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