Free country by country
The variable identifies the political regime of a country. It distinguishes between free countries (score 2), partly free countries (score 1), and not free countries (score 0).
Countries reporting
194
Highest
2
Andorra
Lowest
0
Western Sahara
Median
1
Years covered
54
1972–2025
Data points
10,083
What the numbers show
Free country is currently reported for 194 countries. The highest value is 2 in Andorra; the lowest is 0 in Western Sahara.
The median across all reporting countries is 1, and the mean is 1.12.
Over the past decade 9 countries rose and 20 fell. The largest increase was in Bolivia (up 100.0%), and the largest decrease in Burkina Faso (down 100.0%).
Free country: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andorra | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Argentina | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Antigua and Barbuda | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Australia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Austria | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Belgium | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Bulgaria | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Bahamas | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Belize | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Bolivia | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 1 | Brazil | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Barbados | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Bhutan | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 1 | Botswana | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Canada | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Switzerland | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Chile | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Colombia | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 1 | Cape Verde | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Costa Rica | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Cyprus | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Czechia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Germany | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Dominica | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Denmark | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Spain | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Estonia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Finland | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Fiji | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 1 | France | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Micronesia (country) | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | United Kingdom | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Ghana | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Greece | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Grenada | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Guyana | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Croatia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Iceland | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Israel | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Italy | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Jamaica | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Japan | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Kiribati | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | South Korea | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Saint Lucia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Lesotho | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 1 | Lithuania | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Latvia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Monaco | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Marshall Islands | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Mongolia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Mauritius | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Malawi | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 1 | Namibia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Netherlands | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Norway | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Nauru | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | New Zealand | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Panama | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Palau | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Poland | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Puerto Rico | 2 | 2015 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Portugal | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Romania | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Senegal | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Solomon Islands | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 1 | San Marino | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Sao Tome and Principe | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Suriname | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Slovakia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Slovenia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Sweden | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Seychelles | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 1 | East Timor | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 1 | Tonga | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Trinidad and Tobago | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Tuvalu | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Uruguay | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | United States | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Vanuatu | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Samoa | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | South Africa | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Taiwan | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 90 | Albania | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Armenia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Benin | 1 | 2025 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Bangladesh | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 90 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Cote d'Ivoire | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Comoros | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 90 | Dominican Republic | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 90 | Ecuador | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 90 | Georgia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Gambia | 1 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Guinea-Bissau | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Guatemala | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 90 | Hong Kong | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 90 | Honduras | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 90 | Hungary | 1 | 2025 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Indonesia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 90 | India | 1 | 2025 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 90 | Jordan | 1 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Kenya | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Lebanon | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Liberia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Sri Lanka | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 90 | Morocco | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 90 | Moldova | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Madagascar | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 90 | Maldives | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Mexico | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 90 | North Macedonia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Montenegro | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Mozambique | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Mauritania | 1 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 90 | Malaysia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 90 | Nigeria | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Nepal | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 90 | Pakistan | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Peru | 1 | 2025 | down 50.0% | rising |
| 90 | Philippines | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 90 | Papua New Guinea | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 90 | Paraguay | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 90 | Singapore | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 90 | Sierra Leone | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 90 | El Salvador | 1 | 2025 | down 50.0% | rising |
| 90 | Serbia | 1 | 2025 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Togo | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Tunisia | 1 | 2025 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 90 | Ukraine | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 90 | Zambia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 138 | Afghanistan | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Angola | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | United Arab Emirates | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Azerbaijan | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Burundi | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Burkina Faso | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Bahrain | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Belarus | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Brunei | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Central African Republic | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | China | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | Cameroon | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | Congo | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Cuba | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | Djibouti | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Algeria | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Egypt | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Eritrea | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Ethiopia | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Gabon | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Guinea | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Equatorial Guinea | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | Haiti | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Iran | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Iraq | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | Kazakhstan | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Kyrgyzstan | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Cambodia | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Kuwait | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 138 | Laos | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Libya | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Mali | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Myanmar | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Niger | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Nicaragua | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | falling |
| 138 | Oman | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | North Korea | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | Palestine | 0 | 1995 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Qatar | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Russia | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Rwanda | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | Saudi Arabia | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | Sudan | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Somalia | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | South Sudan | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | Eswatini | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Syria | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Chad | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | Thailand | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Tajikistan | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Turkmenistan | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Turkey | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Tanzania | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Uganda | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Uzbekistan | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Venezuela | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Vietnam | 0 | 2025 | — | flat |
| 138 | Yemen | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 138 | Zimbabwe | 0 | 2025 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Western Sahara | 0 | 2025 | — | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- USSR 1
About this data
The variable identifies the political regime of a country. It distinguishes between free countries (score 2), partly free countries (score 1), and not free countries (score 0).