Fifth place is not bad at all
In 2010, Norway is ranked first and Denmark second, followed by Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The most highly ranked nations among our post-Soviet countries are Estonia (35th), Lithuania (42nd), Latvia (47th) and Kazakhstan (50th). Meanwhile, Russia is ranked 63rd, Ukraine 69th, Uzbekistan 76th and Moldova 86th. Belarus is fifth in terms of prosperity across the former Soviet Union nations.
Belarus has also improved its position in the Index of Economic Freedom, published by the Heritage Foundation (Washington) with the participation and support of The Wall Street Journal. In 2010, Belarus is ranked 150th out of 183 countries, up 17 points on last year. The rating indicates improvements in Belarus regarding freedom of business, trade, fiscal matters and labour relations, in addition to state spending.