Country Rankings

Read More About AustraliaAustralia’s economic freedom score is 82.6, making its economy the 3rd freest in the 2013 Index. Its overall score is 0.5 point lower than last year, with score gains in freedom from corruption and business freedom offset by declines in labor freedom and the management of government spending. Australia is ranked 3rd out of 41 countries in the Asia–Pacific region, and its score is well above the regional and world averages.

Rule of Law

Property Rights90.0

Freedom From Corruption88.0

Limited Government

Government Spending62.8

Fiscal Freedom66.4

Regulatory Efficiency

Business Freedom95.5

Labor Freedom83.5

Monetary Freedom83.8

Open Markets

Trade Freedom86.2

Investment Freedom80.0

Financial Freedom90.0

overall score81.4

-0.7

world rank4

#4 New Zealand

Read More About New ZealandNew Zealand’s economic freedom score is 81.4, making its economy the 4th freest in the 2013 Index. Its score is 0.7 point worse than last year, reflecting declines in the control of government spending and monetary freedom that outweigh improvements in investment freedom and freedom from corruption. New Zealand is ranked 4th out of 41 countries in the Asia–Pacific region.

Rule of Law

Property Rights95.0

Freedom From Corruption95.0

Limited Government

Government Spending33.2

Fiscal Freedom71.5

Regulatory Efficiency

Business Freedom99.9

Labor Freedom89.5

Monetary Freedom83.3

Open Markets

Trade Freedom86.8

Investment Freedom80.0

Financial Freedom80.0

overall score81.0

-0.1

world rank5

#5 Switzerland

Read More About SwitzerlandSwitzerland’s economic freedom score is 81, making its economy the 5th freest in the 2013 Index. Its score is essentially the same as last year, with modest declines in business freedom and the management of government spending counterbalanced by improvements in monetary freedom and freedom from corruption. Switzerland is ranked 1st out of 43 countries in the Europe region.

Rule of Law

Property Rights90.0

Freedom From Corruption88.0

Limited Government

Government Spending63.8

Fiscal Freedom68.1

Regulatory Efficiency

Business Freedom75.8

Labor Freedom87.9

Monetary Freedom86.2

Open Markets

Trade Freedom90.0

Investment Freedom80.0

Financial Freedom80.0

overall score79.4

-0.5

world rank6

#6 Canada

Read More About CanadaCanada’s economic freedom score is 79.4, making its economy the 6th freest in the 2013 Index. Its overall score is 0.5 point lower than last year, reflecting declines in freedom from corruption and business freedom that are only partially offset by a notable improvement in the management of public spending. Canada continues to be the freest economy in the North America region.

Rule of Law

Property Rights90.0

Freedom From Corruption87.0

Limited Government

Government Spending44.8

Fiscal Freedom79.8

Regulatory Efficiency

Business Freedom91.7

Labor Freedom82.3

Monetary Freedom75.2

Open Markets

Trade Freedom88.2

Investment Freedom75.0

Financial Freedom80.0

overall score79.0

+0.7

world rank7

#7 Chile

Read More About ChileChile’s economic freedom score is 79, making its economy the 7th freest in the 2013 Index. Its overall score is 0.7 point better than last year, mainly due to improved scores in investment and business freedoms. Continuing to be one of the 10 freest economies in the Index, Chile enjoys the highest degree of economic freedom in the South and Central America/Caribbean region.

Rule of Law

Property Rights90.0

Freedom From Corruption72.0

Limited Government

Government Spending83.7

Fiscal Freedom77.6

Regulatory Efficiency

Business Freedom70.5

Labor Freedom74.2

Monetary Freedom84.6

Open Markets

Trade Freedom82.0

Investment Freedom85.0

Financial Freedom70.0

overall score76.9

-0.1

world rank8

#8 Mauritius

Read More About MauritiusMauritius’s economic freedom score is 76.9, making its economy the 8th freest in the 2013 Index. Its overall score is essentially the same as last year, with improvements in property rights and labor freedom counterbalanced by declines in freedom from corruption and monetary freedom. Mauritius is ranked 1st out of 46 countries in the Sub-Saharan African region.

Rule of Law

Property Rights70.0

Freedom From Corruption51.0

Limited Government

Government Spending81.9

Fiscal Freedom92.1

Regulatory Efficiency

Business Freedom78.2

Labor Freedom72.3

Monetary Freedom75.4

Open Markets

Trade Freedom87.9

Investment Freedom90.0

Financial Freedom70.0

overall score76.1

-0.1

world rank9

#9 Denmark

Read More About DenmarkDenmark’s economic freedom score is 76.1, making its economy the 9th freest in the 2013 Index. Its overall score is essentially the same as last year, with modest improvements in the management of public spending and freedom from corruption counterbalanced by declines in labor and investment freedoms. Trailing Switzerland, Denmark is ranked 2nd out of 43 countries in the Europe region.

