Freedom-in-the-World country list 2017
The international non-governmental organization Freedom House , based in Washington, DC , publishes an annual report Freedom in the World , which reports on civil liberties in the countries of the world. The 2017 Freedom-in-the-World country list is reproduced below . This summarizes the situation in 2016.
In 2016, according to World Freedom House, 87 countries, in which 2.9 billion people, or 39% of the world's population, lived, could be described as “free”. 59 countries were “partially free” (1.9 billion inhabitants, 25%) and 49 countries were classified as “not free”. The latter was home to 2.6 billion people (36% of the world population), more than half of whom were in a single country, the People's Republic of China.
Three countries improved their status compared to the previous year. Jordan and Myanmar were classified as “partially free” (previously “not free”). The Solomon Islands were classified as "free" (previously "partially free"). Venezuela, on the other hand, deteriorated from “partially free” to “not free”. The greatest deterioration (more than 2 points) occurred in the following countries: Turkey (−12), South Sudan (−10), Libya (−7), Nicaragua (−7), Democratic Republic of the Congo (−6), Tajikistan (- 5), Venezuela (−5), Poland (−4), Zambia (−4), Ethiopia , (−3), Hungary (−3), Lesotho (−3), Mozambique (−3), Niger (−3 ), Yemen (−3). The greatest improvements (more than 2 points) were found in: Somalia (+3), Central African Republic (+3), Belarus (+3), Argentina (+3), Myanmar (+4), Burkina Faso (+4) and Papua New Guinea (+5).
The number of electoral democracies was given as 123. In contrast to the previous year, Burkina Faso achieved this status, while three countries - Niger, Turkey and Zambia - lost it.
list
The list of countries in the above report lists the countries according to their degrees of freedom. On the one hand, political rights (PR) and, on the other hand, civil liberties (BF) were assessed according to a point system. A point value of '1' means “maximally free”, one of “7” means “least free”.
The degree of freedom was classified on the basis of an overall score, whereby the division into the three classes "free", "partially free" and "not free" was possible. A higher overall score indicates a higher degree of freedom. Internet freedom was also rated in some countries.
The labels and indicate positive or negative developments since the last survey.
| Country | PR (1-7) |
BF (1-7) |
Overall score |
status | Freedom of the press |
Internet freedom |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Afghanistan
|
6th | 6th | 24 | not free | not free | |
 Egypt
|
6th | 5 | 26th | not free | not free | not free |
 Albania
|
3 | 3 | 68 | partially free | partially free | |
 Algeria
|
6th | 5 | 35 | not free | not free | |
 Andorra
|
1 | 1 | 95 | free | free | |
 Angola
|
6th | 6th | 24 | not free | not free | partially free |
 Antigua and Barbuda
|
2 | 2 | 83 | free | partially free | |
 Argentina
|
2 | 2 | 82 | free | partially free | free |
 Armenia
|
5 | 4th | 45 | partially free | not free | free |
 Azerbaijan
|
7th | 6th | 14th | not free | not free | partially free |
 Ethiopia
|
7th | 6th | 12 | not free | not free | not free |
 Australia
|
1 | 1 | 98 | free | free | free |
 Bahamas
|
1 | 1 | 91 | free | free | |
 Bahrain
|
7th | 6th | 12 | not free | not free | not free |
 Bangladesh
|
