Time required to start business by country
Countries reporting
188
Highest
230
Venezuela
Lowest
0.5
New Zealand
Median
12
Years covered
17
2003–2019
Data points
2,945
What the numbers show
Time required to start business is currently reported for 188 countries. The highest value is 230 in Venezuela; the lowest is 0.5 in New Zealand.
The median across all reporting countries is 12, and the mean is 19.59.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 460.
Over the past decade 17 countries rose and 154 fell. The largest increase was in Yemen (up 224.0%), and the largest decrease in Togo (down 97.0%).
Time required to start business: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Venezuela | 230 | 2019 | up 63.1% | rising |
| 2 | Laos | 173 | 2019 | up 101.2% | rising |
| 3 | Cambodia | 99 | 2019 | down 2.9% | rising |
| 4 | Haiti | 97 | 2019 | down 56.7% | falling |
| 5 | Eritrea | 84 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 6 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 80 | 2019 | down 19.2% | flat |
| 7 | Iran | 72.5 | 2019 | up 16.0% | falling |
| 8 | Somalia | 70 | 2019 | — | flat |
| 9 | Suriname | 66 | 2019 | down 90.4% | volatile |
| 10 | Chad | 58 | 2019 | down 6.5% | falling |
| 11 | Namibia | 54 | 2019 | down 18.2% | falling |
| 12 | Congo | 49.5 | 2019 | down 68.8% | volatile |
| 13 | Ecuador | 48.5 | 2019 | down 24.2% | falling |
| 14 | Belize | 48 | 2019 | up 11.6% | flat |
| 14 | Botswana | 48 | 2019 | down 18.6% | falling |
| 16 | Palestine | 43.5 | 2019 | down 31.5% | falling |
| 17 | Honduras | 42 | 2019 | up 200.0% | falling |
| 18 | Papua New Guinea | 41 | 2019 | down 21.2% | falling |
| 19 | Yemen | 40.5 | 2019 | up 224.0% | falling |
| 20 | Fiji | 40 | 2019 | down 9.1% | rising |
| 20 | South Africa | 40 | 2019 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 22 | Bolivia | 39.5 | 2019 | down 19.4% | falling |
| 23 | Malawi | 37 | 2019 | up 2.8% | flat |
| 23 | Poland | 37 | 2019 | down 5.1% | falling |
| 25 | Angola | 36 | 2019 | down 47.1% | falling |
| 26 | Libya | 35 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 26 | Paraguay | 35 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 28 | Sudan | 34.5 | 2019 | down 5.5% | falling |
| 29 | Equatorial Guinea | 33 | 2019 | down 78.7% | falling |
| 29 | Philippines | 33 | 2019 | down 2.9% | falling |
| 31 | Ethiopia | 32 | 2019 | up 60.0% | rising |
| 31 | Seychelles | 32 | 2019 | down 3.0% | flat |
| 33 | Kiribati | 31 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 34 | Tanzania | 29.5 | 2019 | down 4.8% | falling |
| 35 | Palau | 28 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 36 | Zimbabwe | 27 | 2019 | down 71.3% | falling |
| 37 | Iraq | 26.5 | 2019 | down 13.1% | falling |
| 38 | Peru | 26 | 2019 | down 36.6% | falling |
| 39 | Czechia | 24.5 | 2019 | down 23.4% | falling |
| 40 | Uganda | 24 | 2019 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 41 | Bulgaria | 23 | 2019 | down 8.0% | falling |
| 41 | Costa Rica | 23 | 2019 | down 68.7% | volatile |
| 41 | Kenya | 23 | 2019 | down 30.3% | falling |
| 44 | Nepal | 22.5 | 2019 | down 27.4% | falling |
| 45 | Central African Republic | 22 | 2019 | down 8.3% | flat |
| 46 | Slovakia | 21.5 | 2019 | down 24.6% | volatile |
| 46 | Eswatini | 21.5 | 2019 | down 64.2% | falling |
| 48 | Austria | 21 | 2019 | down 16.0% | falling |
| 49 | Malta | 20.5 | 2019 | down 46.8% | falling |
| 50 | Romania | 20 | 2019 | up 150.0% | volatile |
| 51 | Bangladesh | 19.5 | 2019 | down 10.6% | falling |
| 51 | Croatia | 19.5 | 2019 | down 13.3% | falling |
| 53 | Kuwait | 19.4 | 2019 | down 45.2% | flat |
| 54 | Antigua and Barbuda | 19 | 2019 | down 13.6% | falling |
| 55 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 18.5 | 2019 | down 2.6% | flat |
