Over several years of measuring key economic indicators worldwide, the Index of Economic Freedom had identified trends that point to an important conclusion: Countries that have the most economic freedom also tend to have higher rates of long-term economic growth and are more prosperous than those that have less economic freedom. Now in its fifth edition, the Index, co-published by The Heritage Foundation, the pre-eminent Washington, D.C. think tank, and The Wall Street Journal, the international business daily, measures the level of freedom and prospects for growth in the global economy. The Index is a practical reference guide to the economies of 161 nations, offering concise country-by-country analysis. It includes the most up-to-date data on foreign investment codes, taxes, tariffs, banking regulations, monetary policy, black markets and more.