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*People are essential to growth. Without growth, states become stagnant and do not show economic or political growth. 

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*People are essential to growth. Without growth, states become stagnant and do not show economic or political growth. 

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Population of the United States: current, historical, and projected population, growth rate, immigration, median age, total fertility rate (TFR), population density, urbanization, urban population, country's share of world population, and global rank. Data tables, maps, charts, and live population clock

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U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: South Carolina

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Frequently requested statistics for: South Carolina

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You might ask, well what could happen if population declines? Here is a great link to tell how in 2018, the United States as a whole saw a decline in population. Population is ESSENTIAL TO GROWTH!

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While 2018 was a year of economic revival with historically low unemployment and rising wage growth, demographic indicators stand in contrast, seemingly ushering in an era of population growth stagnation.

This was emphasized this week as the U.S. Census Bureau released its population change estimates for the year ending in July 2018. Their data show that the national rate of population growth is at its lowest since 1937, a result of declines in the number of births, gains in the number of deaths, and that the nation's under age 18 population has declined since the 2010 census. This is on the heels of recently released data showing geographic mobility within the U.S. is at a historic low. And while some states-particularly in the Mountain West-are growing rapidly, nearly a fifth of all states displayed absolute population losses over the past two years.

While some of these downward demographic trends reflect the delayed impact of the Great Recession, the aging American population is the broader cause, a factor that the nation will have to cope with for years and decades to come.
A historic low for U.S. population growth
The U.S. population growth rate of 0.62 percent for 2017-2018 is the lowest registered in 80 years. While the nation's growth rate varied through wars, economic upheavals, baby booms, and baby busts, the current rate reflects a further dip in a trend toward a lower level of growth-below 0.80 percent-registered since the Great Recession of 2007-2009.
More reliance on immigration as a contributor to growth
These downward growth trends initially reflected declines in immigration as well as lower natural increase (the excess of births over deaths) because the economy was down. But over the past few years, as immigration gained slight momentum, reduced natural increase was more responsible for the overall decline in population growth-as it dropped from 1.6 million in 2000-2001 to just above 1 million in 2017-2018. There were fewer births than in recent decades and more deaths than in earlier years ( download Table A).

The decline in births may have been accentuated by young adult millennials, who, still bearing the brunt of the Great Recession, may be postponing births. However, the long-term trajectory should yield fewer rather than more births as the population ages, with proportionately fewer women in childbearing ages. The rise in deaths is more directly related to the nation's aging population. Census Bureau projections show their rise to be the major cause of reductions in the nation's natural increase over time.

This leaves immigration as an ever-more-important contributor to national population growth. In 2001-2002, natural increase exceeded immigration by 50 percent and that was when immigration was slightly higher than this year (1.05 million vs 0.99 million). Because of the recent decline in natural increase, immigration now contributes nearly as much to population growth, and is projected to be the primary contributor to national population growth after 2030 as natural increase continues to decline. Thus immigration-its size and its attributes-will be an important contributor to the nation's future population that is growing slowly and aging quickly.
The child population is declining both nationally and in 29 states.
One consequence of fewer births in concert with an aging population is the slower growth of the nation's younger population. The just-released census estimates show that between 2010 and 2018, the nation's under-age 18 population declined by 780,000 (1 percent), while the adult population grew by 19.2 million (8 percent). The child population declined in 29 states: by more than 10 percent in the New England states of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Connecticut; and by more than 5 percent in 11 states located in parts of the Northeast, industrial Midwest, and in Mississippi, West Virginia and New Mexico ( download Table B).

Those states which gained children include Texas, Utah, Florida, Washington, Idaho, and North and South Dakota. Most of these states recently gained migrants from other states or abroad, which added to their youth populations. Nonetheless, these data for the past eight years foreshadow another aspect of aging that census projections show: a long-term decline in the nation's younger population share.
Geographical mobility hits a postwar low
If there is one demographic indicator that might be expected to pick up in a rebounding economy, it should be geographic mobility within the U.S. Yet the latest data for 2017-2018 released by the Census Bureau shows that the percentage of Americans changing residence is at a post-World War II low of 10.1 percent-continuing a slowdown observed last year (See Figure 3). This is less than half the rate the nation experienced in the highly mobile 1950s and substantially lower than in the 1990s.

