Freedom in the World
Free (89)
Partly Free (62)
Not Free (42)
Most Freedom
Least Freedom
Freedom in the World is a yearly report by US-based Freedom House that attempts to measure the degree of democracy and political freedom in every nation and significant disputed territories around the world, and which produces annual scores representing the levels of political rights and civil liberties in each state and territory, on a scale from 1 (most free) to 7 (least free). Depending on the ratings, the nations are then classified as "Free", "Partly Free", or "Not Free". It is often used by researchers in order to measure democracy and correlates highly with several other measures of democracy like the Polity data series.[3] It was launched in 1973. There is some debate over the neutrality of Freedom House and the methodology used for the FITW report.[2]
Freedom in the World 2010
The rankings below are from the current year's edition of Freedom in the World (2010). Each pair of political rights and civil liberties ratings is averaged to determine an overall status of "Free," "Partly Free," or "Not Free." Those whose ratings average 1.0 to 2.5 are considered Free, 3.0 to 5.0 Partly Free, and 5.5 to 7.0 Not Free. The methodology is explained here: Methodology, Freedom house
An asterisk (*) indicates countries which are "electoral democracies". To qualify as an "electoral democracy", a state must have satisfied the following criteria:
- A competitive, multiparty political system;
- Universal adult suffrage for all citizens (with exceptions for restrictions that states may legitimately place on citizens as sanctions for criminal offenses);
- Regularly contested elections conducted in conditions of ballot secrecy, reasonable ballot security, and in the absence of massive voter fraud that yields results that are unrepresentative of the public will;
- Significant public access of major political parties to the electorate through the media and through generally open political campaigning
Freedom House's term "electoral democracy" differs from "liberal democracy" in that the latter also implies the presence of a substantial array of civil liberties. In the survey, all Free countries qualify as both electoral and liberal democracies. By contrast, some Partly Free countries qualify as electoral, but not liberal, democracies.[4]
PR - Political Rights
CL - Civil Liberties
* - Electoral democracies per definition stated above
| Country | PR | CL | Status | Country | PR | CL | Status |
 Angola
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Liberia*
|
3 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Benin*
|
2 | 2 | Free |  Madagascar*
|
6 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Botswana*
|
3 | 2 | Free |  Malawi*
|
3 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Burkina Faso
|
5 | 3 | Partly Free |  Mali*
|
2 | 3 | Free |
 Burundi*
|
4 | 5 | Partly Free |  Mauritania
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |
 Cameroon
|
6 | 6 | Not Free |  Mauritius*
|
1 | 2 | Free |
 Cape Verde*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Mozambique*
|
4 | 3 | Partly Free |
 Central African Republic
|
5 | 5 | Partly Free |  Namibia*
|
2 | 2 | Free |
 Chad
|
7 | 6 | Not Free |  Niger*
|
5 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Comoros*
|
3 | 4 | Partly Free |  Nigeria
|
5 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Republic of the Congo
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Rwanda
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |
 Democratic Republic of the Congo
|
6 | 6 | Not Free |  São Tomé and Príncipe*
|
2 | 2 | Free |
 Ivory Coast
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Senegal*
|
3 | 3 | Partly Free |
 Djibouti
|
5 | 5 | Partly Free |  Seychelles*
|
3 | 3 | Partly Free |
 Equatorial Guinea
|
7 | 7 | Not Free |  Sierra Leone*
|
3 | 3 | Partly Free |
 Eritrea
|
7 | 7 | Not Free |  Somalia
|
7 | 7 | Not Free |
 Ethiopia
|
5 | 5 | Partly Free |  South Africa*
|
2 | 2 | Free |
 Gabon
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Sudan
|
7 | 7 | Not Free |
 Gambia
|
5 | 5 | Partly Free |  Eswatini
|
7 | 5 | Not Free |
 Ghana*
|
1 | 2 | Free |  Tanzania
|
4 | 3 | Partly Free |
 Guinea
|
7 | 6 | Not Free |  Togo
|
5 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Guinea-Bissau*
|
4 | 4 | Partly Free |  Uganda
|
5 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Kenya
|
4 | 4 | Partly Free |  Zambia*
|
3 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Lesotho*
|
3 | 3 | Partly Free |  Zimbabwe
|
6 | 6 | Not Free |
| Country | PR | CL | Status | Country | PR | CL | Status |
 Antigua and Barbuda*
|
3 | 2 | Free |  Guyana*
|
2 | 3 | Free |
