For much of human history, most individuals have lacked economic freedom and opportunity, condemning them to poverty and deprivation.
Today, we live in the most prosperous time in human history. Poverty, sicknesses, and ignorance are receding throughout the world, due in large part to the advance of economic freedom. In 2024, the principles of economic freedom that have fueled this monumental progress are once again measured in the Index of Economic Freedom, an annual guide published by The Heritage Foundation, Washington’s No. 1 think tank.
The Index covers 12 freedoms—from property rights to financial freedom—in 184 countries.
The 2024 Index—the 30th edition—includes:
- Updated economic freedom scores and macroeconomic data for 184 economies.
- Easy-to-read country profiles that highlight why economic freedom matters.
- Online tools like customized comparison charts and interactive data visualizations.
Promoting Economic Opportunity, Individual Empowerment, and Prosperity
The Index of Economic Freedom has measured the impact of liberty and free markets around the globe, and the 2024 Index confirms the formidable positive relationship between economic freedom and progress.
For thirty years the Index has delivered thoughtful analysis in a clear, friendly, and straight-forward format. With new resources for users and a website tailored for research and education, the Index of Economic Freedom is poised to help readers track three decades of the advancement in economic freedom, prosperity, and opportunity and to promote these ideas in their homes, schools, and communities.
