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Countries at the Crossroads
Edition:
To view the Countries at the Crossroads edition, select from the pull down menu above.

About the Survey

Countries at the Crossroads is an annual analysis of government performance in 70 strategically important countries worldwide that are at a critical crossroads in determining their political future. The in-depth comparative assessments and quantitative ratings – examining government accountability, civil liberties, rule of law, and anticorruption and transparency efforts– are intended to help international policymakers identify areas of progress, as well as to highlight areas of concern that could be addressed in diplomatic efforts and reform assistance.
 
The Crossroads project has generated far-reaching interest since its inception in 2004. Increased attention to the relationship between competent governance and respect for civil and political rights means that scholars and policymakers require sophisticated tools to help place the performance of various governments in perspective. Crossroads helps ground this analysis by providing indispensable quantitative assessment that allows for comparison over time, as well as detailed narrative reports that provide real-world context.

A new edition of Crossroads is published each year, with half the set of countries analyzed in odd years and the other half in even years. Crossroads reports are written and evaluated by some of the most prominent independent experts available for each country. To see the country basket for the survey’s 2009 and 2010 editions, please click here.

Countries at the Crossroads 2010

The most recent edition of Countries at the Crossroads was released in April 2010. For a complete list of country reports, please click here.

Overview Essay: Countries at the Crossroads 2010 exposed troubling signs of regression in the quality of democratic governance in a number of states previously viewed as candidates for accession to the ranks of consolidated democracies. Evidence of backsliding was present across regions and was particularly evident in categories of fundamental importance to the protection of political rights, including media freedom and freedom of association. To see the complete essay, “The Vulnerable Middle,” please click here.

Methodology: Countries at the Crossroads’ quantitative data is based on a set of 75 questions divided into 4 core categories – Accountability and Public Voice, Civil Liberties, Rule of Law, and Anticorruption and Transparency – and 17 subcategories. The narratives are structured to explain and reinforce the numerical data. To view the full list of methodology questions, please click here. 

Tables and Charts: For PDF and print-friendly versions of tables and charts presenting complete category and subcategory scores for the 2010 country set, please click here.

Our Impact

Former undersecretary of state and FH board member Paula Dobriansky speaks at Freedom House conference, Africa at a Crossroads
As Crossroads has expanded and gained attention, it has become a valuable information source and analytical tool for U.S. government officials, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, multilateral organizations, policy analysts, academics, and the news media. Moreover, many foreign governments have engaged in a dialogue with Freedom House to discuss our analysis, particularly steps they could take to improve their standing within the context of the Millennium Challenge Account.

The findings of Countries at the Crossroads reports have been disseminated globally as well. Crossroads reports have been cited in news articles and weblogs across the United States, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. Analysts associated with Crossroads have published op-eds based on the project’s findings in both the U.S. and international press. Additionally, the detail and scope of Crossroads reports makes them ideal as a basis for public discussion of governance issues. Freedom House has organized events in the United States and abroad where policymakers, academics, and members of civil society have shared ideas to address the challenge of improving democratic governance.

Notable Reviews

"Countries at the Crossroads manages to achieve the best of both worlds. A precise, standardized measurement tool for civil liberties, rule of law, corruption, and accountability allows meaningful comparisons across countries and across time. At the same time, in-depth narratives put flesh on the bones and provide concrete prescriptions for reform."

Jack Snyder, Robert and Renee Belfer
Professor of International Relations, Columbia University

"In a short period of time, Countries at the Crossroads has managed to become an invaluable source for analysts, practitioners, and policymakers working on governance and development. Crossroads’ integration of quantitative indices and in-depth qualitative descriptions is particularly noteworthy. So is its perspective on the meaning of governance, which is much more than technocratic public-sector performance: Crossroads emphasizes the importance of civil liberties and democratic accountability, the rule of law, and anticorruption and transparency efforts."

Daniel Kaufmann, Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution, and former Director of Governance and Anticorruption, World Bank Institute

"Countries at the Crossroads has established itself as a rigorous and comprehensive analytical tool that helps explain the depth and trajectory of governance reforms in a set of strategically relevant countries. At a time when policymakers and assistance providers are seeking more effective ways to support democratic reforms in at-risk and newly democratizing states, Countries at the Crossroads’ detailed country narratives and comparative data provide invaluable guidance."

Morton H. Halperin Senior Adviser, Open Society Institute

"Countries at the Crossroads is an outstanding collection of in-depth, yet concise and accessible assessments of the state of democratic governance in countries that are politically fluid or strategically important. An invaluable supplement to Freedom in the World and an indispensable handbook for scholars and policymakers."

Larry Diamond, Senior Fellow,
Hoover Institution, Stanford University

Interactive features


Countries at the Crossroads Governance Blog

The new Countries at the Crossroads blog features insights and analysis relating to governance in the emerging and transitional states that are included in the Crossroads country set.

Interactive Map

The Interactive map color-codes all Crossroads countries based on their government performance, and provides policy recommendations and each country's status in the Millennium Challenge Account process. By clicking on the hyperlink within the pop-up boxes, users can access the most recent country reports.

Interactive Graphic Model

The interactive model visually represents the findings of the 2006 and 2007 editions of Crossroads. Users can navigate through regions and countries to obtain data and customized graphs.
 


Interviews and Audio Files

Drawing on the deep experience and knowledge of the authors and advisers associated with the Countries at the Crossroads project, Freedom House presents a series of interviews focusing on recent governance trends in countries and regions of particular interest, as well as recordings of Countries at the Crossroads panels and events.

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