Freedom and Rights
An important aspect of responsible and ethical travel is an awareness of your destination country's record on political and economic freedoms, civil and political rights, and corruption and press censorship. Here we have amalgamated data from a range of indices produced by different worldwide organisations - Freedom in the World by Freedom House, the Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit, the Index of Economic Freedom by the Heritage Foundation, the Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, ILGA LGBT rights by the International Lesbian Gay Association and the Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International (see more details). The range of indices by organisations with different philosophies and perspectives allows us to provide a broad overview of the status of a country and its governing regime - however this is just a snapshot and not a thorough analysis of freedom and rights. This is not intended to deter you from travelling to any specific country, rather a resource to help inform your decision.
Country | Freedom in the World | Democracy Index | Index of Economic Freedom |
Press Freedom Index | ILGA LGBT Rights | Corruption Perceptions Index |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Sweden | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Good | Broad rights | Low |
2. Denmark | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Good | Broad rights | Low |
3. Norway | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Good | Broad rights | Low |
4. New Zealand | Free | Full | Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
5. Netherlands | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Good | Broad rights | Low |
6. Iceland | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
7. Finland | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Good | Broad rights | Low |
8. Switzerland | Free | Full | Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
9. Canada | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
10. Luxembourg | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
11. Ireland | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
12. United Kingdom | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
13. Belgium | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
14. Australia | Free | Full | Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
15. Uruguay | Free | Full | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
16. Germany | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
16. Austria | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
18. Estonia | Free | Flawed | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
19. Andorra | Free | - | - | Satisfactory | Some rights | - |
20. France | Free | Full | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
21. Portugal | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
22. Spain | Free | Full | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
23. United States of America | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
24. Chile | Free | Flawed | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
25. San Marino | Free | - | - | - | Some rights | - |
26. Liechtenstein | Free | - | - | Satisfactory | Some rights | - |
27. Malta | Free | Full | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
28. Slovenia | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Low |
29. Japan | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Low |
30. Lithuania | Free | Flawed | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
31. Czech Republic | Free | Flawed | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
32. Costa Rica | Free | Full | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
33. Poland | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
34. Cyprus | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
35. Slovakia | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
36. South Africa | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Broad rights | Medium |
37. Cape Verde | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
38. Taiwan | Free | Flawed | Mostly Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
39. Israel | Free | Flawed | Mostly Free | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Low |
40. Marshall Islands | Free | - | - | - | Limited rights | - |
40. Palau | Free | - | - | - | Limited rights | - |
42. Monaco | Free | - | - | - | Some rights | - |
43. Latvia | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Low |
44. Croatia | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Broad rights | Medium |
45. Hungary | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Low |
46. South Korea | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Low |
47. Italy | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Medium |
48. Bahamas | Free | - | Moderately Free | - | Limited rights | Low |
49. Romania | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Medium |
50. Mauritius | Free | Full | Mostly Free | Noticeable problems | No rights | Low |
51. Brazil | Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Medium |
52. Serbia | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Medium |
53. Botswana | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | No rights | Low |
54. Georgia | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Free | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Low |
55. Federated States of Micronesia | Free | - | Repressed | - | Limited rights | - |
56. Bulgaria | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Medium |
57. Argentina | Free | Flawed | Repressed | Noticeable problems | Broad rights | Medium |
58. Vanuatu | Free | - | Moderately Free | - | Limited rights | - |
59. Barbados | Free | - | Moderately Free | - | No rights | Low |
60. Mongolia | Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Medium |
61. El Salvador | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | Some rights | Medium |
62. Montenegro | Free | Hybrid | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Medium |
