Bahrain in top 10 freest economies

Bahrain is the eighth most economically free nation in the world, according to the Economic Freedom of the World: 2013 Annual Report published by the Fraser Institute, a leading international think tank. The index measures the degree to which the policies and institutions of countries are supportive of economic freedom. Bahrain achieved an overall score of 7.93 out of 10, putting the country nine places ahead of the United States, which is ranked 17th, and 25 places ahead of Japan, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported. Kamal bin Ahmed, Minister of Transportation and Acting Chief Executive of the Economic Development Board said that Bahrain’s ranking in the top ten freest economies in the world for the second year running is a testament to more than a decade of economic reforms that have been undertaken to improve prosperity in the Kingdom. The results of which have been strong economic growth, particularly in the non-oil economy, more jobs for Bahrainis and an open, attractive and supportive business environment from which companies can access the GCC market, now worth in excess of $1.4 trillion, he added.