The bulk of this downturn is attributable to local (within-county) moves, which also registered a postwar low, and could possibly be related to the "stuck in place" millennials, or specifically, the "older millennial" 25-34 year old age group, which particularly exhibits this mobility decline. But a new finding this year was the downward trend in inter-county and interstate migration-the types of moves that should accompany a rising labor market. Hence, the nation's demographic stagnation appears with this indicator as well.
Nearly one-fifth of all states lost population in recent years
The national population growth slowdown did not occur in all parts of the country. Two states, Nevada and Idaho, grew by more than 2 percent between 2017 and 2018-continuing a recent boom in the Mountain West, which like other regions, took growth hits earlier in the decade. Among the 14 states which grew by more than 1 percent, all except South Dakota were located in the South and West (see Map 1).

Yet all is not upbeat even for the high flyers: Among those 14 states, 10 grew more slowly than in the previous year ( download Table C). An interesting example is Texas, a state which weathered the earlier growth slowdown of the 2007-2009 recession relatively well. While Texas's growth peaked this decade at a rate of 1.9 percent in 2014-2015, it dropped to 1.3 percent this year. Similarly, Florida, which took a hit during the recession, rebounded to grow by 2 percent in 2015-2016, only to fall to 1.5 percent growth this year.

The bigger story in the past two years is the number of states which lost population: 10 in 2016-2017 and nine this year, compared with only one or two earlier in the decade. These are states where current natural increase along with immigration could not counteract migration to other parts of the country. They include small-population states like Wyoming, Alaska, and Hawaii in the West; Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia in the South; and large urban states such as New York and Illinois-the latter losing population for the fifth straight year. As natural increase dwindles, all states will rely more heavily on in-migration from the rest of the U.S. and abroad to fuel growth or stave off declines.
An aging, slow-growing future
This week's release of census estimates appears to put an exclamation point on what we should be preparing for as the country ages and grows less rapidly from natural increase. The latest national growth rate of 0.62 percent is noticeably below what we have experienced in decades prior. While it is still far higher than in countries like Germany, Italy, and Japan, it means that policymakers must place increased attention on caring for a larger and more dependent aging population, and dealing with the realities of a slower-growing labor force. In particular, it requires a more serious discussion of U.S. immigration policy because of the future contributions that immigrants will make to growing America's society and economy.

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US population growth hits 80-year low, capping off a year of demographic stagnation

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While 2018 was a year of economic revival with historically low unemployment and rising wage growth, demographic indicators stand in contrast, seemingly ushering in an era of population growth stagnation. This was emphasized this week as the U.S. Census Bureau released its population change estimates for the year ending in July 2018.

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*Established boundaries are important because it allows people to know the laws they must adhere to and gives states and countries the ability to know where their borders are and how to keep them safe and secure. 

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*Established boundaries are important because it allows people to know the laws they must adhere to and gives states and countries the ability to know where their borders are and how to keep them safe and secure. 

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List of States:

United States Bordering Countries:

Regional Maps:

Great Lakes, U.S. Territories, North America, World

Where is the United States?

A basic map of the USA labeled with only the names of the states. Clear and easy to read so you can quickly locate the state you're looking for. Also shows the names of Canadian provinces that border the United States, as well as neighboring Mexico, The Bahamas, and Russia.

A colorful map of the USA labeled with only the names of the states and state capitals. Do you know all 50 state capitals? Brush up on your geography with this simple, easy-to-read map.

Several maps showing the Great Lakes and the surrounding area, including a bathymetry map, temperature anomaly map, and winter satellite image showing ice cover. We also list some interesting geographic facts about the lakes - for example, did you know that there is enough water in the Great Lakes to flood the rest of the USA with 5 feet of water?

Our United States wall maps are colorful, durable, educational, and affordable! These maps show state and country boundaries, state capitals and major cities, roads, mountain ranges, national parks, and much more. Available in two color palettes, suitable for display anywhere from the classroom to the boardroom. Get yours today!