 Argentina*
|
2 | 2 | Free |  Haiti*
|
4 | 5 | Partly Free |
 Bahamas*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Honduras*
|
4 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Barbados*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Jamaica*
|
2 | 3 | Free |
 Belize*
|
1 | 2 | Free |  Mexico*
|
2 | 3 | Free |
 Bolivia*
|
3 | 3 | Partly Free |  Nicaragua*
|
4 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Brazil*
|
2 | 2 | Free |  Panama*
|
1 | 2 | Free |
 Canada*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Paraguay*
|
3 | 3 | Partly Free |
 Chile*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Peru*
|
2 | 3 | Free |
 Colombia*
|
3 | 4 | Partly Free |  Saint Kitts and Nevis*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Costa Rica*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Saint Lucia*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Cuba
|
7 | 6 | Not Free |  Saint Vincent and the Grenadines*
|
2 | 1 | Free |
 Dominica*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Suriname*
|
2 | 2 | Free |
 Dominican Republic*
|
2 | 2 | Free |  Trinidad and Tobago*
|
2 | 2 | Free |
 Ecuador*
|
3 | 4 | Partly Free |  United States*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 El Salvador*
|
2 | 3 | Free |  Uruguay*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Grenada*
|
1 | 2 | Free |  Venezuela
|
5 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Guatemala*
|
4 | 4 | Partly Free |
| Country | PR | CL | Status | Country | PR | CL | Status |
 Afghanistan
|
6 | 6 | Not Free |  Nauru*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Australia*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Nepal
|
4 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Bangladesh*
|
3 | 4 | Partly Free |  New Zealand*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Bhutan
|
4 | 5 | Partly Free |  North Korea
|
7 | 7 | Not Free |
 Brunei
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Pakistan
|
4 | 5 | Partly Free |
 Burma
|
7 | 7 | Not Free |  Palau*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Cambodia
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Papua New Guinea*
|
4 | 3 | Partly Free |
 China (mainland)
|
7 | 6 | Not Free |  Philippines
|
4 | 3 | Partly Free |
 Timor-Leste*
|
3 | 4 | Partly Free |  Samoa*
|
2 | 2 | Free |
 Fiji
|
6 | 4 | Partly Free |  Singapore
|
5 | 4 | Partly Free |
 India*
|
2 | 3 | Free |  Solomon Islands
|
4 | 3 | Partly Free |
 Indonesia*
|
2 | 3 | Free |  South Korea*
|
1 | 2 | Free |
 Japan*
|
1 | 2 | Free |  Sri Lanka*
|
4 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Kiribati*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Taiwan (Republic of China)*
|
1 | 2 | Free |
 Laos
|
7 | 6 | Not Free |  Thailand
|
5 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Malaysia
|
4 | 4 | Partly Free |  Tonga
|
5 | 3 | Partly Free |
 Maldives
|
3 | 4 | Partly Free |  Tuvalu*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Marshall Islands*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Vanuatu*
|
2 | 2 | Free |
 Federated States of Micronesia*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Vietnam
|
7 | 5 | Not Free |
 Mongolia*
|
2 | 2 | Free |
Central & Eastern Europe & the former Soviet Union
| Country | PR | CL | Status | Country | PR | CL | Status |
 Albania*
|
3 | 3 | Partly Free |  Lithuania*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Armenia
|
6 | 4 | Partly Free |  Republic of Macedonia*
|
3 | 3 | Partly Free |
 Azerbaijan
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Moldova*
|
3 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Belarus
|
7 | 6 | Not Free |  Montenegro*
|
3 | 2 | Free |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina*
|
4 | 3 | Partly Free |  Poland*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Bulgaria*
|
2 | 2 | Free |  Romania*
|
2 | 2 | Free |
 Croatia*
|
1 | 2 | Free |  Russia
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |
 Czech Republic*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Serbia*
|
2 | 2 | Free |
 Estonia*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Slovakia*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Georgia
|
4 | 4 | Partly Free |  Slovenia*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Hungary*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Tajikistan
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |
 Kazakhstan
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Turkmenistan
|
7 | 7 | Not Free |
 Kyrgyzstan
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Ukraine*
|
3 | 2 | Free |
 Latvia*
|
2 | 1 | Free |  Uzbekistan
|
7 | 7 | Not Free |
Western & Southern Europe
