Report: Property Rights Linked to Economic Security

Index of 115 countries measures connection between private property rights and
wealth

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a study released today, data
shows that countries that protect the physical and intellectual property of
their people enjoy nearly nine times higher GDP per capita than countries
ranking lowest in property rights protections. The study, the 2009
International Property Rights Index (IPRI), compared the protections of
physical and intellectual property to economic stability in 115 countries
representing 96 per cent of the world's GDP.

54 organizations from six continents joined the Property Rights Alliance in
Washington, DC and its Hernando de Soto Fellowship program to disseminate the
report.

"With regard to private property rights, PRA continues to champion the idea
that physical and intellectual property are equally important in nature, and
must be protected," states Kelsey Zahourek, PRA executive director. "Property
rights contribute to increased levels of stability and provide people with the
knowledge and comfort that their property will remain theirs."

Hernando de Soto, whose seminal work on property rights led to the conception
of the IPRI, said this year's results "continue to point out the relationship
between a strong property rights system and a country's economic well-being,
revealing that much still needs to be done to extend property rights to more
people, especially the poor."

The 2009 IPRI is a composite ranking of three comprehensive areas of property
rights: Legal and Political Environment, Physical Property Rights, and
Intellectual Property Rights. Of the 115 countries included, the top quartile
averaged $39,991 in GDP per capita while the average in the bottom twenty per
cent was only $4,341 per capita. The second, third and fourth quartiles
averaged $23,982, $11,748, and $4,891 respectively. The nearly linear data
trend shows that countries placing a high priority on property rights see
increased economic security.

"As property rights continue to face challenges around the world, we hope this
study will be a useful tool for policymakers, think tanks, academics, and
investors by highlighting the importance of property rights as a key building
block for economic growth," continued Zahourek.

For more information, such as a country-by-country analysis, a list of global
partner organizations, or the report in its entirety, please visit
www.InternationalPropertyRightsIndex.org.

The 2009 IPRI partner organizations include: Adriatic Institute for Public
Policy (Croatia), Albanian Socio Economic Think Tank (Albania), Alternate
Solutions Institute (Pakistan), Association for Liberal Thinking (Turkey),
Bishkek Business Club (Kyrgyz Republic), Cathay Institute for Public Affaire
(China), CEDICE (Venezuela), Center for Institutional Analysis and Development
(Romania), Centre for Civil Society (India), Centre for Free Enterprise
(Korea), Centre for Policy Research (India), Centro de Investigaciones de
Instituciones y Mercados de Argentina (Argentina), Centro de Investigaciones
Economicas Nacionales (Guatemala), CEPOS (Denmark), CIVITA (Norway), Competere
(Italy), Economic Policy Institute (Kyrgyz Republic), Entrepreneur Development
Foundation (Azerbaijan), Eudoxa (Sweden), European Center for Economic Growth
(Belgium/Austria), FREE (Poland), Friedrich A. v. Hayek Institut (Austria),
Friedrich Naumann Foundation (Germany), Fundacion Atlas 1853 (Argentina),
Fundacion IDEA (Mexico), Fundacion Libertad (Panama), Fundacion Libertad y
Democracia (Bolivia), IFD (Thailand), IMANI Center for Policy and Education
(Ghana), Initiative for Public Policy Analysis (Nigeria), Institute for Market
Economics (Bulgaria), Institut Constant de Rebecque (Switzerland), Institute
for Public Affairs (Australia), Instituto de Libre Empresa (Peru), Instituto
Ecuatoriano de Economia Politica (Ecuador), Instituto Liberdade (Brazil),
Instituto Para La Libertad y el Analisis de Politicas (Costa Rica), Institute
for Free Enterprise (Germany), Instytut Misesa (Poland), International Policy
Network (United Kingdom), International Research Foundation (Oman), Jerusalem
Institute for Market Studies (Israel), le Centre des Affaires Humaines
(Burkina Faso), Liberales Institute (Switzerland), Liberty Institute (India),
Limited Government Nepal (Nepal), Malaysia Think Tank (Malaysia), Minimal
Government Thinkers (Philippines), Observatorio para el Aesarrollo Territorial
(Peru), OHRID Institute for Economic Strategies and International Affairs
(Macedonia), Property Rights Alliance (United States), RSE - Centre for Social
and Economic Research (Iceland), The Free Market Foundation of South Africa
(South Africa), The Lion Rock Institute (Hong Kong), The Nassau Institute
(Bahamas), TIMBRO (Sweden).

SOURCE Property Rights Alliance

John Kartchor Kelsey Zahourek, of Property Rights Alliance, +1-202-785-0266,
kzahourek@propertyrightsalliance.org