The United States of America is one of nearly 200 countries illustrated on our Blue Ocean Laminated Map of the World. This map shows a combination of political and physical features. It includes country boundaries, major cities, major mountains in shaded relief, ocean depth in blue color gradient, along with many other features. This is a great map for students, schools, offices, and anywhere that a nice map of the world is needed for education, display or decor.

If you are interested in the United States and the geography of North America, our large laminated map of North America might be just what you need. It is a large political map of North America that also shows many of the continent's physical features in color or shaded relief. Major lakes, rivers, cities, roads, country boundaries, coastlines and surrounding islands are all shown on the map.

Google Earth is a free program from Google that allows you to explore satellite images showing the cities and landscapes of the United States and all of North America in fantastic detail. It works on your desktop computer, tablet, or mobile phone. The images in many areas are detailed enough that you can see houses, vehicles and even people on a city street. Google Earth is free and easy-to-use.

This map shows the terrrain of the USA in shaded relief. Higher elevations are shown in brown and tan, like the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Coast Ranges of the western United States. In the eastern U.S., the Appalachian Mountains trend from New England down to Alabama. You can see numerous rivers running across the country to the Mississippi River Basin, which drains everything from the Rockies in the west to the Appalachians in the east. Major lakes are also shown on the map, including the Great Lakes in the northeast, the Great Salt Lake of Utah, and Lake Okeechobee in Florida.

United States Cities:

Albany, Anchorage, Annapolis, Atlanta, Augusta, Austin, Baton Rouge, Bismarck, Boise, Boston, Carson City, Charleston, Cheyenne, Chicago, Columbia, Columbus, Concord, Denver, Des Moines, Detroit, Dover, Frankfort, Harrisburg, Hartford, Helena, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Jackson, Jefferson City, Lansing, Lincoln, Little Rock, Los Angeles, Madison, Miami, Montgomery, Montpelier, Nashville, New Orleans, New York City, Oklahoma City, Olympia, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pierre, Providence, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, Salem, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Springfield, St. Paul, Tacoma, Tallahassee, Topeka, Trenton, and Washington D.C.

United States Locations:

Appalachian Mountains, Atlantic Ocean, Casacade Mountain Range, Chesapeake Bay, Grat Salt Lake, Gulf of Mexico, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Okeechobee, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, Lower Red Lake, Mississippi River, Missouri River, Pacific Ocean, Rio Grande, Rocky Mountains, Salton Sea, Straits of Florida and Upper Red Lake.

United States Natural Resources:

The United States has some fossil fuel deposits of coal, petroleum and natural gas. There are a number of metal and metallic resources present, including copper, lead, molybdenum, uranium, bauxite, gold, iron, mercury, nickel, silver, tungsten and zinc. Other natural resources include potash, timber and phosphates.

United States Natural Hazards:

The United States has numerous natural hazards. There are hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts, flooding, mud slides in California, and frequent tornadoes in the midwest and southeast. Varied other occurrences include volcanoes, and earthquake activity around the Pacific Basin, tsunamis, and forest fires in the western portion of the country. In northern Alaska there is permafrost, which is a major impediment to development.

United States Environmental Issues:

The United States is the largest single emitter of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels. There is acid rain resulting from the air pollution of both the U.S. and Canada. Much of the western part of the country has limited natural fresh water resources, which requires careful management. The U.S. has water pollution from runoff of pesticides and fertilizers. There are also land issues regarding desertification.

Copyright information: The images on this page were composed by Angela King and Brad Cole and are copyright by Geology.com. These images are not available for use beyond our websites. If you would like to share them with others please link to this page. The satellite image was produced using Landsat data from NASA and the map was produced using data licensed from and copyright by Map Resources.

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A political map of United States and a large satellite image from Landsat.

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This topographic map shows how established boundaries can denote the resources that states can have! You can't have a certain resource unless your state boundary says so. 

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This topographic map shows how established boundaries can denote the resources that states can have! You can't have a certain resource unless your state boundary says so. 

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The National Map: Topographic Maps Illustrating Physical Features

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Small-Scale Home >> Topo Maps of Physical Features

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Territorial disputes can cause war or problems 

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Territorial disputes can cause war or problems 

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It's important to know boundaries and to respect boundaries. If boundaries are not respected, this can lead to war, discourse and problems between states, nations, etc.

