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Human Freedom Score

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Freest Countries 2023

Freedom is one of the most important factors influencing a person's everyday quality of life. In addition to making it easier to live one's life, human freedom recognizes individuals' dignity and is inherently valuable, playing a vital role in human progress. Despite this importance, determining which countries' citizens have the most freedom can be challenging to do so objectively. Fortunately, individual indices can be used to determine which countries have the highest level of human freedom.

Introducing the Human Freedom Index

The Cato Institute in Washington D.C. and the Fraser Institute in Vancouver, Canada co-published the annual Human Freedom Index Report for 2021, which helps observe relationships between freedom and other social and economic phenomena. The Human Freedom Index Report for 2021 ranked 165 countries and territories in two distinct categories: Personal Freedom and Economic Freedom, which are then combined to form the final Human Freedom score. This score is then compared to that of other nations to determine which countries are the freest in the world.

Top 10 Freest Countries and Territories in the World - 2021 Human Freedom Index

  1. Switzerland — 9.11
  2. New Zealand — 9.01
  3. Denmark — 8.98
  4. Estonia — 8.91
  5. Ireland — 8.90
  6. Finland — 8.85
  7. Canada — 8.85
  8. Australia — 8.84
  9. Sweden — 8.83
  10. Luxembourg — 8.80

Types of Freedom

Personal freedom is defined as an individual's freedom of opinion and expression, equality before the courts, security of private property, and freedom to come and go. For example, the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights in the United States Constitution lists several personal freedoms that are guaranteed to all U.S. citizens.

Economic freedom, also known as economic liberty, consists of personal choice, voluntary exchange, freedom to compete in markets, and protection of person and property. Economic freedom enables people to prosper in a country without intervention from the government or economic authority. Economic freedom can be seen in capitalism or "laissez-faire" economies, where the means of production (manufacturers or suppliers) are privately owned and the government has little to no control over businesses.

Top 10 Least Free Countries in the World - 2021 Human Freedom Index

  1. Syrian Arab Republic — 3.66
  2. Venezuela — 4.03
  3. Yemen — 4.08
  4. Sudan — 4.48
  5. Egypt — 4.49
  6. Iran — 4.53
  7. Somalia — 4.93
  8. Burundi — 5.02 (tie)
  9. Iraq — 5.02 (tie)
  10. Libya — 5.05

The table below displays the full list of each country's rank for the Personal Freedom Index, Economic Freedom Index, and Human Freedom Index.

