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Personal freedom and social tolerance - a ranking of countries





The Legatum Prosperity Index ranked countries according to personal freedom: access to legal rights; freedom of speech and religion; and social tolerance, notably towards immigrants and ethnic minorities.

Luxembourg, a founding member of the European Union and seat of the European Court of Justice, tops the liberty charts. It is one of Europe's smallest sovereign states and has a population of a little over half a million.
In second place is Canada. Other European entries in the top 10 include Iceland, The Netherlands, Finland and Belgium.

New Zealand, which comes third in the personal freedom ranking, tops Legatum's overall prosperity league table for 2016, which also takes in factors such as education and business environment. Australia is behind our Kiwi neighbours in 12th spot, in the middle of the Scandinavia countries - behind Norway, but ahead of Sweden and Denmark. Australia comes sixth in the overall rankings.

Uruguay, which has a reputation for liberal legislation, including legalised cannabis - is the only South American country to make the top 20. "The Land of the Free" – the United States – only managed 25th in the ranking.


The 20 most tolerant countries for personal freedom:

         Luxembourg
         Canada
         New Zealand 
         Iceland 
         Ireland
         Uruguay
         Netherlands
         Finalnd 
         Belgium
         Portugal 
         Norway
         Australia 
         Denmark
         Sweden 
         United Kingdom 
         Spain 
         Malta
         Switzerland 
         Costa Rica
         Slovenia 

Afghanistan scores lowest for personal freedom. Russia is also in the bottom 10 for rights and tolerance, coming behind Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo, among others. 


The 20 least tolerant countries for personal freedom:

         Afghanistan (last)
         Sudan 
         Yemen 
         Egypt
         Iran 
         Libya
         Mauritania
         The Central African Republic 
         Russia
         Democratic Republic of Congo 
         Iraq
         China 
         Chad 
         Algeria 
         Swaziland 
         Belarus 
         Saudi Arabia 
         Pakistan 
         Comoros
         Tajikistan



http://www.traveller.com.au/freedom-around-the-world-the-most-and-least-free-and-tolerant-countries-gtksph#ixzz4UqqC2ma0

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).


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