Global ranking · 48 economies · World Bank data
Entrepreneurship by Country 2026
Entrepreneurship by Country 2026: 48 economies ranked by new business density, with nominal & PPP figures, 10-year trends, regional breakdowns, charts and a downloadable dataset. United Kingdom leads at 19.2; Sweden ranks 12th of 48 at 7.1 (2024). Source: World Bank. Free to cite.
Executive summary
This index ranks 48 of the world's largest economies by new business density, using World Bank Open Data for cross-country comparability, and goes beyond a single snapshot: it shows the nominal figure, a ten-year history, a regional breakdown and the biggest movers. United Kingdom leads at 19.2 (2024); India is lowest among those ranked at 0.2. Sweden ranks 12th of 48 at 7.1 (2024). As reference points, the EU stands at 4.4, the OECD at 4.5 and the world at 5.2. Every figure carries its World Bank series and reference year, and the complete dataset is free to download as CSV and JSON under a CC BY 4.0 licence.
Key findings
United Kingdom tops the ranking
United Kingdom has the highest new business density among the 48 economies in this index at 19.2 (2024).
Source: World Bank Open Data · 2024 · confidence: High
Where Sweden ranks
Sweden ranks 12th of 48 at 7.1 (2024), above the OECD reference of 4.5.
Source: World Bank Open Data · 2024 · confidence: High
Top five
The five highest by new business density are United Kingdom (19.2), Australia (18.1), New Zealand (16.0), China (15.6), Singapore (11.6).
Source: World Bank Open Data · 2024 · confidence: High
Data vintage — July 2026
Figures reflect the most recent year available in the World Bank Open Data API for each economy (shown next to every value). This index of new business density (company formation) by country regenerates automatically as new data is published.
Overview
New business density — the number of newly registered companies per 1,000 working-age adults — is the cleanest cross-country gauge of entrepreneurial dynamism. This index ranks countries by how many new formal businesses their populations create (World Bank Entrepreneurship Database).
It captures the churn and renewal at the heart of a market economy: high density signals low barriers to entry, available finance and a culture of company formation.
What drives the ranking
Business creation is driven by the ease and cost of registration, access to capital, digital infrastructure and confidence in the rule of law. Reforms that cut red tape visibly lift the rate.
Sweden and the Nordics combine high formation rates with strong survival rates — a dynamic small-business economy that is central to Affärslivet's readership of entrepreneurs and owner-managers.
How it has changed over time
The chart tracks new business density for United Kingdom (the current leader) against Sweden over the past decade; the table below shows the top economies year by year.
| Country | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 15.0 | 15.7 | 16.2 | 18.3 | 18.0 | 18.4 | 20.2 | 19.2 |
| Australia | 15.4 | 14.4 | 13.5 | 14.2 | 17.9 | 16.1 | 16.6 | 18.1 |
| New Zealand | 18.3 | 17.5 | 16.3 | 17.6 | 19.5 | 16.4 | 16.4 | 16.0 |
| China | 13.9 | 14.1 | 13.3 | 14.3 | 19.0 | 15.8 | 20.1 | 15.6 |
| Singapore | 8.5 | 9.9 | 10.0 | 9.8 | 11.0 | 11.0 | 11.5 | 11.6 |
| South Africa | 10.4 | 10.3 | 10.5 | 12.1 | 11.4 | 10.3 | 9.7 | 11.5 |
| Portugal | 5.6 | 6.5 | 7.1 | 5.5 | 6.1 | 7.0 | 7.4 | 11.0 |
| Iceland | 11.3 | 9.8 | 9.2 | 10.2 | 13.0 | 12.0 | 11.8 | 10.9 |
By region
Median new business density by world region among the ranked economies. Regional medians reveal patterns the country ranking alone can hide.
| Region | Economies | Median | Highest | Lowest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 23 | 4.3 | 19.2 | 1.0 |
| Asia-Pacific | 12 | 2.2 | 18.1 | 0.2 |
| Americas | 6 | 3.7 | 9.1 | 0.5 |
| Middle East & Africa | 7 | 2.5 | 11.5 | 0.3 |
Biggest movers
The largest changes in new business density over the available window — where the action has been.
| Country | Change | Δ | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 0.2 → 5.2 | +5.0 | 2017–2022 |
| Australia | 13.5 → 18.1 | +4.6 | 2019–2024 |
| Saudi Arabia | 1.2 → 5.5 | +4.3 | 2019–2024 |
| Portugal | 7.1 → 11.0 | +3.9 | 2019–2024 |
| Brazil | 3.6 → 6.7 | +3.0 | 2019–2024 |
| United Kingdom | 16.2 → 19.2 | +3.0 | 2019–2024 |
| China | 13.3 → 15.6 | +2.3 | 2019–2024 |
| Denmark | 8.9 → 6.8 | -2.1 | 2019–2024 |
Full ranking — 48 economies
Complete ranking by new business density, most recent World Bank data, with world region. Region aggregates (EU, OECD, World) appear in the At-a-glance box as reference points.
| # | Country | New Business Density | Region | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Kingdom | 19.2 | Europe | 2024 |
| 2 | Australia | 18.1 | Asia-Pacific | 2024 |
| 3 | New Zealand | 16.0 | Asia-Pacific | 2024 |
| 4 | China | 15.6 | Asia-Pacific | 2024 |
| 5 | Singapore | 11.6 | Asia-Pacific | 2024 |
| 6 | South Africa | 11.5 | Middle East & Africa | 2024 |
| 7 | Portugal | 11.0 | Europe | 2024 |
| 8 | Iceland | 10.9 | Europe | 2024 |
| 9 | Chile | 9.1 | Americas | 2023 |
| 10 | Norway | 8.3 | Europe | 2024 |
| 11 | Romania | 7.5 | Europe | 2024 |
| 12 | Sweden | 7.1 | Europe | 2024 |
| 13 | Denmark | 6.8 | Europe | 2024 |
| 14 | France | 6.8 | Europe | 2024 |
| 15 | Brazil | 6.7 | Americas | 2024 |
| 16 | Ireland | 6.6 | Europe | 2024 |
| 17 | Finland | 6.0 | Europe | 2024 |
| 18 | Saudi Arabia | 5.5 | Middle East & Africa | 2024 |
| 19 | Belgium | 5.3 | Europe | 2023 |
| 20 | Canada | 5.2 | Americas | 2022 |
| 21 | Czechia | 4.3 | Europe | 2024 |
| 22 | Hungary | 3.8 | Europe | 2024 |
| 23 | Spain | 3.7 | Europe | 2024 |
| 24 | South Korea | 3.5 | Asia-Pacific | 2023 |
| 25 | Netherlands | 3.4 | Europe | 2022 |
| 26 | Switzerland | 3.1 | Europe | 2022 |
| 27 | Italy | 3.1 | Europe | 2024 |
| 28 | Israel | 2.9 | Middle East & Africa | 2024 |
| 29 | United Arab Emirates | 2.5 | Middle East & Africa | 2020 |
| 30 | Greece | 2.5 | Europe | 2024 |
| 31 | Malaysia | 2.4 | Asia-Pacific | 2024 |
| 32 | Poland | 2.4 | Europe | 2024 |
| 33 | Russia | 2.3 | Europe | 2024 |
| 34 | Colombia | 2.2 | Americas | 2024 |
| 35 | Viet Nam | 2.0 | Asia-Pacific | 2024 |
| 36 | Turkiye | 2.0 | Middle East & Africa | 2024 |
| 37 | Thailand | 1.7 | Asia-Pacific | 2024 |
| 38 | Ukraine | 1.6 | Europe | 2017 |
| 39 | Germany | 1.4 | Europe | 2024 |
| 40 | Nigeria | 1.1 | Middle East & Africa | 2022 |
| 41 | Austria | 1.0 | Europe | 2023 |
| 42 | Mexico | 1.0 | Americas | 2024 |
| 43 | Indonesia | 0.9 | Asia-Pacific | 2024 |
| 44 | Japan | 0.6 | Asia-Pacific | 2024 |
| 45 | Argentina | 0.5 | Americas | 2024 |
| 46 | Philippines | 0.5 | Asia-Pacific | 2024 |
| 47 | Egypt | 0.3 | Middle East & Africa | 2022 |
| 48 | India | 0.2 | Asia-Pacific | 2024 |
Scoreboard (machine-readable data)
Every headline indicator with its value, period, source and confidence. Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0.
| Indicator | Value | Period | Source | Conf. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 19.19 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Australia | 18.06 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| New Zealand | 16.05 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| China | 15.59 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Singapore | 11.59 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| South Africa | 11.46 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Portugal | 11 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Iceland | 10.86 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Chile | 9.09 num | 2023 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Norway | 8.32 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Romania | 7.47 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Sweden | 7.08 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Denmark | 6.85 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| France | 6.82 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Brazil | 6.67 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Ireland | 6.65 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Finland | 5.97 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Saudi Arabia | 5.46 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Belgium | 5.31 num | 2023 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Canada | 5.17 num | 2022 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Czechia | 4.31 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Hungary | 3.83 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Spain | 3.67 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| South Korea | 3.51 num | 2023 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Netherlands | 3.41 num | 2022 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Switzerland | 3.13 num | 2022 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Italy | 3.09 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Israel | 2.92 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| United Arab Emirates | 2.48 num | 2020 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Greece | 2.45 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Malaysia | 2.38 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Poland | 2.38 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Russia | 2.28 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Colombia | 2.22 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Viet Nam | 2 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Turkiye | 1.98 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Thailand | 1.75 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Ukraine | 1.65 num | 2017 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Germany | 1.44 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Nigeria | 1.12 num | 2022 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Austria | 1 num | 2023 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Mexico | 0.95 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Indonesia | 0.94 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Japan | 0.58 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Argentina | 0.52 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Philippines | 0.51 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| Egypt | 0.26 num | 2022 | World Bank Open Data | High |
| India | 0.18 num | 2024 | World Bank Open Data | High |
Methodology & verification
Economies are ranked by new business density using the World Bank Open Data API, which harmonises national statistics for cross-country comparison. Each value is the most recent year available for that economy, shown alongside the figure; the trend table uses each economy's reported history. Economies with no reported value are omitted rather than estimated. Region aggregates (EU, euro area, OECD, World) are reference points, not ranked. The measure counts formal limited-liability registrations only, so it understates informal and sole-trader activity and is not directly comparable across very different legal systems; reporting years vary. Confidence: High (official multilateral source).
Data dictionary
| Field | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| metric | string | World Bank indicator code : country ISO3 |
| label | string | Country name |
| value | number | new business density value |
| unit | string | num |
| period | string | Reference year |
| geography | string | Country |
| source_url | string | World Bank indicator page |
Frequently asked questions
Which country has the highest new business density?
United Kingdom, at 19.2 (2024). Source: World Bank Open Data.
Where does Sweden rank by new business density?
Sweden ranks 12th of 48 at 7.1 (2024). Source: World Bank.
What are the top five by new business density?
United Kingdom (19.2), Australia (18.1), New Zealand (16.0), China (15.6), Singapore (11.6). Source: World Bank.
How is new business density defined?
New business density (per 1,000 adults), as reported by the World Bank. See the methodology and glossary for details.
How many economies are ranked?
48 of the world's largest economies, plus the EU, OECD and World aggregates as reference points.
What is the caveat with this metric?
The measure counts formal limited-liability registrations only, so it understates informal and sole-trader activity and is not directly comparable across very different legal systems; reporting years vary.
Where does the data come from?
The World Bank Open Data API, which harmonises national statistics for cross-country comparison. Every figure shows its reference year and links to its World Bank indicator page.
How current is it, and how often does it update?
Each figure is the latest year the World Bank reports for that economy. The index regenerates automatically as new data is released.
Can I download this ranking?
Yes — the full ranking is available as CSV and JSON under a CC BY 4.0 licence, free to reuse with attribution to Affärslivet.
Glossary
- New Business Density
- New business density (per 1,000 adults) — as reported by the World Bank. ↗
- World Bank Open Data
- A free, authoritative database of harmonised economic indicators for every country. ↗
- Purchasing-power parity (PPP)
- A conversion that equalises the price of a comparable basket of goods across countries, so output and incomes can be compared in real terms rather than at market exchange rates. ↗
- Nominal (current US$)
- A value converted at prevailing market exchange rates and not adjusted for differences in price levels. ↗
- GNI per capita
- Gross national income per person — like GDP per capita but including net income earned abroad; useful where cross-border corporate flows are large. ↗
- Reference year
- The year a figure applies to; it can differ across countries because national statistics are published on different schedules. ↗
- Region aggregate
- A World Bank grouping (e.g. European Union, OECD, World) whose value is a weighted regional total or average, shown here for reference rather than ranked. ↗
How to cite this report
APA
Affärslivet Research. (2026). Entrepreneurship by Country 2026. Affärslivet. Version 1.1. https://xn--affrslivet-s5a.com/en/reports/entrepreneurship-by-country
MLA
Affärslivet Research. "Entrepreneurship by Country 2026." Affärslivet, 2026-07-01, https://xn--affrslivet-s5a.com/en/reports/entrepreneurship-by-country.
BibTeX
@techreport{affarslivet_entrepreneurship_by_country,
title = {Entrepreneurship by Country 2026},
author = {{Affärslivet Research}},
year = {2026},
note = {Version 1.1},
url = {https://xn--affrslivet-s5a.com/en/reports/entrepreneurship-by-country}
}