The Index of Economic Freedom could not be produced without the help of countless individuals and organizations around the world. While it is impossible to mention all who contribute to our success, we wish to express our profound gratitude to the myriad individuals serving with various international organizations, accounting firms, businesses, research institutions, U.S. government agencies, foreign embassies, and other organizations who provide data used in the Index. Their assistance is vital and appreciated each year.
The Heritage Foundation’s Center for International Trade and Economics (CITE) produces the Index. The CITE team of Anthony Kim, Bryan Riley, and James Roberts were responsible for grading the 10 components of economic freedom, analyzing the results, and producing the country reports included in this edition. Research Assistant Ryan Olson and interns Dylan DelliSanti, Katherine Elliott, Wesley Gwinn, Mark Lamborn, Kyle Niewoehner, Sylvia Oh, and Ella Peterson also contributed substantial research.
Others at The Heritage Foundation also made valuable contributions to this year’s Index. In the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies, Janice A. Smith, Special Assistant and Policy Coordinator for the Vice President of Foreign and Defense Policy Studies, provided important production assistance. A great debt is owed to the policy experts who wrote country backgrounds informed by their regional expertise. This year’s contributors were Ariel Cohen, James Phillips, and Ray Walser of the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies; Lisa Curtis, Bruce Klingner, Derek Scissors, and Director Walter Lohman of the Asian Studies Center; and Luke Coffey and Morgan Roach of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom.
The Index of Economic Freedom is a substantial publication brought to print each year by the incredibly talented team in Creative Services. Director Melissa Bluey, Elizabeth Brewer, Doug Sampson, and Alex Harker were responsible for all aspects of the production process.
The Index stands on its commitment to accuracy, and once again we wish to express our deepest appreciation to Senior Editor Richard Odermatt, who is responsible for final review of the completed text, and Senior Copy Editor William T. Poole, who bears the primary responsibility for perfecting the text of the entire book. We are likewise grateful to Senior Data Graphics Editor John Fleming, who produced an automated system for generating some of our charts and carefully reviewed all graphics included in the book.
The availability of the entire Index and related raw data online at www.heritage.org/index has greatly expanded the publication’s reach and accessibility. The transposition to the Web each year would not be possible without the expertise of Vice President of Information Technology Michael Spiller and his team, including Director of Online Communications Tim McGovern, Maria Sousa, Roger Spurzem, Jim Lawruk, Steve Sharman, John O’Keefe, Jeph Christoff, and Martha Galante.
The continuing support from Phil Truluck, Executive Vice President of The Heritage Foundation; Becky Norton Dunlop, Vice President, External Relations; Mike Franc, Vice President, Government Studies; Genevieve Wood, Vice President, Marketing; and Michael Gonzalez, Vice President, Communications, is sincerely appreciated.
As always, we acknowledge our enduring debt to Heritage Trustee Ambassador J. William Middendorf II, who originally encouraged us to undertake such a study of global economic freedom. Very special thanks go to Paul Gigot and Mary Anastasia O’Grady at The Wall Street
Journal, whose enduring partnership and support we truly cherish.
Finally, we would like to express our appreciation to the many people who respond so enthusiastically, year after year, to the Index of Economic Freedom. To those who read, share, and use the Index findings to engage in discussions about economic freedom, we thank you. The support and encouragement of people in all parts of the world continue to inspire The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal in their ongoing collaboration on this important work.
Ambassador Terry Miller
Kim R. Holmes, Ph.D.
Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
November 2012