Countries With the Highest Small Government (Fraser)
Every country with a figure for small government (Fraser), ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Somalia, Fed. Rep. (9.46), Guatemala (9.23) and Cambodia (8.91). The middle country of the 165 has 6.68.
What this measures
Economic freedom, area 1, size of government (Fraser Institute), in rating (0-10). Source: Fraser Institute. For this measure, no agreed better direction.
Scores higher the smaller the government's role: less government spending, fewer transfers and subsidies, fewer state-owned businesses and lower top tax rates. A country with a large welfare state scores low here even if its markets are otherwise free. No "better" direction is set.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2024–2024. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Small government (Fraser) | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 9.46 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2 | Guatemala | 9.23 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 3 | Cambodia | 8.91 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 4 | Bahamas, The | 8.82 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 5 | Haiti | 8.8 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 6 | Nigeria | 8.79 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 7 | Lebanon | 8.79 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 8 | Honduras | 8.72 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 9 | Bangladesh | 8.46 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 10 | Chad | 8.43 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 11 | Dominican Republic | 8.32 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 12 | Indonesia | 8.24 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 13 | Ghana | 8.24 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 14 | Jamaica | 8.13 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 15 | Armenia | 8.12 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 16 | Madagascar | 8.1 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 17 | Yemen, Rep. | 8.09 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 18 | Benin | 8.08 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 19 | Sudan | 8.03 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 20 | Mexico | 7.99 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 21 | Niger | 7.97 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 22 | Paraguay | 7.95 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 23 | Guinea | 7.94 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 24 | Philippines | 7.87 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 25 | India | 7.86 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 26 | Kazakhstan | 7.77 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 27 | Mauritius | 7.69 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 28 | Switzerland | 7.68 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 29 | Pakistan | 7.67 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 30 | Albania | 7.65 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 31 | Gambia, The | 7.64 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 32 | El Salvador | 7.62 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 33 | Chile | 7.62 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 34 | Moldova | 7.61 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 35 | Peru | 7.59 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 36 | Taiwan | 7.58 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 37 | Costa Rica | 7.47 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 38 | Lao PDR | 7.41 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 39 | United States | 7.4 | 2024 | North America |
| 40 | Singapore | 7.39 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 41 | Senegal | 7.39 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 42 | Sri Lanka | 7.35 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 43 | Guinea-Bissau | 7.34 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 44 | Barbados | 7.34 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 45 | Cabo Verde | 7.33 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 46 | Panama | 7.33 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 47 | Syrian Arab Republic | 7.32 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 48 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 7.31 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 49 | Georgia | 7.31 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 50 | Mali | 7.31 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 51 | Nepal | 7.26 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 52 | Comoros | 7.25 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 53 | Malaysia | 7.24 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 54 | Bahrain | 7.22 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 55 | Kyrgyz Republic | 7.21 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 56 | Jordan | 7.2 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 57 | North Macedonia | 7.15 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 58 | Namibia | 7.14 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 59 | Liberia | 7.13 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 60 | Montenegro | 7.12 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 61 | Sierra Leone | 7.11 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 62 | Cameroon | 7.07 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 63 | Mozambique | 7.02 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 64 | Ethiopia | 7.01 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 65 | Cote d'Ivoire | 7 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 66 | Morocco | 7 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 67 | Turkiye | 6.98 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 68 | Thailand | 6.97 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 69 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 6.96 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 70 | Mongolia | 6.95 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 71 | Cyprus | 6.86 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 72 | Colombia | 6.83 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 73 | Argentina | 6.76 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 74 | Lithuania | 6.76 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 75 | Ecuador | 6.75 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 76 | Burundi | 6.75 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 77 | Seychelles | 6.75 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 78 | Myanmar | 6.73 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 79 | Togo | 6.73 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 80 | Saudi Arabia | 6.7 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 81 | Malta | 6.69 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 82 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6.68 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 83 | Brunei Darussalam | 6.68 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 84 | Central African Republic | 6.66 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 85 | Angola | 6.65 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 86 | Mauritania | 6.63 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 87 | Viet Nam | 6.63 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 88 | Bulgaria | 6.63 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 89 | Trinidad and Tobago | 6.61 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 90 | Suriname | 6.61 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 91 | Uganda | 6.58 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 92 | Kenya | 6.57 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 93 | Uruguay | 6.57 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 94 | Brazil | 6.55 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 95 | Romania | 6.53 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 96 | Botswana | 6.5 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 97 | Zambia | 6.47 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 98 | Bhutan | 6.46 | 2024 | South Asia |
| 99 | Nicaragua | 6.46 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 100 | Korea, Rep. | 6.45 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 101 | Canada | 6.32 | 2024 | North America |
| 102 | New Zealand | 6.28 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 103 | Ireland | 6.26 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 104 | Serbia | 6.24 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 105 | South Africa | 6.21 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 106 | Estonia | 6.21 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 107 | Spain | 6.2 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 108 | Slovak Republic | 6.19 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 109 | Australia | 6.18 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 110 | Czechia | 6.14 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 111 | Belize | 6.1 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 112 | Bolivia | 6.1 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 113 | United Kingdom | 6.09 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 114 | Hungary | 6.09 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 115 | Gabon | 6.04 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 116 | Russian Federation | 6.04 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 117 | Papua New Guinea | 6.03 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 118 | Latvia | 6.03 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 119 | Kuwait | 6 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 120 | Portugal | 5.98 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 121 | Tajikistan | 5.95 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 122 | Japan | 5.93 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 123 | Belarus | 5.9 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 124 | Iceland | 5.84 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 125 | Tanzania | 5.8 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 126 | Germany | 5.8 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 127 | Israel | 5.79 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 128 | Croatia | 5.77 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 129 | Malawi | 5.75 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 130 | Ukraine | 5.74 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 131 | Fiji | 5.71 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 132 | United Arab Emirates | 5.7 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 133 | Qatar | 5.69 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 134 | Poland | 5.62 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 135 | Burkina Faso | 5.6 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 136 | Zimbabwe | 5.45 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 137 | Djibouti | 5.44 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 138 | Lesotho | 5.43 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 139 | Denmark | 5.39 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 140 | Congo, Rep. | 5.35 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 141 | Italy | 5.31 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 142 | Tunisia | 5.3 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 143 | Netherlands | 5.24 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 144 | Greece | 5.24 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 145 | Austria | 5.09 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 146 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 5.07 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 147 | Oman | 5.06 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 148 | Rwanda | 4.99 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 149 | Eswatini | 4.98 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 150 | Finland | 4.94 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 151 | Luxembourg | 4.91 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 152 | Iraq | 4.9 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 153 | France | 4.89 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 154 | Norway | 4.84 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 155 | Slovenia | 4.83 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 156 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 4.8 | 2024 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 157 | Belgium | 4.75 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 158 | China | 4.71 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 159 | Venezuela, RB | 4.64 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 160 | Azerbaijan | 4.63 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 161 | Sweden | 4.58 | 2024 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 162 | Timor-Leste | 4.36 | 2024 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 163 | Algeria | 4.31 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 164 | Guyana | 3.78 | 2024 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 165 | Libya | 3.38 | 2024 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
More on small government (Fraser)
- Countries With the Lowest Small Government (Fraser)
- Small government (Fraser) by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Highest Economic Freedom (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.