Download Table Data

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Country
Human Freedom Score
HF Rank
Personal Freedom
Economic Freedom
Quartile
Switzerland9.1119.568.481
New Zealand9.0129.338.561
Denmark8.9839.568.171
Estonia8.9149.488.111
Ireland8.959.48.211
Canada8.8569.48.061
Finland8.8569.527.921
Australia8.8489.38.21
Sweden8.8399.637.721
Luxembourg8.8109.487.841
Netherlands8.78119.367.861
Iceland8.77129.47.91
Norway8.76139.57.721
United Kingdom8.75149.198.151
United States8.73159.098.241
Japan8.73159.267.981
Germany8.73159.327.911
Portugal8.69189.337.791
Taiwan8.68199.149.021
Lithuania8.68199.018.211
Austria8.67219.257.861
Latvia8.67219.187.941
Belgium8.61239.317.621
Czech Republic8.61239.147.871
Spain8.56259.047.891
Italy8.49269.127.611
Malta8.45278.758.031
Chile8.44288.867.851
Cyprus8.42298.87.891
Hong Kong8.41308.068.911
South Korea8.39318.947.611
Slovenia8.37329.047.431
Uruguay8.36339.087.361
France8.34348.917.551
Romania8.33358.657.881
Costa Rica8.25378.667.681
Bahamas8.22388.697.561
Slovakia8.21398.637.611
Georgia8.2408.158.261
Armenia8.2408.328.031
Croatia8.16428.737.362
Albania8.14438.387.812
Panama8.12448.357.792
Bulgaria8.08458.37.762
Mauritius8.07468.018.162
Mongolia8478.457.382
Singapore7.98487.398.812
Poland7.96498.57.22
Peru7.93508.037.782
Barbados7.92518.656.912
Jamaica7.91528.067.712
Botswana7.9538.17.622
Dominican Republic7.88548.097.582
Montenegro7.88548.057.642
Greece7.86568.377.152
Seychelles7.84577.997.632
North Macedonia7.75588.187.132
Hungary7.73597.887.532
Moldova7.68617.957.32
Israel7.66627.697.632
Suriname7.64638.636.142
Belize7.64638.316.72
Guatemala7.63657.517.82
Namibia7.56668.126.762
Serbia7.54677.777.222
Paraguay7.54677.787.222
Ghana7.49708.076.692
Guyana7.49708.066.522
Ecuador7.43727.966.682
El Salvador7.39737.397.392
Argentina7.38748.735.52
Fiji7.36757.96.542
Benin7.32767.836.622
South Africa7.3777.536.972
Brazil7.22787.646.632
Timor Leste7.22787.976.192
Haiti7.21807.716.512
Kyrgyzstan7.18817.187.172
Malaysia7.17826.927.523
Papua New Guinea7.17827.726.233
Nepal7.12847.416.713
Indonesia7.1856.987.263
Honduras7.09866.977.263
Senegal7.07877.666.253
Madagascar7.02887.516.333
Colombia7.01897.146.823
Lesotho7.01897.326.573
Malawi6.99917.725.963
Bolivia6.94927.416.283
Mexico6.92936.727.23
Jordan6.91946.427.593
Ivory Coast6.9957.426.183
Thailand6.89966.96.873
Gambia6.88976.777.043
Ukraine6.86987.336.23
Bhutan6.86986.96.823
Burkina Faso6.851007.446.043
Philippines6.831016.427.423
Zambia6.821026.627.093
Liberia6.811037.146.353
Mozambique6.81047.276.153
Gabon6.81047.515.83
Kazakhstan6.771066.247.523
Lebanon6.761086.766.763
Kenya6.731096.596.943
Belarus6.731096.626.883
Sierra Leone6.71117.126.153
Sri Lanka6.581126.446.783
Togo6.51136.66.353
Tanzania6.481146.296.753
Cambodia6.471155.947.223
Tunisia6.461166.825.973
Brunei6.461165.877.33
Niger6.411186.785.973
India6.391196.26.663
Rwanda6.361205.657.353
Kuwait6.341216.076.723
Uganda6.321225.547.423
Nigeria6.281235.796.973
Mali6.251246.555.834
Nicaragua6.241255.677.044
Russia6.231265.96.74
Azerbaijan6.161275.966.444
Qatar6.151285.487.094
Angola6.091296.55.54
Comoros6.071305.736.554
United Arab Emirates6.061315.27.284
Ethiopia5.9513265.874
Oman5.921335.366.694
Vietnam5.91345.636.264
Morocco5.91345.336.694
Laos5.851365.36.64
Djibouti5.841375.246.684
Guinea5.821385.965.624
Turkey5.791395.256.544
Eswatini5.791395.66.054
Myanmar5.781415.725.944
Bangladesh5.751425.526.054
Mauritania5.731435.186.494
Bahrain5.731434.597.334
Pakistan5.631455.415.954
Cameroon5.631455.475.864
DR Congo5.621475.815.364
Central African Republic5.621475.815.364
Zimbabwe5.61496.074.944
China5.571504.876.534
Chad5.571505.545.64
Republic of the Congo5.551525.885.084
Tajikistan5.521534.836.54
Algeria5.261545.514.94
Saudi Arabia5.121553.896.854
Libya5.051565.174.794
Iraq5.021574.495.744
Burundi5.021574.575.654
Somalia4.931593.686.674
Iran4.531604.145.064
Egypt4.491613.635.684
Sudan4.481624.744.194
Yemen4.081633.115.454
Venezuela4.031644.92.834
Syria3.661652.65.194
showing: 161 rows

Which is the freest country in the world?

Using the Human Freedom Index, which factors economic and personal freedoms together, Switzerland is the world's freest country.

Which is the least free country in the world?

The world's least free country is the Syrian Arab Republic, which ranks at the bottom of the list based on the Human Freedom Index.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources