In terms of political and civil liberties, New Zealand ranks 1st. Citizens in New Zealand experience complete freedom. The majority of countries where citizens enjoy wide civil liberties and political liberties are representative democracies, where officials are directly elected by the citizens to advocate for their needs and wants. Free countries are often backed by healthy economies and well-functioning governments. Businesses in New Zealand are 1 in terms of economic freedom. Citizens of New Zealand are considered free in their economic choices. Citizens are free to conduct business, earn personal gain, and make financial decisions without government interference (except in cases of legality). Countries that are economically free are generally free from corruption and investing in these countries is considered a safe bet. New Zealand's media ranks first in terms of journalistic freedom. In New Zealand, journalists and news organizations are free to express a variety of viewpoints. Censorship and state control do not go beyond ensuring the legality of published content. This is considered a good situation.