In 2024, 60 countries saw their freedom decline in a historic election year.
Strikingly, 40% of countries and territories that held elections experienced targeted attacks on candidates amid heightened instability.
Yet bright spots were seen in Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Syria, driven by political reform.
This graphic, via Visual Capitalist's Dorothy Neufeld, shows the state of freedom by country, based on data from Freedom House.
For the 19th year in a row, the state of freedom declined globally.
In particular, freedom declined the most in 2024 for El Salvador, Haiti, and Kuwait. In absolute terms, the Gaza Strip and the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine have among the lowest scores of freedom amid ongoing, violent conflict.
| Country/ Territory | Status | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 🇫🇮 Finland | F | 100 |
| 🇳🇿 New Zealand | F | 99 |
| 🇳🇴 Norway | F | 99 |
| 🇸🇪 Sweden | F | 99 |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | F | 97 |
| 🇩🇰 Denmark | F | 97 |
| 🇮🇪 Ireland | F | 97 |
| 🇱🇺 Luxembourg | F | 97 |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | F | 97 |
| 🇸🇲 San Marino | F | 97 |
| 🇧🇪 Belgium | F | 96 |
| 🇪🇪 Estonia | F | 96 |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | F | 96 |
| 🇵🇹 Portugal | F | 96 |
| 🇸🇮 Slovenia | F | 96 |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | F | 96 |
| 🇺🇾 Uruguay | F | 96 |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | F | 95 |
| 🇨🇱 Chile | F | 95 |
| 🇨🇿 Czech Republic | F | 95 |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | F | 95 |
| 🇮🇸 Iceland | F | 95 |
| 🇧🇧 Barbados | F | 94 |
| 🇹🇼 Taiwan | F | 94 |
| 🇦🇩 Andorra | F | 93 |
| 🇦🇹 Austria | F | 93 |
| 🇲🇭 Marshall Islands | F | 93 |
| 🇹🇻 Tuvalu | F | 93 |
| 🇨🇻 Cabo Verde | F | 92 |
| 🇩🇲 Dominica | F | 92 |
| 🇫🇲 Micronesia | F | 92 |
| 🇵🇼 Palau | F | 92 |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | F | 92 |
| 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | F | 91 |
| 🇨🇾 Cyprus | F | 91 |
| 🏴 St. Lucia | F | 91 |
| 🇧🇸 Bahamas | F | 90 |
| 🇱🇮 Liechtenstein | F | 90 |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | F | 90 |
| 🏴 St. Vincent and the Grenadines | F | 90 |
| 🇫🇷 France | F | 89 |
| 🇬🇩 Grenada | F | 89 |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | F | 89 |
| 🇰🇮 Kiribati | F | 89 |
| 🇱🇻 Latvia | F | 89 |
| 🇱🇹 Lithuania | F | 89 |
| 🇸🇰 Slovakia | F | 89 |
| 🏴 St. Kitts and Nevis | F | 89 |
| 🇧🇿 Belize | F | 88 |
| 🇲🇹 Malta | F | 87 |
| 🇲🇺 Mauritius | F | 86 |
| 🇦🇷 Argentina | F | 85 |
| 🇬🇷 Greece | F | 85 |
| 🇲🇳 Mongolia | F | 84 |
| 🇼🇸 Samoa | F | 84 |
| 🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe | F | 84 |
| 🇺🇸 United States | F | 84 |
| 🇦🇬 Antigua and Barbuda | F | 83 |
| 🇵🇦 Panama | F | 83 |
| 🇭🇷 Croatia | F | 82 |
| 🇲🇨 Monaco | F | 82 |
| 🇵🇱 Poland | F | 82 |
| 🇷🇴 Romania | F | 82 |