4th | 4th | 47 | partially free | not free | partially free |
 Barbados
|
1 | 1 | 97 | free | free | |
 Belgium
|
1 | 1 | 95 | free | free | |
 Belize
|
1 | 2 | 87 | free | free | |
 Benin
|
2 | 2 | 82 | free | partially free | |
 Bhutan
|
3 | 4th | 55 | partially free | partially free | |
 Bolivia
|
3 | 3 | 68 | partially free | partially free | |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina
|
4th | 4 | 55 | partially free | partially free | |
 Botswana
|
3 | 2 | 72 | free | partially free | |
 Brazil
|
2 | 2 | 79 | free | partially free | partially free |
 Brunei
|
6th | 5 | 29 | not free | not free | |
 Bulgaria
|
2 | 2 | 80 | free | partially free | |
 Burkina Faso
|
4th | 3 | 63 | partially free | partially free | |
 Burundi
|
7th | 6th | 19th | not free | not free | |
 Chad
|
7th | 6th | 18th | not free | not free | |
 Chile
|
1 | 1 | 94 | free | free | |
 People's Republic of China
|
7th | 6th | 15th | not free | not free | not free |
 Costa Rica
|
1 | 1 | 91 | free | free | |
 Denmark
|
1 | 1 | 97 | free | free | |
 Germany
|
1 | 1 | 95 | free | free | free |
 Dominica
|
1 | 1 | 95 | free | free | |
 Dominican Republic
|
3 | 3 | 68 | partially free | partially free | |
 Djibouti
|
6th | 5 | 26th | not free | not free | |
 Ecuador
|
3 | 4 | 57 | partially free | not free | partially free |
 Ivory Coast
|
4th | 4th | 52 | partially free | partially free | |
 El Salvador
|
2 | 3 | 70 | free | partially free | |
 Equatorial Guinea
|
7th | 7th | 8th | not free | not free | |
 Eritrea
|
7th | 7th | 3 | not free | not free | |
 Estonia
|
1 | 1 | 94 | free | free | free |
 Fiji
|
3 | 4 | 59 | partially free | partially free | |
 Finland
|
1 | 1 | 100 | free | free | |
 France
|
1 | 2 | 90 | free | free | free |
 Gabon
|
6th | 5 | 32 | not free | not free | |
 Gambia
|
6 | 6th | 20th | not free | not free | not free |
 Georgia
|
3 | 3 | 64 | partially free | partially free | free |
 Ghana
|
1 | 2 | 83 | free | partially free | |
 Greece
|
2 | 2 | 84 | free | partially free | |
 Grenada
|
1 | 2 | 89 | free | free | |
 Guatemala
|
4th | 4th | 54 | partially free | partially free | |
 Guinea
|
5 | 5 | 41 | partially free | not free | |
 Guinea-Bissau
|
5 | 5 | 40 | partially free | partially free | |
 Guyana
|
2 | 3 | 74 | free | partially free | |
 Haiti
|
5 | 5 | 39 | partially free | partially free | |
.svg){kind=small} Honduras
|
4th | 4th | 46 | partially free | not free | |
 India
|
2 | 3 | 77 | free | partially free | partially free |
 Indonesia
|
2 | 4th | 65 | partially free | partially free | partially free |
 Iran
|
6th | 6th | 17th | not free | not free | not free |
 Iraq
|
5 | 6th | 27 | not free | not free | |
 Ireland
|
1 | 1 | 96 | free | free | |
 Iceland
|
1 | 1 | 97 | free | free | free |
 Israel
|
1 | 2 | 80 | free | partially free | |
 Italy
|
1 | 1 | 89 | free | partially free | free |
 Jamaica
|
2 | 3 | 75 | free | free | |
 Japan
|
1 | 1 | 96 | free | free | free |
 Yemen
|
7th | 6th | 14th | not free | not free | |
 Jordan
|
5 | 5 | 37 | partially free | not free | partially free |
 Cambodia
|
6th | 5 | 31 | not free | not free | partially free |
 Cameroon
|
6th | 6th | 24 | not free | not free | |
 Canada
|
1 | 1 | 99 | free | free | free |
 Cape Verde
|
1 | 1 | 90 | free | free | |
 Kazakhstan
|
7 | 5 | 22nd | not free | not free | not free |
 Kenya
|
4th | 4th | 51 | partially free | partially free | free |
 Kyrgyzstan
|
5 | 5 | 37 | partially free | not free | partially free |