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List of territorial disputes - Wikipedia

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needs additional citations for verification .improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

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Sovereignty is the ability of states to make their own decisions without outside interference.

States and the National government share a "Child" and "Parent" relationship. As long as states follow the rules (like children), then the parents (National government) gives them freedom

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The United States is a sovereign nation. Sovereignty is a simple idea: the United States is an independent nation, governed by the American people, that controls its own affairs. The American people adopted the Constitution and created the government. They elect their representatives and make their own laws.

The Founding Fathers understood that if America does not have sovereignty, it does not have independence. If a foreign power can tell America "what we shall do, and what we shall not do," George Washington once wrote to Alexander Hamilton, "we have Independence yet to seek, and have contended hitherto for very little."

The Founders believed in sovereignty. In 1776, they fought for it. But why does sovereignty still matter to America?

The Declaration of Independence tells us why sovereignty mattered to America's Founders.

When America declared its independence in 1776, the Declaration described Americans as "one people" who had the right "to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them."

With these words, the United States declared its sovereignty. It became a separate nation, entitled to all the rights of existing nations. It therefore claimed the "full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do."

But the existing nations of the world were mostly monarchies. The Founding Fathers had a different vision for America. The United States is legitimately sovereign not because of a monarch's decree, but because, in America, the people rule.

The purpose of government is to secure the people's rights. Legitimately sovereign governments derive "their just powers from the consent of the governed." Thus, American sovereignty is justified by the inherent, God-given right of self-government.

The Declaration cataloged the ways in which King George III had infringed upon American liberties and denied the right of Americans to consent to the laws by which they were governed. Through his "repeated Injuries and Usurpations, all having in direct Object the Establishment of an absolute Tyranny," the King had treated the American colonists as mere subjects to be ruled.

In the Declaration, King George III's offenses included:

"Transporting us beyond the Seas to be tried for pretended Offences." The King claimed the authority to seize American colonists and force them to stand trial in Great Britain for criminal offenses allegedly committed in America.

"He has combined with others to subject us to a Jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution, and unacknowledged by our Laws." Although the American colonists were British subjects, they never consented to be bound by the commands of the British Parliament, a legislative body in which they were not represented.

"Imposing Taxes on us without our Consent." Americans were incensed by the King's imposition of the Stamp Act of 1765, which taxed colonists by requiring them to print their legal documents, newspapers, and magazines on specially stamped paper produced only in London.

It is universally acknowledged that the enlarged prospect of happiness, opened by the confirmation of our Independence and Sovereignty, almost exceeds the power of description. - George Washington
November 2, 1783

Library of Congress

These acts infringed on the colonists' ability to govern themselves. A people subject to foreign taxation, or to being transported across the seas to face criminal charges in a foreign land, are not truly independent. In the Declaration, the Founding Fathers gave notice that these infringements on American sovereignty would not stand.

But today, our sovereignty faces new threats. International organizations and courts seek to reshape the international system. Nations are to give up their sovereignty and be governed by a "global consensus." Independent, sovereign nations will be replaced by "transnational" organizations that reject national sovereignty.

The demand that the United States bow to this "global consensus" does not respect American sovereignty. The offenses the Founders complained of in the Declaration of Independence now have an international flavor. This new project is filled with examples of institutions, courts, and "taxes" that violate the spirit of the Declaration:

In 1998 the International Criminal Court was established. It is empowered to subject American soldiers to criminal prosecution in Holland for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Founders rejected trying Americans outside American courts.

In Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, and Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2010, an international conference drafted a global treaty to regulate energy use in the United States. An international bureaucracy would monitor compliance with the treaty's terms. The Founders rejected subjecting Americans to "a Jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution."

In recent years, international organizations and foreign leaders have proposed "international taxes" on airline tickets and financial transactions-taxes that would be borne by American citizens and businesses. The revenues collected would be spent by unaccountable international organizations. The Founders rejected taxation without representation.

This transnationalist vision also carries profound implications for U.S. national security. Many international leaders, and even some American legal scholars, believe that the United Nations Security Council-and not the American people, the President, or Congress-should have the final say on the legitimacy of the use of American military force.

