The Human Freedom Index is the most comprehensive freedom
index created for countries. It covers 162 countries for 2016,
the most recent year for which sufficient data is available. The
index ranks countries beginning in 2008, the earliest year for
which a robust enough index could be produced.
A variety of indicators are used by various study groups to
determine the level of personal freedom enjoyed by citizens
across the world, including economic freedom (the ability to
earn a living wage, and retain it for personal use), political
freedom, access to education, religious freedom, and many
others. The evaluation is then compared between nations.
America’s neighbor to the north, Canada, invariably finishes
with a higher ranking of personal freedom than the United
States, which routinely ranks in the second ten.
On a scale of 0 to 10, where 10 represents more freedom, the
average human freedom rating for 162 countries in 2016 was 6.89.
Since 2008, the level of global freedom has decreased slightly
(−0.06), with 56 countries in the index increasing their ratings
and 81 decreasing. Out of 10 regions, the highest levels of
freedom are in North America (Canada and the United States),
Western Europe, and Oceania. The lowest levels are in the Middle
East, Africa, and South Asia.
The top 10 places, in order, were New Zealand, Switzerland, Hong
Kong, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and Denmark (tied in
6th place), Ireland and the United Kingdom (tied in 8th place),
and Finland, Norway, and Taiwan (tied in 10th place).
Selected other countries rank: Germany (13), the United States
and Sweden tie (17), Mexico (75), Russia (119), China (135).