| Country | PR | CL | Status | Country | PR | CL | Status |
 Andorra*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Luxembourg*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Austria*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Malta*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Belgium*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Monaco*
|
2 | 1 | Free |
 Cyprus*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Netherlands*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Denmark*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Norway*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Finland*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Portugal*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 France*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  San Marino*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Germany*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Spain*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Greece*
|
1 | 2 | Free |  Sweden*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Iceland*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Switzerland*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Ireland*
|
1 | 1 | Free |  Turkey*
|
3 | 3 | Partly Free |
 Italy*
|
1 | 2 | Free |  United Kingdom*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Liechtenstein*
|
1 | 1 | Free |
Middle East & North Africa
| Country | PR | CL | Status | Country | PR | CL | Status |
 Algeria
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Libya
|
7 | 7 | Not Free |
 Bahrain
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Morocco
|
5 | 4 | Partly Free |
 Egypt
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Oman
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |
 Iran
|
6 | 6 | Not Free |  Qatar
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |
 Iraq
|
5 | 6 | Not Free |  Saudi Arabia
|
7 | 6 | Not Free |
 Israel*
|
1 | 2 | Free |  Syria
|
7 | 6 | Not Free |
 Jordan
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |  Tunisia
|
7 | 5 | Not Free |
 Kuwait
|
4 | 4 | Partly Free |  United Arab Emirates
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |
 Lebanon
|
5 | 3 | Partly Free |  Yemen
|
6 | 5 | Not Free |
Related/Disputed Territories
| Country / Territory | PR | CL | Status | Country / Territory | PR | CL | Status |
 Abkhazia (Georgia)
|
5 | 5 | Partly Free |  Palestinian Authority-Administered Territories
|
5 | 6 | Not Free |
 Chechnya (Russia)
|
7 | 7 | Not Free |  Puerto Rico (United States)
|
1 | 1 | Free |
 Hong Kong (People's Republic of China)
|
5 | 2 | Partly Free |  Somaliland (Somalia)
|
5 | 4 | Partly Free |
| Kashmir (Indian Administered)
|
5 | 4 | Partly Free |  South Ossetia (Georgia)
|
7 | 6 | Not Free |
| Kashmir (Pakistani Administered)
|
6 | 5 | Not Free | Tibet (People's Republic of China)
|
7 | 7 | Not Free |
 Kosovo (Serbia)
|
5 | 4 | Partly Free |  Transnistria (Moldova)
|
6 | 6 | Not Free |
 Macau (People's Republic of China) [5]
|
6 | 4 | Partly Free | ||||
 Nagorno-Karabakh (Azerbaijan)
|
5 | 5 | Partly Free |  Western Sahara (Morocco)
|
7 | 6 | Not Free |
 Northern Cyprus (Cyprus)
|
2 | 2 | Free |
Global trends in freedom
| Year Under Review | Free | Partly Free | Not Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 41 (27%) | 48 (32%) | 63 (41%) |
| 1980 | 51 (32%) | 54 (33%) | 56 (35%) |
| 1985 | 53 (32%) | 59 (35%) | 55 (33%) |
| 1990 | 61 (37%) | 44 (26%) | 62 (37%) |
| 1995 | 76 (40%) | 61 (32%) | 54 (28%) |
| 2000 | 85 (44%) | 60 (31%) | 47 (25%) |
| 2005 | 89 (46%) | 54 (28%) | 49 (26%) |
| 2010 | 89 (46%) | 58 (30%) | 47 (24%) |
- Note: Does not include Related/Disputed Territories.
- Sources: Freedom in the World Country Ratings (1973–2009), Freedom in the World Report 2010 (2010)
See also
Notes
- ^ http://polisci.la.psu.edu/faculty/Casper/caspertufisPAweb.pdf
- ^ a b Bollen, K.A. (1992) Political Rights and Political Liberties in Nations: An Evaluation of Human Rights Measures, 1950 to 1984. In: Jabine, T.B. and Pierre Claude, R. "Human Rights and Statistics". University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0812231082
- ^ Casper, Gretchen, and Claudiu Tufis. 2003. “Correlation Versus Interchangeability: the Limited Robustness of Empirical Finding on Democracy Using Highly Correlated Data Sets.” Political Analysis 11: 196-203
- ^ http://www.freedomhouse.org/template.cfm?page=35&year=2005 Methodology, Freedom house
- ^ Last available data for Macau are from 2002
References
- Freedom House (2007). Freedom in the World 2006. Freedom House//Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 0-7425-5802-9.
External links
- Freedom in the World - online at Freedom House