Ease of Doing Business Index by Country 2024

The Ease of Doing Business Index published by the World Bank lasted from its first report in 2003 through its final one in 2020. Over time, the index expanded from its original 133 economies to 190 in the final report. The indicators used also increased from five to eleven. As of 2023, the most recent report is the final one from 2020.

What the Ease of Doing Business Index Measures

The values on the index indicate how close a country's policies and operations are to the best performance possible. A score of 100 is a perfectly ideal economy for doing business. Thus, no countries had that score. At the opposite end of the range is a score of 0, reflecting the worst possible economy for running a business.

Higher scores correlate to countries where doing business is easier. Countries that have lower scores have extra room to make improvements in their business environment.

Methodology Used to Calculate the Ease of Doing Business Index

Eleven indicators went into calculating the Ease of Doing Business Index for the 2020 report. These indicators reflected every aspect of starting and running a business. The factors used were starting a business, registering property, getting credit, handling construction permits, paying taxes, enforcing contracts, cross-border trade, protecting minority investors, and resolving insolvency.

Why the Ease of Doing Business Index Stopped Reports in 2020

Some discrepancies and overinflated scores for countries in 2018, 2019, and 2020 led to the review of methodologies and canceling of the index. The World Bank will publish the replacement, Business Ready Project, in the first quarter of 2024.

Countries with the Highest Ease of Doing Business Index Scores as of 2023

The final report in 2020 showed Niger at the top of the list with a total score of 86.80. Niger's score improved nearly 10 points from its previous year's score of 76.04.

The second place country was Seychelles with a total of 86.20. The other three countries in the top five in the 2020 report were India, the Dominican Republic, and a tie between the United Kingdom and Kyrgyzstan.

Nations at the Bottom of the Ease of Doing Business Index as of 2023

Slovenia ranked at the bottom of the 2020 Ease of Doing Business Index with a score of 20.00. Somalia, Yemen, Vanuatu, and Ethiopia were the other four countries in the bottom five on the index.