| 🇹🇹 Trinidad and Tobago | F | 82 |
| 🇻🇺 Vanuatu | F | 82 |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | F | 81 |
| 🏴 South Korea | F | 81 |
| 🇬🇭 Ghana | F | 80 |
| 🇯🇲 Jamaica | F | 80 |
| 🇸🇨 Seychelles | F | 80 |
| 🇸🇷 Suriname | F | 80 |
| 🇹🇴 Tonga | F | 80 |
| 🇧🇬 Bulgaria | F | 77 |
| 🏴 Northern Cyprus | F | 76 |
| 🇧🇼 Botswana | F | 75 |
| 🇳🇷 Nauru | F | 75 |
| 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands | F | 75 |
| 🇬🇾 Guyana | F | 74 |
| 🇮🇱 Israel | F | 73 |
| 🇳🇦 Namibia | F | 73 |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | F | 72 |
| 🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | F | 72 |
| 🇨🇴 Colombia | F | 70 |
| 🇫🇯 Fiji | PF | 69 |
| 🇲🇪 Montenegro | PF | 69 |
| 🇸🇳 Senegal | F | 69 |
| 🇦🇱 Albania | PF | 68 |
| 🇧🇹 Bhutan | F | 68 |
| 🇩🇴 Dominican Republic | PF | 68 |
| 🇲🇰 North Macedonia | PF | 67 |
| 🇵🇪 Peru | PF | 67 |
| 🇱🇸 Lesotho | F | 66 |
| 🇧🇴 Bolivia | PF | 65 |
| 🇪🇨 Ecuador | PF | 65 |
| 🇭🇺 Hungary | PF | 65 |
| 🇲🇼 Malawi | PF | 65 |
| 🇱🇷 Liberia | PF | 64 |
| 🇮🇳 India | PF | 63 |
| 🇵🇾 Paraguay | PF | 63 |
| 🇳🇵 Nepal | PF | 62 |
| 🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea | PF | 61 |
| 🇧🇯 Benin | PF | 60 |
| 🇽🇰 Kosovo | PF | 60 |
| 🇲🇩 Moldova | PF | 60 |
| 🇲🇽 Mexico | PF | 59 |
| 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone | PF | 59 |
| 🇵🇭 Philippines | PF | 58 |
| 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | PF | 58 |
| 🇮🇩 Indonesia | PF | 56 |
| 🇷🇸 Serbia | PF | 56 |
| 🇬🇪 Georgia | PF | 55 |
| 🇲🇬 Madagascar | PF | 55 |
| 🇦🇲 Armenia | PF | 54 |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | PF | 53 |
| 🇿🇲 Zambia | PF | 53 |
| 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina | PF | 52 |
| 🇰🇪 Kenya | PF | 51 |
| 🇺🇦 Ukraine | PF | 51 |
| 🇬🇲 The Gambia | PF | 50 |
| 🇨🇮 Cote d'Ivoire | PF | 49 |
| 🇬🇹 Guatemala | PF | 48 |
| 🇭🇳 Honduras | PF | 48 |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | PF | 48 |
| 🇸🇻 El Salvador | PF | 47 |
| 🏴 Somaliland | PF | 47 |
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | PF | 45 |
| 🇳🇬 Nigeria | PF | 44 |
| 🇹🇳 Tunisia | PF | 44 |
| 🇲🇻 Maldives | PF | 43 |
| 🇰🇲 Comoros | PF | 42 |
| 🇬🇼 Guinea-Bissau | PF | 41 |
| 🇲🇿 Mozambique | PF | 41 |
| 🇹🇬 Togo | PF | 41 |
| 🇭🇰 Hong Kong | PF | 40 |
| 🏴 Abkhazia | PF | 39 |
| 🇱🇧 Lebanon | PF | 39 |
| 🇲🇷 Mauritania | PF | 39 |
| 🏴 Indian Kashmir | PF | 38 |
| 🇲🇦 Morocco | PF | 37 |
| 🇹🇿 Tanzania | NF | 35 |
| 🇯🇴 Jordan | PF | 34 |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | NF | 34 |
| 🇺🇬 Uganda | NF | 34 |
| 🇹🇷 Turkey | NF | 33 |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistan | PF | 32 |
| 🇩🇿 Algeria | NF | 31 |
| 🇮🇶 Iraq | NF | 31 |
| 🇰🇼 Kuwait | NF | 31 |
| 🇬🇳 Guinea | NF | 30 |
| 🇳🇪 Niger | NF | 30 |
| 🏴 Pakistani Kashmir | NF | 30 |
| 🇦🇴 Angola | NF | 28 |
| 🇧🇳 Brunei | NF | 27 |
| 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | NF | 26 |