| 56 | Algeria | 18 | 2019 | down 18.2% | falling |
| 56 | Guyana | 18 | 2019 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 56 | Liberia | 18 | 2019 | down 14.3% | volatile |
| 56 | Vanuatu | 18 | 2019 | down 61.7% | falling |
| 60 | India | 17.5 | 2019 | down 46.3% | falling |
| 60 | Malaysia | 17.5 | 2019 | down 5.4% | volatile |
| 62 | Marshall Islands | 17 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 62 | Mozambique | 17 | 2019 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 64 | Brazil | 16.6 | 2019 | down 80.8% | falling |
| 65 | Dominican Republic | 16.5 | 2019 | up 3.1% | volatile |
| 65 | Luxembourg | 16.5 | 2019 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 65 | Pakistan | 16.5 | 2019 | down 17.5% | falling |
| 65 | El Salvador | 16.5 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 69 | Barbados | 16 | 2019 | down 11.1% | falling |
| 69 | Comoros | 16 | 2019 | down 27.3% | falling |
| 69 | Micronesia (country) | 16 | 2019 | unchanged | falling |
| 69 | Tonga | 16 | 2019 | down 36.0% | falling |
| 69 | Vietnam | 16 | 2019 | down 56.8% | falling |
| 74 | Syria | 15.5 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 75 | Guinea | 15 | 2019 | down 62.5% | falling |
| 75 | Guatemala | 15 | 2019 | down 58.3% | falling |
| 75 | Lebanon | 15 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 75 | Lesotho | 15 | 2019 | down 61.5% | volatile |
| 75 | North Macedonia | 15 | 2019 | down 11.8% | volatile |
| 80 | Djibouti | 14 | 2019 | down 62.2% | falling |
| 80 | Nicaragua | 14 | 2019 | down 64.1% | falling |
| 82 | Cameroon | 13.5 | 2019 | down 62.0% | falling |
| 83 | Burkina Faso | 13 | 2019 | down 7.1% | volatile |
| 83 | Finland | 13 | 2019 | down 23.5% | falling |
| 83 | Ghana | 13 | 2019 | up 18.2% | falling |
| 83 | South Sudan | 13 | 2019 | down 7.1% | falling |
| 83 | East Timor | 13 | 2019 | down 91.7% | volatile |
| 88 | Indonesia | 12.6 | 2019 | down 83.6% | volatile |
| 89 | Egypt | 12.5 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 89 | Spain | 12.5 | 2019 | down 79.5% | volatile |
| 89 | Jordan | 12.5 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 92 | Bhutan | 12 | 2019 | down 73.9% | volatile |
| 92 | Dominica | 12 | 2019 | down 7.7% | falling |
| 92 | Grenada | 12 | 2019 | down 36.8% | falling |
| 92 | Maldives | 12 | 2019 | unchanged | rising |
| 92 | Montenegro | 12 | 2019 | down 14.3% | falling |
| 92 | Mongolia | 12 | 2019 | down 29.4% | falling |
| 98 | Argentina | 11.5 | 2019 | down 54.0% | falling |
| 98 | Bahamas | 11.5 | 2019 | down 62.3% | falling |
| 98 | Iceland | 11.5 | 2019 | up 130.0% | rising |
| 98 | San Marino | 11.5 | 2019 | down 72.0% | volatile |
| 102 | Japan | 11.2 | 2019 | down 3.4% | flat |
| 103 | Ireland | 11 | 2019 | down 42.1% | falling |
| 103 | Israel | 11 | 2019 | down 38.9% | falling |
| 103 | Italy | 11 | 2019 | down 12.0% | falling |
| 103 | Saint Lucia | 11 | 2019 | down 21.4% | falling |
| 103 | Mali | 11 | 2019 | up 37.5% | volatile |
| 108 | Trinidad and Tobago | 10.5 | 2019 | down 74.4% | volatile |
| 109 | Saudi Arabia | 10.4 | 2019 | down 61.8% | volatile |
| 110 | Russia | 10.1 | 2019 | down 23.5% | falling |
| 111 | Switzerland | 10 | 2019 | down 44.4% | falling |
| 111 | Colombia | 10 | 2019 | down 47.4% | volatile |
| 111 | Gabon | 10 | 2019 | down 81.5% | falling |
| 111 | Kyrgyzstan | 10 | 2019 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 111 | Niger | 10 | 2019 | down 44.4% | falling |
| 111 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 10 | 2019 | down 9.1% | falling |
| 117 | Cape Verde | 9 | 2019 | down 62.5% | volatile |
| 117 | Morocco | 9 | 2019 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 117 | Solomon Islands | 9 | 2019 | down 83.6% | volatile |
| 117 | Tunisia | 9 | 2019 | down 30.8% | falling |
