The most and least free countries mapped

Freedom House's latest index on freedom around the world found that 2016 marked the 11th consecutive year of decline in Global Freedom.

The study cited significant gains in populist and nationalist forces among democratic states, as well as curtailments of civil liberties and political rights in countries such as Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Hungary, Poland, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Tunisia, and the United States.

Forty-Five per cent of countries were rated 'Free', 30 per cent were rated 'Partly Free', and 25 per cent were rated 'Not Free'.

The worst ratings in the world were found in the Middle East and North Africa.

View the interactive map, below:

The biggest score declines were as follows:

The accompanying report read:

The success of Donald Trump, an outsider candidate who challenged the mainstream forces of both major parties, demonstrated the continued openness and dynamism of the American system.

It also demonstrated that the United States is not immune to the kind of populist appeals that have resonated across the Atlantic in recent years.

The campaign featured a series of disturbing events, stemming mainly from Trump’s own remarks and the actions of his supporters, and punctuated by Trump’s insistence, without evidence and even after he won, that the election results were marred by massive fraud.

The United Kingdom received a score of 95/100 and an overall rating of 'Free', marking no change from 2016.

More: The countries with the worst internet freedom in the world