| 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | NF | 26 |
| 🇧🇫 Burkina Faso | NF | 25 |
| 🇶🇦 Qatar | NF | 25 |
| 🇩🇯 Djibouti | NF | 24 |
| 🇭🇹 Haiti | NF | 24 |
| 🇲🇱 Mali | NF | 24 |
| 🇴🇲 Oman | NF | 24 |
| 🇰🇭 Cambodia | NF | 23 |
| 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | NF | 23 |
| 🏴 West Bank | NF | 22 |
| 🇬🇦 Gabon | NF | 21 |
| 🇷🇼 Rwanda | NF | 21 |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | NF | 20 |
| 🏴 Congo (Kinshasa) | NF | 18 |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | NF | 18 |
| 🇪🇹 Ethiopia | NF | 18 |
| 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | NF | 18 |
| 🏴 Congo (Brazzaville) | NF | 17 |
| 🇸🇿 Eswatini | NF | 17 |
| 🏴 Transnistria | NF | 17 |
| 🇧🇮 Burundi | NF | 15 |
| 🇨🇲 Cameroon | NF | 15 |
| 🇹🇩 Chad | NF | 15 |
| 🇳🇮 Nicaragua | NF | 14 |
| 🏴 Laos | NF | 13 |
| 🇻🇪 Venezuela | NF | 13 |
| 🇧🇭 Bahrain | NF | 12 |
| 🇷🇺 Russia | NF | 12 |
| 🏴 South Ossetia | NF | 12 |
| 🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | NF | 12 |
| 🇮🇷 Iran | NF | 11 |
| 🇨🇺 Cuba | NF | 10 |
| 🇱🇾 Libya | NF | 10 |
| 🇾🇪 Yemen | NF | 10 |
| 🇨🇳 China | NF | 9 |
| 🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | NF | 9 |
| 🇸🇴 Somalia | NF | 8 |
| 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | NF | 7 |
| 🇧🇾 Belarus | NF | 7 |
| 🇲🇲 Myanmar | NF | 7 |
| 🇦🇫 Afghanistan | NF | 6 |
| 🇨🇫 Central African Republic | NF | 5 |
| 🇬🇶 Equatorial Guinea | NF | 5 |
| 🇸🇾 Syria | NF | 5 |
| 🇹🇯 Tajikistan | NF | 5 |
| 🏴 Western Sahara | NF | 4 |
| 🇪🇷 Eritrea | NF | 3 |
| 🏴 North Korea | NF | 3 |
| 🏴 Gaza Strip | NF | 2 |
| 🇸🇩 Sudan | NF | 2 |
| 🇸🇸 South Sudan | NF | 1 |
| 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | NF | 1 |
| 🏴 Tibet | NF | 0 |
| 🏴 Russian-Occupied Territories of Ukraine | NF | -1 |
Finland ranks highest globally, supported by a multiparty system that mitigates voter polarization.
Following behind are New Zealand, Norway, and Sweden—each with populations under six million. Notably, only two countries in the top 10 have medium-sized populations: the Netherlands (18 million) and Canada (39 million).
When it comes to the U.S., freedom continued to erode in 2024. In recent years, institutional trust has plunged to near record lows. Political polarization has deepened alongside growing income inequality, further weakening public confidence.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh recorded one of the biggest gains. In 2024, mass protests ousted Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year regime. Under interim leader and Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, reforms aimed at curbing corruption and expanding welfare are now underway.
To learn more about this topic from a democratic perspective, check out this graphic on the state of democracy by country in 2024.
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