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 148 | Cameroon | 5.48 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 149 | Niger | 5.45 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 150 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 5.33 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 151 | Congo, Rep. | 5.33 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 152 | Chad | 5.3 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 153 | Syrian Arab Republic | 5.17 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 154 | Sudan | 5.03 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 155 | Venezuela, RB | 5 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 156 | Central African Republic | 4.95 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 157 | Yemen, Rep. | 4.59 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 158 | Libya | 4.45 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 159 | Bolivia | 3.97 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 160 | Malawi | 3.75 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 161 | Burundi | 3.17 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 162 | Zimbabwe | 2.96 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 163 | Myanmar | 2.85 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 164 | Algeria | 2.71 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 165 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 2.44 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
More on freedom to trade (Fraser)
- Countries With the Lowest Freedom to Trade (Fraser)
- Freedom to trade (Fraser) by country: trend over time and what it goes with
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A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.