Photographs: Reuters
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...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Reuters
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...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
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...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Canada
Rank (2011): 1
Country score (2009): 3.86
Country score (2010): 3.79
Country score (2011): 3.76
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
New Zealand
Rank (2011): 2
Country score (2009): 3.61
Country score (2010): 3.61
Country score (2011): 3.74
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Norway
Rank (2011): 3
Country score (2009): 3.66
Country score (2010): 3.66
Country score (2011): 3.66
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Australia
Rank (2011): 4
Country score (2009): 3.60
Country score (2010): 3.60
Country score (2011): 3.64
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Denmark
Rank (2011): 5
Country score (2009): 3.44
Country score (2010): 3.44
Country score (2011): 3.49
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Iceland
Rank (2011): 6
Country score (2009): 3.37
Country score (2010): 3.03
Country score (2011): 3.37
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
The Netherlands
Rank (2011): 7
Country score (2009): 2.84
Country score (2010): 2.83
Country score (2011): 3.31
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Sweden
Rank (2011): 8
Country score (2009): 3.58
Country score (2010): 3.58
Country score (2011): 3.27
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Ireland
Rank (2011): 9
Country score (2009): 3.38
Country score (2010): 3.05
Country score (2011): 3.09
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Uruguay
Rank (2011): 10
Country score (2009): 2.78
Country score (2010): 2.87
Country score (2011): 2.91
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
France
Rank (2011): 11
Country score (2009): 2.21
Country score (2010): 2.39
Country score (2011): 2.73
...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
The United States
Rank (2011): 12
Country score (2009): 3.08
Country score (2010): 2.96
Country score (2011): 2.71
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
The United Kingdom
Rank (2011): 13
Country score (2009): 2.32
Country score (2010): 2.57
Country score (2011): 2.68
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Spain
Rank (2011): 14
Country score (2009): 2.89
Country score (2010): 2.36
Country score (2011): 2.54
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Germany
Rank (2011): 15
Country score (2009): 2.30
Country score (2010): 2.63
Country score (2011): 2.48
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Finland
Rank (2011): 16
Country score (2009): 2.84
Country score (2010): 2.84
Country score (2011): 2.39
...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Switzerland
Rank (2011): 17
Country score (2009): 2.36
Country score (2010): 2.36
Country score (2011): 2.35
...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Ghana
Rank (2011): 18
Country score (2009): 1.30
Country score (2010): 0.99
Country score (2011): 2.15
...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Belgium
Rank (2011): 19
Country score (2009): 2.93
Country score (2010): 2.93
Country score (2011): 2.14
...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Costa Rica
Rank (2011): 20
Country score (2009): 2.40
Country score (2010): 2.20
Country score (2011): 2.14
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Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Hong Kong
Rank (2011): 21
Country score (2009): 2.43
Country score (2010): 2.43
Country score (2011): 2.09
...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Brazil
Rank (2011): 22
Country score (2009): 1.89
Country score (2010): 1.30
Country score (2011): 2.03
...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Slovenia
Rank (2011): 23
Country score (2009): 1.33
Country score (2010): 1.79
Country score (2011): 1.98
...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Portugal
Rank (2011): 24
Country score (2009): 1.32
Country score (2010): 1.32
Country score (2011): 1.98
...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Austria
Rank (2011): 25
Country score (2009): 1.51
Country score (2010): 1.51
Country score (2011): 1.94
...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Senegal
Rank (2011): 26
Country score (2009): 0.99
Country score (2010): 0.33
Country score (2011): 1.64
...
Shocking: India ranks 73rd in personal freedom
Photographs: Courtesy, Wikipedia Commons
Argentina
Rank (2011): 27
Country score (2009): 0.53
Country score (2010): 0.70
Country score (2011): 1.59
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