International organizations seek to dictate fundamental aspects of Americans' personal and professional lives. Committees whose members include egregious human rights violators such as Cuba, China, and Syria regularly admonish the U.S. to implement racial and gender quotas, and lecture American families on how to raise and educate their own children.

No peace can last, or ought to last, which does not recognize and accept the principle ...that no right anywhere exists to hand peoples about from sovereignty to sovereignty as if they were property. -Woodrow Wilson
January 22, 1917

The proper exercise of diplomacy by the United States does not threaten our sovereignty. The Founding Fathers understood the value of diplomacy. They drafted the Constitution, in part, because they wanted the United States to be able to negotiate treaties with other nations. But they also understood that American foreign policy must ultimately be controlled by the American people.

That is why, for instance, the United States Senate must approve treaties that are negotiated by the President. That is how our diplomatic process works. But today, American sovereignty is threatened by the many treaties that seek to take power away from the nations that negotiate them. The solution is not to reject treaties or diplomacy: it is to return to the vision of the Founders, and to their belief that the American people have an inherent right of self-government, through their elected representatives, that cannot be extinguished by any treaty.

The drafters of the Declaration would be surprised to find Americans submitting themselves to these international organizations, and the constraints on independence that they have spawned. The United States may, of course, work with other nations in a principled way that advances its national interests. But the Founders would be amazed by the extent and depth of the threats to American sovereignty posed by this new transnationalist vision.

The Founders did not risk their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor casting off the rule of King George III so that, two hundred years later, the United States could subject itself to the whims of unelected foreign bureaucrats and international lawyers. Sovereignty was essential to the founding of America in 1776, and it is essential to America today.

By declaring its independence from King George III and the British Parliament, America declared its sovereignty. By dedicating itself to the principles of liberty, equality, and popular consent, it set the standard by which all sovereign nations are to be judged.
Steven Groves is the Bernard and Barbara Lomas Fellow at the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation. Enduring Truths

George Washington, "Resignation Address to the Continental Congress," December 23, 1783
In this short speech, Washington resigned his commission as Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. In it, he expresses his gratitude to Providence, and his satisfaction at the confirmation of American sovereignty.

The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration states that the United States is and has the right to be "free and independent." The Declaration is based on the right of self-government inherent in the American people, and on their need to form a government that would protect their inalienable rights.

Jeremy A. Rabkin, The Case for Sovereignty: Why the World Should Welcome American Independence, 2004
Rabkin defends the concept of sovereignty against common misunderstandings and distortions, and shows how the Founding Fathers relied on it as the basic principle in international affairs. Abandoning sovereignty would undermine American democracy, and destroy the advantages sovereignty offers America and the world.

John Bolton, "The Coming War on Sovereignty," Commentary, March 2009
Ambassador Bolton demonstrates that the liberal elite views sovereignty as a mere abstraction. But that is not the understanding of the U.S. Constitution, which "locates the basis of its legitimacy in 'we the people,' who constitute the sovereign authority of the nation."

Current Issues

THE LANGUAGE OF FREEDOM. The Heritage Foundation, "Reclaiming the Language of Freedom at the United Nations," September 6, 2006.
In this report, Heritage experts explain how the U.N. is failing the cause of freedom, and how national sovereignty is critical to achieving and protecting human rights.

THE UNITED NATIONS. Steven Groves and Brett Schaefer, "The U.N. Human Rights Council: No Better for Obama's Engagement," November 9, 2009.
Groves and Schaefer explain the history of the Council and its failures, demonstrate that American involvement has not improved its sorry record, and make recommendations for fundamental reform.

DEFENDING SOVEREIGNTY. Steven Groves, "The 'Kyoto II' Climate Change Treaty: Implications for American Sovereignty," November 17, 2009.
Groves demonstrates that the contemplated successor to the Kyoto treaty on climate change will seriously threaten American sovereignty. It will be intrusive, inflexible, transfer vast sums of money to other countries, and give up power to international bureaucracies.

Download the Report:

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The United States is a sovereign nation. Sovereignty is a simple idea: the United States is an independent nation, governed by the American people, that controls its own affairs. The American people adopted the Constitution and created the government. They elect their representatives and make their own laws.