 Kiribati
|
1 | 1 | 92 | free | free | |
 Colombia
|
3 | 3 | 64 | partially free | partially free | partially free |
 Democratic Republic of Congo
|
7 | 6th | 19th | not free | not free | |
 Republic of the Congo
|
7 | 5 | 27 | not free | partially free | |
 Comoros
|
3 | 4th | 55 | partially free | partially free | |
 Kosovo
|
3 | 4th | 52 | partially free | partially free | |
 Croatia
|
1 | 2 | 87 | free | partially free | |
 Cuba
|
7th | 6th | 15th | not free | not free | not free |
 Kuwait
|
5 | 5 | 36 | partially free | partially free | |
 Laos
|
7th | 6th | 12 | not free | not free | |
 Latvia
|
1 | 2 | 87 | free | free | |
 Lesotho
|
3 | 3 | 64 | partially free | partially free | |
 Lebanon
|
5 | 4th | 44 | partially free | partially free | partially free |
 Liberia
|
3 | 4th | 62 | partially free | partially free | |
 Libya
|
7 | 6th | 13 | not free | not free | partially free |
 Liechtenstein
|
2 | 1 | 91 | free | free | |
 Lithuania
|
1 | 1 | 91 | free | free | |
 Luxembourg
|
1 | 1 | 98 | free | free | |
 Madagascar
|
3 | 4th | 56 | partially free | partially free | |
 Malawi
|
3 | 3 | 63 | partially free | partially free | partially free |
 Malaysia
|
4th | 4th | 44 | partially free | not free | partially free |
 Maldives
|
5 | 5 | 40 | partially free | partially free | |
 Mali
|
5 | 4th | 45 | partially free | partially free | |
 Malta
|
1 | 1 | 96 | free | free | |
 Morocco
|
5 | 4th | 41 | partially free | not free | partially free |
 Marshall Islands
|
1 | 1 | 92 | free | free | |
.svg){kind=small} Mauritania
|
6th | 5 | 30th | not free | partially free | |
 Mauritius
|
1 | 2 | 89 | free | free | |
 Macedonia
|
4th | 3 | 57 | partially free | not free | |
 Mexico
|
3 | 3 | 65 | partially free | not free | partially free |
 Micronesia
|
1 | 1 | 93 | free | free | |
 Moldova
|
3 | 3 | 62 | partially free | partially free | |
 Monaco
|
3 | 1 | 84 | free | free | |
 Mongolia
|
1 | 2 | 85 | free | partially free | |
 Montenegro
|
3 | 3 | 69 | partially free | partially free | |
 Mozambique
|
4th | 4th | 53 | partially free | partially free | |
 Myanmar
|
5 | 5 | 32 | partially free | not free | not free |
 Namibia
|
2 | 2 | 77 | free | partially free | |
 Nauru
|
2 | 2 | 81 | free | partially free | |
 Nepal
|
3 | 4th | 52 | partially free | partially free | |
 New Zealand
|
1 | 1 | 98 | free | free | |
 Nicaragua
|
5 | 4 | 47 | partially free | partially free | |
 Netherlands
|
1 | 1 | 99 | free | free | |
 Niger
|
4 | 4th | 49 | partially free | partially free | |
 Nigeria
|
3 | 5 | 50 | partially free | partially free | partially free |
 North Korea
|
7th | 7th | 3 | not free | not free | |
 Norway
|
1 | 1 | 100 | free | free | |
 Austria
|
1 | 1 | 95 | free | free | |
 Oman
|
6th | 5 | 25th | not free | not free | |
 Pakistan
|
4th | 5 | 43 | partially free | not free | not free |
 Palau
|
1 | 1 | 92 | free | free | |
 Panama
|
2 | 2 | 83 | free | partially free | |
 Papua New Guinea
|
3 | 3 | 64 | partially free | free | |
 Paraguay
|
3 | 3 | 64 | partially free | partially free | |
 Peru
|
2 | 3 | 72 | free | partially free | |
 Philippines
|
3 | 3 | 63 | partially free | partially free | free |
 Poland
|
1 | 2 | 89 | free | free | |
 Portugal
|
1 | 1 | 97 | free | free | |
 Qatar
|
6th | 5 | 26th | not free | not free | |
 Romania
|
2 | 2 | 84 | free | partially free | |
 Russia
|
7 | 6th | 20th | not free | not free | not free |
 Rwanda
|
