Countries With the Highest Light Regulation (Fraser)
Every country with a figure for light regulation (Fraser), ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are New Zealand (8.62), Hong Kong SAR, China (8.62) and United States (8.48). The middle country of the 165 has 6.47.
What this measures
Economic freedom, area 5, regulation (Fraser Institute), in rating (0-10). Source: Fraser Institute. For this measure, no agreed better direction.
Scores higher the lighter the rules on credit, labour and business: for example, how easy it is to start a business, hire and fire, or get a loan from a private bank, from 0 to 10. No "better" direction is set: how much to regulate 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 | Light regulation (Fraser) | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Zealand | 8.62 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 2 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 8.62 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 3 | United States | 8.48 | 2024 | North America |
| 4 | Ireland | 8.18 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 5 | Australia | 8.18 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 6 | Singapore | 7.98 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 7 | United Kingdom | 7.92 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 8 | Brunei Darussalam | 7.92 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 9 | Japan | 7.87 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 10 | Denmark | 7.77 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 11 | Estonia | 7.75 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 12 | Iceland | 7.73 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 13 | Canada | 7.66 | 2024 | North America |
| 14 | Jamaica | 7.64 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 15 | Luxembourg | 7.63 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 16 | Bahrain | 7.6 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 17 | Switzerland | 7.6 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 18 | Finland | 7.54 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 19 | Georgia | 7.52 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 20 | Mauritius | 7.52 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 21 | Netherlands | 7.5 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 22 | Bahamas, The | 7.5 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 23 | Germany | 7.49 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 24 | Malaysia | 7.4 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 25 | Jordan | 7.39 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 26 | Albania | 7.31 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 27 | Czechia | 7.24 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 28 | North Macedonia | 7.24 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 29 | United Arab Emirates | 7.24 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 30 | Sweden | 7.23 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 31 | Guatemala | 7.22 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 32 | Malta | 7.19 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 33 | Spain | 7.18 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 34 | Latvia | 7.17 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 35 | Qatar | 7.15 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 36 | Belgium | 7.14 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 37 | Rwanda | 7.12 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 38 | Seychelles | 7.08 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 39 | Austria | 7.05 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 40 | Lithuania | 7.03 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 41 | Costa Rica | 7 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 42 | Timor-Leste | 6.99 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 43 | Gambia, The | 6.97 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 44 | Norway | 6.96 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 45 | Israel | 6.94 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 46 | Chile | 6.93 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 47 | Saudi Arabia | 6.93 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 48 | Panama | 6.93 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 49 | Djibouti | 6.92 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 50 | Nepal | 6.91 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 51 | France | 6.91 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 52 | Taiwan | 6.9 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 53 | Peru | 6.89 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 54 | Cyprus | 6.88 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 55 | Belize | 6.87 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 56 | Portugal | 6.85 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 57 | Bhutan | 6.81 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 58 | Poland | 6.81 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 59 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6.77 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 60 | Thailand | 6.77 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 61 | Philippines | 6.76 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 62 | Slovenia | 6.75 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 63 | Dominican Republic | 6.75 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 64 | Korea, Rep. | 6.74 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 65 | Montenegro | 6.74 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 66 | Trinidad and Tobago | 6.7 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 67 | Paraguay | 6.69 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 68 | Hungary | 6.68 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 69 | Uganda | 6.65 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 70 | Greece | 6.64 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 71 | Bulgaria | 6.61 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 72 | Tanzania | 6.61 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 73 | El Salvador | 6.61 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 74 | Nigeria | 6.6 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 75 | Uruguay | 6.59 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 76 | Burkina Faso | 6.59 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 77 | Cabo Verde | 6.54 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 78 | Colombia | 6.54 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 79 | Morocco | 6.54 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 80 | Honduras | 6.52 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 81 | Italy | 6.5 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 82 | Benin | 6.49 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 83 | Guyana | 6.47 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 84 | Oman | 6.46 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 85 | Papua New Guinea | 6.45 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 86 | Kuwait | 6.43 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 87 | Burundi | 6.42 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 88 | Cote d'Ivoire | 6.41 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 89 | Fiji | 6.41 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 90 | Slovak Republic | 6.39 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 91 | South Africa | 6.38 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 92 | Senegal | 6.38 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 93 | Ghana | 6.35 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 94 | Tajikistan | 6.33 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 95 | Mongolia | 6.32 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 96 | Romania | 6.32 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 97 | Kenya | 6.31 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 98 | Cameroon | 6.3 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 99 | Niger | 6.29 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 100 | Azerbaijan | 6.28 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 101 | Armenia | 6.27 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 102 | Sierra Leone | 6.25 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 103 | Barbados | 6.25 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 104 | Sri Lanka | 6.24 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 105 | Suriname | 6.24 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 106 | Serbia | 6.24 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 107 | Croatia | 6.21 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 108 | Botswana | 6.18 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 109 | Mexico | 6.17 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 110 | Kazakhstan | 6.16 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 111 | Turkiye | 6.13 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 112 | Pakistan | 6.09 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 113 | Mauritania | 6.05 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 114 | Lebanon | 6.03 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 115 | Ethiopia | 6.02 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 116 | Ecuador | 6 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 117 | India | 5.95 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 118 | Kyrgyz Republic | 5.92 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 119 | Zambia | 5.88 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 120 | Guinea | 5.85 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 121 | Nicaragua | 5.85 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 122 | Togo | 5.84 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 123 | Comoros | 5.84 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 124 | Mali | 5.83 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 125 | Malawi | 5.78 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 126 | Indonesia | 5.75 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 127 | Namibia | 5.74 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 128 | Argentina | 5.62 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 129 | China | 5.61 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 130 | Bangladesh | 5.54 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 131 | Gabon | 5.51 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 132 | Myanmar | 5.51 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 133 | Tunisia | 5.49 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 134 | Eswatini | 5.49 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 135 | Lesotho | 5.46 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 136 | Viet Nam | 5.42 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 137 | Cambodia | 5.41 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 138 | Guinea-Bissau | 5.35 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 139 | Congo, Rep. | 5.3 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 140 | Madagascar | 5.28 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 141 | Brazil | 5.27 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 142 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 5.27 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 143 | Liberia | 5.26 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 144 | Moldova | 5.25 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 145 | Mozambique | 5.22 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 146 | Haiti | 5.18 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 147 | Lao PDR | 5.08 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 148 | Algeria | 5.01 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 149 | Iraq | 4.98 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 150 | Russian Federation | 4.95 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 151 | Angola | 4.94 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 152 | Ukraine | 4.91 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 153 | Central African Republic | 4.91 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 154 | Belarus | 4.83 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 155 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 4.77 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 156 | Chad | 4.64 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 157 | Syrian Arab Republic | 4.62 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 158 | Sudan | 4.6 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 159 | Bolivia | 4.49 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 160 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 4.34 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 161 | Zimbabwe | 4.19 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 162 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 4.09 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 163 | Libya | 3.9 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 164 | Yemen, Rep. | 3.22 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 165 | Venezuela, RB | 2.67 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
More on light regulation (Fraser)
- Countries With the Lowest Light Regulation (Fraser)
- Light regulation (Fraser) by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Highest Economic Freedom (Fraser)
- 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 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.