The 22 most powerful passports in the world

Oktoberfest

LONDON — In a world of budget airlines and abundant flights all over the world, travelling is easier and cheaper than ever before.

But without a passport, you're not going to get very far, wherever in the world you're from.

Some passports are worth more than others however, with the international standing of certain countries making it significantly easier for their citizens to secure entry in exotic, far flung nations.

Business Insider looked at the Quality of Nationality Index, produced annually by Henley & Partners, to find the world's most powerful passports. The index looks at a huge number of variables to find out which countries are the best respected globally.

Within the ranking is a separate Travel Freedom Ranking, which ranks the ease of travel for citizens from almost 160 countries around the world, by looking at how many countries citizens can travel to without needing a specific visa. For example, a country where citizens can travel to 100 countries without a visa has a higher level on travel freedom than one where citizens can only visit 95 states visa-free.

Most of the nations are prosperous, developed nations in the Western hemisphere. Check out the top 22 below, which are ranked on an index score, with 1 as the worst, and 100 the best.

N.B. The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man feature close to the top of the Travel Freedom Ranking, but have been excluded from this list as they are widely considered part of the United Kingdom.