When citizens enjoy their rights to expression, belief, organisation and personal autonomy in a society welcoming of diversity, their country enjoys higher levels of income and social wellbeing, according to 2011 Legatum Prosperity Index.
The Personal Freedom sub-index measures countries' performance in two areas: individual freedom and social tolerance.
Societies that strengthen civil rights and freedoms through democratisation have been shown to experience increases in levels of satisfaction among their citizens.
When citizens' personal liberties are protected, a nation also enjoys higher levels of economic growth, it says.
Let's have a look at 30 countries and see where they rank on Ligatum's Personal Freedom sub-index.
India
Rank (2011): 73
Country score (2009): 0.61
Country score (2010): -0.88
Country score (2011): -0.87
Click NEXT to see where Pakistan stands...
Pakistan
Rank (2011): 104
Country score (2009): -4.13
Country score (2010): -5.26
Country score (2011): -2.93
Click NEXT to see China's ranking...
China
Rank (2011): 91
Country score (2009): -1.66
Country score (2010): -2.72
Country score (2011): -1.77
Click NEXT to see rest of the countries...
Canada
Rank (2011): 1
Country score (2009): 3.86
Country score (2010): 3.79
Country score (2011): 3.76
...
New Zealand
Rank (2011): 2
Country score (2009): 3.61
Country score (2010): 3.61
Country score (2011): 3.74
...
Norway
Rank (2011): 3
Country score (2009): 3.66
Country score (2010): 3.66
Country score (2011): 3.66
...
Australia
Rank (2011): 4
Country score (2009): 3.60
Country score (2010): 3.60
Country score (2011): 3.64
...
Denmark
Rank (2011): 5
Country score (2009): 3.44
Country score (2010): 3.44
Country score (2011): 3.49
...
Iceland
Rank (2011): 6
Country score (2009): 3.37
Country score (2010): 3.03
Country score (2011): 3.37
...
The Netherlands
Rank (2011): 7
Country score (2009): 2.84
Country score (2010): 2.83
Country score (2011): 3.31
...
Sweden
Rank (2011): 8
Country score (2009): 3.58
Country score (2010): 3.58
Country score (2011): 3.27
...
Ireland
Rank (2011): 9
Country score (2009): 3.38
Country score (2010): 3.05
Country score (2011): 3.09
...
Uruguay
Rank (2011): 10
Country score (2009): 2.78
Country score (2010): 2.87
Country score (2011): 2.91
...
France
Rank (2011): 11
Country score (2009): 2.21
Country score (2010): 2.39
Country score (2011): 2.73
...
The United States
Rank (2011): 12
Country score (2009): 3.08
Country score (2010): 2.96
Country score (2011): 2.71
...
The United Kingdom
Rank (2011): 13
Country score (2009): 2.32
Country score (2010): 2.57
Country score (2011): 2.68
...
Spain
Rank (2011): 14
Country score (2009): 2.89
Country score (2010): 2.36
Country score (2011): 2.54
...
Germany
Rank (2011): 15
Country score (2009): 2.30
Country score (2010): 2.63
Country score (2011): 2.48
...
Finland
Rank (2011): 16
Country score (2009): 2.84
Country score (2010): 2.84
Country score (2011): 2.39
...
Switzerland
Rank (2011): 17
Country score (2009): 2.36
Country score (2010): 2.36
Country score (2011): 2.35
...
Ghana
Rank (2011): 18
Country score (2009): 1.30
Country score (2010): 0.99
Country score (2011): 2.15
...
Belgium
Rank (2011): 19
Country score (2009): 2.93
Country score (2010): 2.93
Country score (2011): 2.14
...
Costa Rica
Rank (2011): 20
Country score (2009): 2.40
Country score (2010): 2.20
Country score (2011): 2.14
...
Hong Kong
Rank (2011): 21
Country score (2009): 2.43
Country score (2010): 2.43
Country score (2011): 2.09
...
Brazil
Rank (2011): 22
Country score (2009): 1.89
Country score (2010): 1.30
Country score (2011): 2.03
...
Slovenia
Rank (2011): 23
Country score (2009): 1.33
Country score (2010): 1.79
Country score (2011): 1.98
...
Portugal
Rank (2011): 24
Country score (2009): 1.32
Country score (2010): 1.32
Country score (2011): 1.98
...
Austria
Rank (2011): 25
Country score (2009): 1.51
Country score (2010): 1.51
Country score (2011): 1.94
...
Senegal
Rank (2011): 26
Country score (2009): 0.99
Country score (2010): 0.33
Country score (2011): 1.64
...
Argentina
Rank (2011): 27
Country score (2009): 0.53
Country score (2010): 0.70
Country score (2011): 1.59
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