Country Risk Ratings

The Economist Intelligence Unit publishes Sovereign Ratings on 120 countries. The ratings for developed countries are updated bi-annually while the ratings for emerging countries are updated monthly. This rating “measures the risk of a build-up in arrears of principal and/or interest on foreign- and/or local-currency debt that is the direct obligation of the sovereign or guaranteed by the Sovereign.”

The Latest Sovereign Ratings

Country	Rating	Outlook
Algeria	BBB	Stable
Angola	B	Stable
Argentina	CCC	Stable
Australia	BBB	Stable
Austria	A	Stable
Azerbaijan	BB	Negative
Bahrain	BBB	Stable
Bangladesh	B	Stable
Belgium	BBB	Stable
Bolivia	B	Stable
Bosnia and Hercegovina	CCC	Stable
Botswana	BBB	Stable
Brazil	BB	Stable
Bulgaria	BB	Stable
Cambodia	CCC	Stable
Cameroon	B	Stable
Canada	AA	Stable
Chile	A	Stable
China	BBB	Stable
Colombia	BB	Stable
Costa Rica	B	Stable
Cote d/ivoire	CC	Stable
Croatia	B	Stable
Cuba	CC	Stable
Cyprus	A	Stable
Czech Republic	BBB	Stable
Denmark	AA	Stable
Dominican Republic	CCC	Stable
Ecuador	CC	Stable
Egypt	BB	Stable
El Salvador	BB	Stable
Equatorial Guinea	BB	Stable
Estonia	BB	Stable
Ethiopia	CCC	Stable
Finland	AA	Stable
France	A	Stable
Gabon	BB	Stable
Germany	AA	Stable
Ghana	CCC	Stable
Greece	BBB	Stable
Guatemala	BB	Stable
Honduras	CCC	Stable
Hong Kong	A	Stable
Hungary	B	Stable
India	BB	Stable
Indonesia	B	Positive
Iran	B	Stable
Iraq	CC	Stable
Ireland	BBB	Stable
Israel	BBB	Stable
Italy	BBB	Stable
Jamaica	CC	Stable
Japan	BBB	Stable
Jordan	CCC	Stable
Kazakhstan	BB	Negative
Kenya	CCC	Stable
Kuwait	A	Stable
Latvia	B	Stable
Lebanon	CCC	Stable
Libya	BB	Stable
Lithuania	BB	Negative
Macedonia	CCC	Stable
Malawi	CCC	Stable
Malaysia	BBB	Positive
Mauritius	B	Stable
Mexico	BB	Stable
Moldova	CCC	Negative
Morocco	BB	Stable
Mozambique	B	Stable
Myanmar	C	Stable
Namibia	BBB	Stable
Netherlands	AA	Stable
New Zealand	BBB	Stable
Nicaragua	CC	Stable
Nigeria	B	Stable
Norway	AAA	Stable
Oman	A	Stable
Pakistan	CCC	Stable
Panama	BB	Stable
Papua New Guinea	B	Stable
Paraguay	B	Stable
Peru	BBB	Stable
Philippines	B	Stable
Poland	BB	Stable
Portugal	BBB	Stable
Qatar	A	Stable
Romania	BB	Stable
Russia	BBB	Negative
Saudi Arabia	BBB	Stable
Senegal	B	Stable
Serbia	CCC	Stable
Singapore	A	Stable
Slovakia	BBB	Stable
Slovenia	A	Stable
South Africa	BB	Stable
South Korea	BB	Stable
Spain	A	Stable
Sri Lanka	B	Stable
Sudan	C	Stable
Sweden	AA	Stable
Switzerland	AA	Stable
Syria	CCC	Stable
Taiwan	BBB	Stable
Tanzania	B	Stable
Thailand	BB	Stable
Trinidad and Tobago	BBB	Stable
Tunisia	BB	Stable
Turkey	B	Stable
Uganda	B	Stable
Ukraine	CCC	Stable
United Arab Emirates	BB	Stable
United Kingdom	BBB	Stable
United States of America	AA	Stable
Uruguay	BB	Stable
Uzbekistan	B	Stable
Venezuela	B	Stable
Vietnam	CCC	Stable
Yemen	CC	Stable
Zambia	B	Stable
Zimbabwe	D	Stable

Norway is the safest country in terms of sovereign debt. Since Norway has no deficits and has an abundance of oil resources, it is ranked the highest rating, AAA. The US was given the AA rating. Other countries that received the AA ranking include Canada, Switzerland, The Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries.

Zimbabwe is the only country with D which implies very weak payment capacity and is currently in default. India, China and Brazil were ranked BB. Russia’s outlook is negative.