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Sovereignty can apply to a lot of different entities. People can be sovereign, states, monarchs and even nations have sovereignty. Sovereignty allows states, nations, people and kings to NOT have to answer to those that are OUTSIDE of their realm of control

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The Issue of Sovereignty | Globalization101

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Under the concept of state sovereignty, no state has the authority to tell another state how to control its internal affairs. Sovereignty both grants and limits power: it gives states complete control over their own territory while restricting the influence that states have on one another.

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Government is the final feature and is important because government provides order, social services, economic control and enforces decisions and law

The United States government is very complex but that complexity makes it strong!

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Learn about the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. government.

The Constitution of the United States divides the federal government into three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. This ensures that no individual or group will have too much power.

How each branch of government provides checks and balances

The ability of each branch to respond to the actions of the other branches is the system of checks and balances.

Each branch of government can change acts of the other branches:

The president can veto legislation created by Congress. He or she also nominates heads of federal agencies and high court appointees.

Congress confirms or rejects the president's nominees. It can also remove the president from office in exceptional circumstances.

The Justices of the Supreme Court, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, can overturn unconstitutional laws.

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Branches of the U.S. government | USAGov

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Learn about the 3 branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. Understand how each branch of U.S. government provides checks and balances.

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Government is mainly influenced through the American voter! By actively participating in voting, you can choose who makes decisions for you in our government!

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Get answers to questions about voting. Learn how to register to vote and where to vote. Learn about local, state, congressional, and presidential elections.

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The government is responsible for providing many services to the people of the United States. These services offer security and comfort for American citizens.

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Programs and services such as TANF, Head Start, child care, and child support are designed to improve the well-being of individuals, families, and communities.

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When all 4 features are present, a state can finally take place. Of course here in the U.S., we have 50 states BUT the U.S. is itself also a state. The U.S. is a state on the WORLD stage in comparison to other "states" such as Brazil, Russia, Canada, China, Britain, etc.

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How many free and independent nations, or "states," exist?

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NOTES In this listing, the term "independent state" refers to a people politically organized into a sovereign state with a definite territory recognized as independent by the US. Geopolitical Entities, Names, and Codes (GENC) Standard two-letter and three-letter codes. GENC is the replacement standard for FIPS 10-4 and is the U.S.

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Although many states and countries possess these 4 qualities, that doesn't mean that the PEOPLE of those places are FREE.

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The number of countries designated as Free stands at 88, representing 45 percent of the world's 195 polities and more than 2.9 billion people-or 39 percent of the global population. The number of Free countries increased by one from the previous year's report.

The number of countries qualifying as Partly Free stands at 58, or 30 percent of all countries assessed, and they were home to nearly 1.8 billion people, or 24 percent of the world's total. The number of Partly Free countries decreased by one from the previous year.

A total of 49 countries are deemed Not Free, representing 25 percent of the world's polities. The number of people living under Not Free conditions stood at nearly 2.7 billion people, or 37 percent of the global population, though it is important to note that more than half of this number lives in just one country: China. The number of Not Free countries stayed the same.

The Gambia and Uganda rose from Not Free to Partly Free, while Timor-Leste rose from Partly Free to Free. Turkey and Zimbabwe fell from Partly Free to Not Free.

The number of electoral democracies stood at 116. For this edition of Freedom in the World, the criteria for an electoral democracy designation were changed. While the designation previously required a score of 7 or better in the Electoral Process subcategory and an overall political rights score of 20 or better, a country must now earn an overall civil liberties score of 30 or better as well. There were 123 electoral democracies under the old rules in the 2017 edition. If the requirements of the current 2018 edition were applied to the previous year as well, then the number of electoral democracies would remain unchanged at 116: Côte d'Ivoire lost its electoral democracy credentials, while Nepal gained the designation.

PR = Political Rights
CL = Civil Liberties
CL, PR, Freedom Rating Explanation: 1 = most free and 7 = least free
Aggregate Score Explanation: 0 = least free, 100 = most free
* denotes territories, as opposed to independent countries

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Freedom World 2018 Table of Country Scores

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The number of countries designated as Free stands at 88, representing 45 percent of the world's 195 polities and more than 2.9 billion people-or 39 percent of the global population. The number of Free countries increased by one from the previous year's report.