Rule of Law

Property Rights90.0

Freedom From Corruption94.0

Limited Government

Government Spending5.9

Fiscal Freedom39.8

Regulatory Efficiency

Business Freedom98.4

Labor Freedom91.1

Monetary Freedom80.0

Open Markets

Trade Freedom86.8

Investment Freedom85.0

Financial Freedom90.0

overall score76.0

-0.3

world rank10

#10 United States

Read More About United StatesThe United States, with an economic freedom score of 76, has lost ground again in the 2013 Index. Its score is 0.3 point lower than last year, with declines in monetary freedom, business freedom, labor freedom, and fiscal freedom. The U.S. is ranked 2nd out of three countries in the North America region, and its score remains well above the world and regional averages.

Rule of Law

Property Rights85.0

Freedom From Corruption71.0

Limited Government

Government Spending47.8

Fiscal Freedom69.3

Regulatory Efficiency

Business Freedom90.5

Labor Freedom95.5

Monetary Freedom75.0

Open Markets

Trade Freedom86.4

Investment Freedom70.0

Financial Freedom70.0

Why Does Economic Freedom Matter?

Economic freedom is a crucial component of liberty. It empowers people to work, produce, consume, own, trade, and invest according to their personal choices.

Why Does Economic Freedom Matter? – from The Heritage Foundation's Understanding America series – explores the framework America's Founders established for an economically free nation, and what economic freedom means for the United States and the rest of the world.

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Free

rank	country	overall	change	rank	country	overall	change
1	Hong Kong	89.3	-0.6	4	New Zealand	81.4	-0.7
2	Singapore	88.0	+0.5	5	Switzerland	81.0	-0.1
3	Australia	82.6	-0.5

Mostly Free

rank	country	overall	change	rank	country	overall	change
6	Canada	79.4	-0.5	21	Georgia	72.2	+2.8
7	Chile	79.0	+0.7	22	Lithuania	72.1	+0.6
8	Mauritius	76.9	-0.1	23	Iceland	72.1	+1.2
9	Denmark	76.1	-0.1	24	Japan	71.8	+0.2
10	United States	76.0	-0.3	25	Austria	71.8	+1.5
11	Ireland	75.7	-1.2	26	Macau	71.7	-0.1
12	Bahrain	75.5	+0.3	27	Qatar	71.3	0.0
13	Estonia	75.3	+2.1	28	United Arab Emirates	71.1	+1.8
14	United Kingdom	74.8	+0.7	29	Czech Republic	70.9	+1.0
15	Luxembourg	74.2	-0.3	30	Botswana	70.6	+1.0
16	Finland	74.0	+1.7	31	Norway	70.5	+1.7
17	The Netherlands	73.5	+0.2	32	Saint Lucia	70.4	-0.9
18	Sweden	72.9	+1.2	33	Jordan	70.4	+0.5
19	Germany	72.8	+1.8	34	South Korea	70.3	+0.4
20	Taiwan	72.7	+0.8	35	The Bahamas	70.1	+2.1

Moderately Free

rank	country	overall	change	rank	country	overall	change
36	Uruguay	69.7	-0.2	61	Thailand	64.1	-0.8
37	Colombia	69.6	+1.6	62	France	64.1	+0.9
38	Armenia	69.4	+0.6	63	Rwanda	64.1	-0.8
39	Barbados	69.3	+0.3	64	Dominica	63.9	+2.3
40	Belgium	69.2	+0.2	65	Cape Verde	63.7	+0.2
41	Cyprus	69.0	-2.8	66	Kuwait	63.1	+0.6
42	Slovakia	68.7	+1.7	67	Portugal	63.1	+0.1
43	Macedonia	68.2	-0.3	68	Kazakhstan	63.0	-0.6
44	Peru	68.2	-0.5	69	Turkey	62.9	+0.4
45	Oman	68.1	+0.2	70	Montenegro	62.6	+0.1
46	Spain	68.0	-1.1	71	Panama	62.5	-2.7
47	Malta	67.5	+0.5	72	Trinidad and Tobago	62.3	-2.1
48	Hungary	67.3	+0.2	73	Madagascar	62.0	-0.4
49	Costa Rica	67.0	-1.0	74	South Africa	61.8	-0.9
50	Mexico	67.0	+1.7	75	Mongolia	61.7	+0.2
51	Israel	66.9	-0.9	76	Slovenia	61.7	-1.2
52	Jamaica	66.8	+1.7	77	Ghana	61.3	+0.6
53	El Salvador	66.7	-2.0	78	Croatia	61.3	+0.4
54	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	66.7	+0.2	79	Uganda	61.1	-0.8
55	Latvia	66.5	+1.3	80	Paraguay	61.1	-0.7
56	Malaysia	66.1	-0.3	81	Sri Lanka	60.7	+2.4
57	Poland	66.0	+1.8	82	Saudi Arabia	60.6	-1.9
58	Albania	65.2	+0.1	83	Italy	60.6	+1.8
59	Romania	65.1	+0.7	84	Namibia	60.3	-1.6
60	Bulgaria	65.0	+0.3	85	Guatemala	60.0	-0.9