63. Mexico | Partly Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Difficult | Broad rights | Medium |
64. Panama | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Medium |
65. Greece | Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Medium |
66. Colombia | Partly Free | Flawed | Mostly Free | Difficult | Broad rights | Medium |
67. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Free | - | Moderately Free | - | No rights | Low |
68. Peru | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Medium |
69. Ghana | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | No rights | Medium |
70. Albania | Partly Free | Hybrid | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Medium |
71. Namibia | Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Satisfactory | No rights | Medium |
72. Belize | Free | - | Mostly Unfree | Satisfactory | No rights | - |
73. Lesotho | Free | Flawed | Repressed | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Medium |
74. Jamaica | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | No rights | Medium |
75. Fiji | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Some rights | - |
76. Saint Lucia | Free | - | Mostly Free | - | No rights | - |
77. Suriname | Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Satisfactory | Limited rights | Medium |
78. Ecuador | Partly Free | Hybrid | Repressed | Noticeable problems | Broad rights | Medium |
79. Singapore | Partly Free | Flawed | Free | Difficult | No rights | Low |
80. Dominican Republic | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Medium |
81. Macedonia | Partly Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Difficult | Some rights | Medium |
82. Samoa | Free | - | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | No rights | Low |
83. Bolivia | Partly Free | Hybrid | Repressed | Noticeable problems | Broad rights | Medium |
84. Moldova | Partly Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Medium |
85. Dominica | Free | - | Moderately Free | - | No rights | Low |
86. Trinidad and Tobago | Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Satisfactory | No rights | Medium |
86. Tonga | Free | - | Mostly Unfree | Satisfactory | No rights | - |
88. Philippines | Partly Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Difficult | Limited rights | Medium |
89. Benin | Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Medium |
90. Bosnia and Herzegovina | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Medium |
91. Timor-Leste | Partly Free | Flawed | Repressed | Noticeable problems | Some rights | High |
92. Sao Tome and Principe | Free | - | Mostly Unfree | - | Limited rights | Medium |
93. Kosovo | Partly Free | - | - | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Medium |
94. Nicaragua | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Some rights | High |
95. Senegal | Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | Medium |
96. Turkey | Partly Free | Hybrid | Moderately Free | Difficult | Limited rights | Medium |
97. Seychelles | Partly Free | - | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | Low |
98. Tuvalu | Free | - | - | - | No rights | - |
98. Saint Kitts and Nevis | Free | - | - | - | No rights | - |
100. Guatemala | Partly Free | Hybrid | Moderately Free | Difficult | Limited rights | Medium |
101. India | Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | No rights | Medium |
102. Tunisia | Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | No rights | Medium |
103. Mozambique | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Some rights | Medium |
104. Indonesia | Partly Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | No rights | Medium |
105. Paraguay | Partly Free | Flawed | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | High |
106. Bhutan | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | Low |
107. Honduras | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | Some rights | High |
108. Malaysia | Partly Free | Flawed | Mostly Free | Difficult | No rights | Low |
109. Armenia | Partly Free | Hybrid | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Medium |
110. Kiribati | Free | - | Repressed | - | No rights | - |
111. Burkina Faso | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Satisfactory | Limited rights | Medium |
112. Guyana | Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | Medium |
113. Mali | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | Limited rights | Medium |
114. Nepal | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | High |
115. Ukraine | Partly Free | Hybrid | Repressed | Difficult | Limited rights | High |
116. Zambia | Partly Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | Medium |
117. Niger | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Satisfactory | Limited rights | Medium |
118. Nauru | Free | - | - | - | No rights | - |
118. Grenada | Free | - | - | - | No rights | - |
120. Tanzania | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | Medium |
121. Kyrgyzstan | Partly Free | Hybrid | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | High |
122. Madagascar | Partly Free | Hybrid | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | High |
123. Thailand | Not Free | Hybrid | Moderately Free | Difficult | Limited rights | Medium |
124. Jordan | Not Free | Authoritarian | Moderately Free | Difficult | Limited rights | Medium |
125. Malawi | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | Medium |
126. Papua New Guinea | Partly Free | Flawed | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | High |
127. Liberia | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | Medium |
128. Qatar | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Free | Difficult | No rights | Low |
129. Sierra Leone | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | Medium |
130. Antigua and Barbuda | Free | - | - | - | No rights | - |
131. Maldives | Partly Free | - | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | - |
132. Ivory Coast | Partly Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Medium |
