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Ranked: The World’s Most and Least Free Countries

Which Countries Have the Most and Least Freedom?

Key Takeaways

  • Denmark ranks as the world’s freest country, scoring 93.7 out of 100.
  • Nine of the world’s 10 freest countries are in Europe, with Australia the only exception.
  • The U.S. fell 15 places to 37th globally, recording one of the world’s largest annual declines in freedom.

Political freedom has been declining globally for more than a decade, raising questions about the strength of democratic institutions and individual rights, even in advanced economies.

This visualization ranks 171 countries using the Atlantic Council’s 2026 Freedom Index, which measures the freedom to participate in politics, own property, and live under fair and predictable laws. Scores reflect conditions in 2025.

Where Freedom Is Strongest

Luxembourg (91.8) and Sweden (91.5) follow Denmark at the top of the index. Just 3.6 points separate the world’s 10 freest countries, highlighting how closely clustered the leading nations are.

Rank Country Freedom Score (0-100)
1 Denmark 93.7
2 Luxembourg 91.8
3 Sweden 91.5
4 Finland 91.4
5 Switzerland 90.9
6 Ireland 90.6
7 Estonia 90.3
8 Australia 90.3
9 Germany 90.2
10 Norway 90.1
11 New Zealand 89.7
12 Netherlands 89.5
13 Iceland 88.4
14 Japan 88.0
15 Belgium 87.9
16 Czechia 87.3
17 France 87.0
18 Austria 86.8
19 Canada 85.9
20 UK 85.2
21 Taiwan 84.8
22 Spain 84.7
23 Latvia 84.4
24 Lithuania 84.3
25 South Korea 84.2

Several Asian economies have also moved up the rankings. South Korea climbed from 33rd to 25th, recovering some of the ground lost during its recent political crisis. Japan advanced from 18th to 14th.

Freedom also carries economic implications. According to Atlantic Council research, countries undergoing democratization see GDP per capita rise by 8.8% over 20 years, on average, relative to autocratic peers.

Where Freedom Is Most Restricted

Afghanistan ranks last with a score of 19.0, followed by Turkmenistan (24.3). Many of the lowest-ranked countries face longstanding authoritarian rule, conflict, or fragile institutions.

Rank Country Freedom Score (0-100)
171 Afghanistan 19.0
170 Turkmenistan 24.3
169 Eritrea 25.1
168 Yemen 27.5
167 Myanmar 28.2
166 Sudan 29.0
165 Syria 29.9
164 Venezuela 31.7
163 Iran 32.1
162 Somalia 34.3
161 Libya 34.7
160 Equatorial Guinea 35.1
159 Burundi 35.7
158 Eswatini 36.5
157 Belarus 37.1
156 Nicaragua 38.1
155 Chad 38.4
154 Russia 39.2
153 Central African Republic 39.9
152 Ethiopia 39.9
151 South Sudan 40.3
150 Tajikistan 40.5
149 DR Congo 41.2
148 Guinea 41.6
147 China 41.7

China ranks 147th globally, alongside Guinea and DR Congo, despite having the world’s second-largest economy. Its freedom score fell from 42.9 in 2024 to 41.7 in 2025, highlighting the contrast between its economic influence and restrictions on individual freedoms.

Russia ranks 154th, with its freedom score falling from 47.3 in 2019 to 39.2 in 2025. The 8.1-point decline reflects growing restrictions on political opposition, independent media, and public dissent, particularly since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

America’s Eroding Freedoms

The United States has a freedom score of 79.9, ranking behind Canada (19th), the UK (20th), and Japan (14th). Its decline from 22nd to 37th represents one of the largest annual drops in the index.

Other measures point to a longer-term trend. In 2025, America’s democracy score fell to its lowest level since 1965.

The U.S. decline illustrates how even established democracies can experience setbacks in political rights and institutional safeguards.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic, explore this graphic showing which countries have the most academic freedom.