| 117 | Samoa | 9 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |
| 122 | Qatar | 8.7 | 2019 | up 6.1% | rising |
| 123 | China | 8.6 | 2019 | down 75.0% | falling |
| 124 | Afghanistan | 8.5 | 2019 | down 10.5% | falling |
| 124 | Benin | 8.5 | 2019 | down 75.4% | falling |
| 124 | Belarus | 8.5 | 2019 | down 34.6% | volatile |
| 124 | Guinea-Bissau | 8.5 | 2019 | down 96.1% | volatile |
| 124 | Zambia | 8.5 | 2019 | down 55.3% | volatile |
| 129 | Mexico | 8.4 | 2019 | unchanged | flat |
| 130 | Bahrain | 8.3 | 2019 | down 10.8% | falling |
| 131 | Germany | 8 | 2019 | down 54.3% | volatile |
| 131 | Gambia | 8 | 2019 | down 70.4% | falling |
| 131 | South Korea | 8 | 2019 | down 42.9% | falling |
| 131 | Sri Lanka | 8 | 2019 | down 81.8% | volatile |
| 131 | Madagascar | 8 | 2019 | down 33.3% | volatile |
| 131 | Sierra Leone | 8 | 2019 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 131 | Slovenia | 8 | 2019 | up 33.3% | volatile |
| 138 | Sweden | 7.5 | 2019 | down 53.1% | falling |
| 139 | Nigeria | 7.2 | 2019 | down 76.2% | falling |
| 140 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 7 | 2019 | down 94.5% | volatile |
| 140 | Hungary | 7 | 2019 | up 40.0% | volatile |
| 140 | Myanmar | 7 | 2019 | down 90.9% | volatile |
| 140 | Serbia | 7 | 2019 | down 46.2% | volatile |
| 140 | Sao Tome and Principe | 7 | 2019 | down 95.2% | volatile |
| 140 | Tajikistan | 7 | 2019 | down 83.3% | volatile |
| 140 | Turkey | 7 | 2019 | down 33.3% | volatile |
| 147 | Portugal | 6.5 | 2019 | down 7.1% | volatile |
| 147 | Ukraine | 6.5 | 2019 | down 76.8% | falling |
| 147 | Uruguay | 6.5 | 2019 | down 89.8% | volatile |
| 150 | Cote d'Ivoire | 6 | 2019 | down 85.0% | volatile |
| 150 | Cyprus | 6 | 2019 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 150 | Mauritania | 6 | 2019 | down 68.4% | volatile |
| 150 | Panama | 6 | 2019 | down 50.0% | falling |
| 150 | Senegal | 6 | 2019 | down 33.3% | volatile |
| 150 | Thailand | 6 | 2019 | down 82.4% | falling |
| 156 | Brunei | 5.5 | 2019 | down 95.5% | volatile |
| 156 | Lithuania | 5.5 | 2019 | down 78.8% | volatile |
| 156 | Latvia | 5.5 | 2019 | down 64.5% | falling |
| 156 | Puerto Rico | 5.5 | 2019 | down 21.4% | falling |
| 160 | Burundi | 5 | 2019 | down 61.5% | falling |
| 160 | Belgium | 5 | 2019 | up 11.1% | volatile |
| 160 | Kazakhstan | 5 | 2019 | down 80.8% | falling |
| 163 | Albania | 4.5 | 2019 | down 25.0% | volatile |
| 163 | United Kingdom | 4.5 | 2019 | down 60.9% | falling |
| 163 | Mauritius | 4.5 | 2019 | down 30.8% | volatile |
| 166 | Oman | 4.3 | 2019 | down 67.9% | volatile |
| 167 | United States | 4.2 | 2019 | down 32.3% | falling |
| 168 | Armenia | 4 | 2019 | down 71.4% | volatile |
| 168 | Chile | 4 | 2019 | down 90.0% | volatile |
| 168 | France | 4 | 2019 | down 38.5% | volatile |
| 168 | Greece | 4 | 2019 | down 78.9% | volatile |
| 168 | Moldova | 4 | 2019 | down 60.0% | volatile |
| 168 | Norway | 4 | 2019 | down 33.3% | volatile |
| 168 | Rwanda | 4 | 2019 | down 42.9% | volatile |
| 175 | United Arab Emirates | 3.8 | 2019 | down 75.2% | falling |
| 176 | Azerbaijan | 3.5 | 2019 | down 65.0% | volatile |
| 176 | Denmark | 3.5 | 2019 | down 46.2% | falling |
| 176 | Estonia | 3.5 | 2019 | down 46.2% | volatile |
| 176 | Netherlands | 3.5 | 2019 | down 56.2% | falling |
| 180 | Jamaica | 3 | 2019 | down 62.5% | volatile |
| 180 | Uzbekistan | 3 | 2019 | down 78.6% | volatile |
| 182 | Togo | 2.5 | 2019 | down 97.0% | volatile |
| 183 | Australia | 2 | 2019 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 184 | Canada | 1.5 | 2019 | down 72.7% | falling |
| 184 | Hong Kong | 1.5 | 2019 | down 75.0% | volatile |
| 184 | Singapore | 1.5 | 2019 | down 40.0% | volatile |
| 187 | Georgia | 1 | 2019 | down 66.7% | volatile |
| 188 | New Zealand | 0.5 | 2019 | unchanged | volatile |