133. United Arab Emirates | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Free | Difficult | No rights | Low |
134. Haiti | Partly Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | High |
135. Gabon | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | Medium |
136. Kenya | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | High |
137. Kuwait | Partly Free | Authoritarian | Moderately Free | Noticeable problems | No rights | Medium |
138. Lebanon | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | High |
139. Brunei | Not Free | - | Moderately Free | Difficult | No rights | - |
140. Cambodia | Not Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | Limited rights | High |
141. Comoros | Partly Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Satisfactory | No rights | High |
142. Bangladesh | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | No rights | High |
143. Morocco | Partly Free | Hybrid | Moderately Free | Difficult | No rights | Medium |
144. Venezuela | Partly Free | Hybrid | Repressed | Difficult | Some rights | High |
145. Togo | Partly Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | High |
146. Solomon Islands | Partly Free | - | Repressed | - | No rights | - |
147. Uganda | Not Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | High |
148. Oman | Not Free | Authoritarian | Moderately Free | Difficult | No rights | Medium |
149. Kazakhstan | Not Free | Authoritarian | Moderately Free | Very serious | Limited rights | High |
150. Rwanda | Not Free | Authoritarian | Moderately Free | Very serious | Limited rights | Medium |
151. Guinea Bissau | Partly Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | High |
152. Sri Lanka | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Very serious | No rights | Medium |
153. Bahrain | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Free | Very serious | Limited rights | Medium |
154. Pakistan | Partly Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Very serious | No rights | High |
155. Tajikistan | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | Limited rights | High |
156. Belarus | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Difficult | Limited rights | Medium |
157. Russia | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | Limited rights | High |
158. Azerbaijan | Not Free | Authoritarian | Moderately Free | Very serious | Limited rights | High |
159. Nigeria | Partly Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Extreme discrimination | High |
159. Djibouti | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Very serious | Limited rights | Medium |
161. Guinea | Partly Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | No rights | High |
162. Congo-Brazzaville | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | High |
163. Algeria | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Difficult | Extreme discrimination | Medium |
164. Mauritania | Not Free | Hybrid | Mostly Unfree | Noticeable problems | Extreme discrimination | Medium |
165. Swaziland | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | No rights | Medium |
166. Egypt | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Very serious | No rights | Medium |
167. Ethiopia | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | No rights | Medium |
168. Vietnam | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Very serious | Limited rights | Medium |
169. Democratic Republic of the Congo | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Difficult | Limited rights | High |
170. Cuba | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Very serious | Some rights | Medium |
171. Cameroon | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | No rights | High |
172. Gambia | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | No rights | High |
173. China | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Very serious | Limited rights | Medium |
174. Burundi | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Difficult | No rights | High |
175. Central African Republic | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Noticeable problems | Limited rights | High |
176. Angola | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Difficult | No rights | High |
177. Burma | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Difficult | No rights | High |
178. Zimbabwe | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Difficult | No rights | High |
179. Laos | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Very serious | Limited rights | High |
180. Iraq | Not Free | Hybrid | - | Difficult | No rights | High |
181. Libya | Not Free | Authoritarian | - | Difficult | No rights | High |
182. Equatorial Guinea | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Very serious | Limited rights | - |
183. Saudi Arabia | Not Free | Authoritarian | Moderately Free | Very serious | Extreme discrimination | Medium |
183. Chad | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Difficult | No rights | High |
185. Afghanistan | Not Free | Authoritarian | - | Difficult | No rights | High |
186. South Sudan | Not Free | - | - | Difficult | No rights | High |
187. Yemen | Not Free | Authoritarian | Mostly Unfree | Very serious | Extreme discrimination | High |
188. Uzbekistan | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Very serious | No rights | High |
189. Iran | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Very serious | Extreme discrimination | High |
190. Eritrea | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Very serious | No rights | High |
191. Turkmenistan | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Very serious | No rights | High |
192. Syria | Not Free | Authoritarian | - | Very serious | No rights | High |
193. North Korea | Not Free | Authoritarian | Repressed | Very serious | Limited rights | High |
194. Sudan | Not Free | Authoritarian | - | Very serious | Extreme discrimination | High |
195. Somalia | Not Free | - | - | Very serious | Extreme discrimination | High |
Data Sources
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