6th | 6th | 24 | not free | not free | partially free |
 St. Kitts and Nevis
|
1 | 1 | 89 | free | free | |
 St. Lucia
|
1 | 1 | 92 | free | free | |
 St. Vincent and the Grenadines
|
1 | 1 | 91 | free | free | |
 Zambia
|
4 | 4th | 56 | partially free | not free | partially free |
 Samoa
|
2 | 2 | 80 | free | free | |
 San Marino
|
1 | 1 | 97 | free | free | |
 Sao Tome and Principe
|
2 | 2 | 81 | free | free | |
 Saudi Arabia
|
7th | 7th | 10 | not free | not free | not free |
 Senegal
|
2 | 2 | 78 | free | partially free | |
 Serbia
|
3 | 2 | 76 | free | partially free | |
 Seychelles
|
3 | 3 | 71 | partially free | partially free | |
 Sierra Leone
|
3 | 3 | 66 | partially free | partially free | |
 Zimbabwe
|
5 | 5 | 32 | partially free | not free | partially free |
 Singapore
|
4th | 4th | 51 | partially free | not free | partially free |
 Slovakia
|
1 | 1 | 89 | free | free | |
 Slovenia
|
1 | 1 | 92 | free | free | |
 Solomon Islands
|
3 | 2 | 71 | free | free | |
 Somalia
|
7th | 7th | 5 | not free | not free | |
 South Africa
|
2 | 2 | 78 | free | partially free | free |
 Spain
|
1 | 1 | 94 | free | free | |
 Sri Lanka
|
3 | 4th | 56 | partially free | not free | partially free |
 Sudan
|
7th | 7th | 6th | not free | not free | not free |
 South Korea
|
2 | 2 | 82 | free | partially free | partially free |
 South Sudan
|
7th | 7 | 4th | not free | not free | |
 Suriname
|
2 | 3 | 77 | free | free | |
 Swaziland
|
7th | 5 | 18th | not free | not free | |
 Sweden
|
1 | 1 | 100 | free | free | |
 Switzerland
|
1 | 1 | 96 | free | free | |
 Syria
|
7th | 7th | −1 | not free | not free | not free |
 Taiwan
|
1 | 1 | 91 | free | free | |
 Tajikistan
|
7th | 6th | 11 | not free | not free | |
 Tanzania
|
3 | 4th | 58 | partially free | partially free | |
 Thailand
|
6th | 5 | 32 | not free | not free | not free |
 East Timor
|
3 | 3 | 65 | partially free | partially free | |
 Togo
|
4th | 4th | 48 | partially free | partially free | |
 Tonga
|
2 | 2 | 74 | free | free | |
 Trinidad and Tobago
|
2 | 2 | 81 | free | free | |
 Czech Republic
|
1 | 1 | 94 | free | free | |
 Tunisia
|
1 | 3 | 78 | free | partially free | partially free |
 Turkey
|
4 | 5 | 38 | partially free | not free | not free |
 Turkmenistan
|
7th | 7th | 4th | not free | not free | |
 Tuvalu
|
1 | 1 | 94 | free | free | |
 Uganda
|
6th | 5 | 35 | not free | partially free | partially free |
 Ukraine
|
3 | 3 | 61 | partially free | partially free | partially free |
 Hungary
|
3 | 2 | 76 | free | partially free | free |
 Uruguay
|
1 | 1 | 98 | free | free | |
 Uzbekistan
|
7th | 7th | 3 | not free | not free | not free |
 Vanuatu
|
2 | 2 | 80 | free | free | |
 Venezuela
|
6 | 5 | 30th | not free | not free | partially free |
 United Arab Emirates
|
6th | 6th | 20th | not free | not free | not free |
 United Kingdom
|
1 | 1 | 95 | free | free | free |
 United States
|
1 | 1 | 89 | free | free | free |
 Vietnam
|
7th | 5 | 20th | not free | not free | not free |
 Belarus
|
7th | 6th | 20th | not free | not free | not free |
 Central African Republic
|
7th | 7th | 10 | not free | not free | |
 Cyprus
|
1 | 1 | 94 | free | free |
See also
- List of countries according to personal freedom (Legatum Prosperity Index)
- World Happiness Report (UNO World Happiness Report )
- List of Indices of Freedom (Worldwide Measures)
source
- Freedom House : Freedom in the World 2017. In: FreedomHouse.org. Washington / New York 2017 (English; with reports).