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The Freedom House Annual Survey employs a Civil Liberties checklist to help monitor the progress and decline of human rights worldwide. Each country is rated on a seven-category scale, 1 representing the most free and 7 the least free. These 7 categories are laid out below.

Country 2012 Civil Liberties Score 2011 Civil Liberties Score Democracy Rank 2012
Afghanistan 6 6 142
Albania 3 3 63
Algeria 5 5 98
Angola 5 5 122
Argentina 2 2 61
Armenia 4 4 103
Australia 1 1 9
Austria 1 1 15
Azerbaijan 5 5 129
Bangladesh 4 4 96
Belarus 6 6 138
Belgium 1 1 9
Benin 2 2 49
Bhutan 5 5 72
Bolivia 3 3 59
Bosnia and Herzegovina 3 3 77
Botswana 2 2 38
Brazil 2 2 50
Bulgaria 2 2 46
Burkina Faso 3 3 75
Burundi 5 5 129
Cambodia 5 5 118
Cameroon 6 6 120
Canada 1 1 8
Country 2011 Civil Liberties Score 2011 Civil Liberties Score Democracy Rank 2012
Central African Republic 5 5 112
Chad 6 6 133
Chile 1 1 20
China 6 6 124
Colombia 4 4 84
Congo, Republic of the 5 5 101
Costa Rica 1 1 23
Cote d'Ivoire 6? 6? 118
Croatia 2 2 36
Cuba 6 6 121
Czech Republic 1 1 26
Dem. Rep. of the Congo 6 6 138
Denmark 1 1 2
Dominican Republic 2 2 67
Ecuador 3 3 68
Egypt 5 5 94
El Salvador 3 3 53
Eritrea 7 7 145
Estonia 1 1 17
Ethiopia 6 5 126
Finland 1 1 1
France 1 1 16
Gabon 5 5 111
Gambia, The 5 5 125
Georgia 3 3 73
Germany 1 1 11
Ghana 2 2 35
Greece 2 2 45
Guatemala 4 4 97
Guinea 5 5 114
Guinea-Bissau 4 4 107
Haiti 5 5 103
Honduras 4 4 110
Hungary 2? 1 34
Country 2011 Civil Liberties Score 2011 Civil Liberties Score Democracy Rank 2012
India 3 3 50
Indonesia 3 3 62
Iran 6 6 142
Iraq 6 6 127
Ireland 1 1 13
Israel 2 2 31
Italy 1 2 28
Jamaica 3 3 40
Japan 2 2 29
Jordan 5 5 82
Kazakhstan 5 5 129
Kenya 3 3 94
Korea, North 7 7 150
Korea, South 2 2 33
Kuwait 5 5? 80
Kyrgyzstan 5 5 122
Laos 6 6 140
Latvia 2 2? 39
Lebanon 4? 3 87
Lesotho 3 3 54
Liberia 4 4 84
Libya 6 7 115
Lithuania 1 1 25
Macedonia 3 3 58
Madagascar 4 4 103
Malawi 4 4 89
Malaysia 4 4 81
Mali 3 3 43
Mauritania 5 5 87
Mauritius 2 2 32
Mexico 3 3 69
Moldova 3 3 63
Mongolia 2 2 50
Morocco 4 4 103
Mozambique 3 3 79
Myanmar 6 7 146
Namibia 2 2 41
Nepal 4 4 98
Netherlands 1 1 7
New Zealand 1 1 6
Nicaragua 4 4 86
Niger 4 4 83
Nigeria 4 4 89
Norway 1 1 4
Country 2011 Civil Liberties Score 2011 Civil Liberties Score Democracy Rank 2012
Oman 5 5 93
Pakistan 5 5 112
Panama 2 2 36
Papua New Guinea 3 3 74
Paraguay 3 3 70
Peru 3 3 55
Philippines 3 3 57
Poland 1 1 24
Portugal 1 1 17
Romania 2 2 48
Russia 5 5 128
Rwanda 5 5 101
Saudi Arabia 7? 6 117
Senegal 3 3 66
Serbia 2 2 47
Sierra Leone 3 3 63
Singapore 4 4 71
Slovakia 1 1 27
Slovenia 1 1 22
Somalia 7 7 147
South Africa 2 2 44
Spain 1 1 20
Sri Lanka 4 4 107
Sudan 7 7 144
Sweden 1 1 2
Switzerland 1 1 5
Syria 7? 6 140
Taiwan 2 2 30
Tajikistan 5 5 134
Tanzania 3 3 60
Thailand 4 4 89
Togo 4 4 115
Trinidad and Tobago 2 2 42
Tunisia 4 5 78
Turkey 3 3 55
Turkmenistan 7 7 149
Uganda 4 4 98
Ukraine 3 3? 109
United Arab Emirates 6? 5 75
United Kingdom 1 1 13
United States 1 1 12
Uruguay 1 1 17
Uzbekistan 7 7 148
Venezuela 5 5? 134
Vietnam 5 5 129
Yemen 6? 5 136
Zambia 4 4 89
Zimbabwe 6 6 136



 

Are there free and independent media, literature and other cultural expressions?
 (Note: In cases where the media are state-controlled but offer pluralistic points of view, the Survey gives the system credit.)

Are there free religious institutions and is there free private and public religious expression?

Is there freedom of assembly and demonstration?

Is there freedom of political or quasi-political organization?

Are there free trade unions and peasant organizations or equivalents, and is there effective collective bargaining? Are there free professional and other private organizations? (Note: This includes political parties, civic organizations, ad hoc issue groups, etc.)

Is there an independent judiciary?

Does the rule of law prevail in civil and criminal matters? Is the population treated equally under the law? Are police under direct civilian control?

Is there protection from political terror, and from unjustified imprisonment, exile or torture, whether by groups that support or oppose the system, and freedom from war and insurgency situations? (Note: Freedom from war and insurgencies enhances the liberties in a free society, but the absence of war and insurgencies does not in and of itself make a not free society free.)

Is there freedom from extreme government indifference and corruption?

Is there open public discussion and free private discussion?

Is there personal autonomy? Does the state control travel, choice of residence, or choice of employment? Is there freedom from indoctrination and excessive dependency on the state?

Are property rights secure? Do citizens have the right to establish private businesses? Is private activity unduly influenced by government officials, the security forces, or organized crime?

Are there free religious institutions and free private and public religious expressions?

Are there personal social freedoms, including gender equality, choice of marriage partners, and size of family?

Is there equality of opportunity, including freedom from exploitation by or dependency on landlords, employers, union leaders, bureaucrats or any other types of obstacles to a share of legitimate economic gains?
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