Mostly Unfree

rank	country	overall	change	rank	country	overall	change
86	Burkina Faso	59.9	-0.7	116	Senegal	55.5	+0.1
87	Dominican Republic	59.7	-0.5	117	Greece	55.4	0.0
88	Azerbaijan	59.7	+0.8	118	Malawi	55.3	-1.1
89	Kyrgyz Republic	59.6	-0.6	119	India	55.2	+0.6
90	Morocco	59.6	-0.6	120	Nigeria	55.1	-1.2
91	Lebanon	59.5	-0.6	121	Pakistan	55.1	+0.4
92	The Gambia	58.8	0.0	122	Bhutan	55.0	-1.6
93	Zambia	58.7	+0.4	123	Mozambique	55.0	-2.1
94	Serbia	58.6	+0.6	124	Seychelles	54.9	+1.9
95	Cambodia	58.5	+0.9	125	Egypt	54.8	-3.1
96	Honduras	58.4	-0.4	126	Côte d'Ivoire	54.1	-0.2
97	The Philippines	58.2	+1.1	127	Djibouti	53.9	0.0
98	Tanzania	57.9	+0.9	128	Niger	53.9	-0.4
99	Gabon	57.8	+1.4	129	Guyana	53.8	+2.5
100	Brazil	57.7	-0.2	130	Papua New Guinea	53.6	-0.2
101	Benin	57.6	+1.9	131	Tajikistan	53.4	0.0
102	Belize	57.3	-4.6	132	Bangladesh	52.6	-0.6
103	Bosnia and Herzegovina	57.3	0.0	133	Cameroon	52.3	+0.5
104	Swaziland	57.2	0.0	134	Mauritania	52.3	-0.7
105	Fiji	57.2	-0.1	135	Suriname	52.0	-0.6
106	Samoa	57.1	-3.4	136	China	51.9	+0.7
107	Tunisia	57.0	-1.6	137	Guinea	51.2	+0.4
108	Indonesia	56.9	+0.5	138	Guinea-Bissau	51.1	+1.0
109	Vanuatu	56.6	0.0	139	Russia	51.1	+0.6
110	Nicaragua	56.6	-1.3	140	Vietnam	51.0	-0.3
111	Mali	56.4	+0.6	141	Nepal	50.4	+0.2
112	Tonga	56.0	-1.0	142	Central African Republic	50.4	+0.1
113	Yemen	55.9	+0.6	143	Micronesia	50.1	-0.6
114	Kenya	55.9	-1.6	144	Laos	50.1	+0.1
115	Moldova	55.5	+1.1

Repressed

rank	country	overall	change	rank	country	overall	change
145	Algeria	49.6	-1.4	162	Uzbekistan	46.0	+0.2
146	Ethiopia	49.4	-2.6	163	Kiribati	45.9	-1.0
147	Liberia	49.3	+0.7	164	Chad	45.2	+0.4
148	Burundi	49.0	+0.9	165	Solomon Islands	45.0	-1.2
149	Maldives	49.0	-0.2	166	Timor-Leste	43.7	+0.4
150	Togo	48.8	+0.5	167	Republic of Congo	43.5	-0.3
151	Sierra Leone	48.3	-0.8	168	Iran	43.2	+0.9
152	Haiti	48.1	-2.6	169	Turkmenistan	42.6	-1.2
153	São Tomé and Príncipe	48.0	-2.2	170	Equatorial Guinea	42.3	-0.5
154	Belarus	48.0	-1.0	171	Democratic Republic of Congo	39.6	-1.5
155	Lesotho	47.9	+1.3	172	Burma	39.2	+0.5
156	Bolivia	47.9	-2.3	173	Eritrea	36.3	+0.1
157	Comoros	47.5	+1.8	174	Venezuela	36.1	-2.0
158	Angola	47.3	+0.6	175	Zimbabwe	28.6	+2.3
159	Ecuador	46.9	-1.4	176	Cuba	28.5	+0.2
160	Argentina	46.7	-1.3	177	North Korea	1.5	+0.5
161	Ukraine	46.3	+0.2

Not Ranked

rank	country	overall	change	rank	country	overall	change
N/A	Afghanistan	N/A	N/A	N/A	Liechtenstein	N/A	N/A
N/A	Iraq	N/A	N/A	N/A	Somalia	N/A	N/A
N/A	Kosovo	N/A	N/A	N/A	Sudan	N/A	N/A
N/A	Libya	N/A	N/A	N/A	Syria	N/A	N/A

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