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