2012 Index of Economic Freedom

The 2012 Index, the 18th edition, analyzes economic policy developments in 184 countries since the second half of 2010. Somalia, though not formally graded, returns to the Index for the first time since the 2001 Index. Countries are graded and ranked on 10 measures of economic freedom that evaluate the rule of law, the intrusiveness of government, regulatory efficiency, and the openness of markets. The global average economic freedom score in the 2012 Index is 59.5, a 0.2 point decline from last year and matching the second lowest level in the past 10 years.