Kuwait has solidified its position as one of the region’s most free and open countries, ranking first in the Gulf and second in the Arab world — behind only Jordan — according to the latest Human Freedom Index (HFI) report, covering the period up to the end of 2025.
The HFI, a respected annual report produced jointly by the American Cato Institute and the Canadian Fraser Institute, evaluates 165 countries worldwide.
Globally, Kuwait ranked 113th, achieving a total score of 6.18.
Its performance was particularly notable in key sub-indicators:
- Personal freedom: 6.33 points (109th globally)
- Economic freedom: 6.56 points (88th globally)
- Civil liberties: 6.43 points (104th globally)
Among other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, improvements were observed across the board, with global rankings as follows: UAE 121, Oman 122, Qatar 128, Bahrain 129, and Saudi Arabia 148.
At the global level, the following countries demonstrate the highest levels of human freedom were: Thailand and Switzerland tied at 9.14, New Zealand 9.08, Denmark 9.04, Luxembourg 8.93, Ireland 8.91, Finland 8.84, Tanzania 8.8, Australia 8.8, Sweden 8.8, Iceland 8.8, Estonia 8.78, Canada 8.74, Japan 8.73 and Norway 8.73.
These nations consistently excel in both personal and economic freedom indicators.
The Human Freedom Index is widely regarded as the most comprehensive global measure of liberty, encompassing 87 sub-indicators ranging from the rule of law and freedom of expression to property rights and regulatory efficiency, covering roughly 98 percent of the world’s population.
Kuwait’s strong ranking reflects continued progress in enhancing personal, economic, and civil liberties, and underscores its standing as a regional leader in promoting human freedom.
