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Powerful passports: France is one of six countries to top a 2024 index of the world's most "powerful passports." (Pictured: The Eiffel Tower in Paris.)
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1. Germany: Four of the top countries are EU member states. (Pictured: Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.)
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1. Italy: Citizens of these six leading countries can enjoy visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 194 destinations around the world. (Pictured: La Morra, Piedmont.)
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4. Japan: Japan is one of two Asian nations that has dominated the No.1 spot on the Henley Passport Index for the past five years. (Pictured: Shinjuku, Tokyo.)
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1. Singapore: The top countries now have easy visa-free access to more destinations than ever before. (Pictured: Gardens by the Bay.)
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1. Spain: The Henley Passport Index is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Association, or IATA. (Pictured: Seville, Spain.)
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2. Finland: Three countries are tied in second place, with easy access to 193 destinations. (Helsinki's Ullanlinna district is pictured.)
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2. South Korea: Christian H. Kaelin, inventor of the index, says, "The average number of destinations travelers are able to access visa-free has nearly doubled from 58 in 2006 to 111 in 2024." (Pictured: South Korea.)
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2. Sweden: Global air passenger traffic is predicted to double by 2040, Frederic Leger, IATA's Senior Vice President Commercial Products and Services, said in a statement. (Pictured: Stortorget, Stockholm.)
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3. Austria: Four European countries are tied in third place. (Pictured: The view over Vienna from St. Stephen's Cathedral.)
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3. Denmark: Citizens of the countries holding third place in the ranking can enjoy visa-free access to 192 destinations around the world. (Pictured: Nyhavn, Copenhagen.)
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4. Belgium: Belgium is one of five countries tied in fourth place on the index. (Pictured: The Grand-Place in Brussels.)
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4. Netherlands: Citizens of five countries can travel to 193 destinations without needing a prior visa. (Pictured: Kinderdijk.)
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4. Luxembourg: Henley & Partner's list is one of several indexes created by financial firms to rank global passports according to the access they provide to their citizens. (Pictured: Wormeldange and the Moselle river.)
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4: Norway: Norway is No. 4 on the Henley Passport Index but No.5 on Arton Capital's
Passport Index. (Pictured: Bergen.)
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4. United Kingdom: It's been a decade since the UK and the US shared 1st place on the Henley Passport Index in 2014. (Pictured: St Paul's Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge, London.)
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4. Portugal: Portugal is No.4 on both the Henley Passport Index and the Arton Capital Passport Index. (Pictured: Carvalho beach near Lagoa.)
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5. Greece: Three countries are tied in fifth place on the Henley Passport Index. (Pictured: the Acropolis, Athens.)
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5. Malta: Citizens of Malta can wave their passports for easy access to 190 destinations around the world. (Pictured: Marsaxlokk, Malta.)
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5. Switzerland: Switzerland rounds out the index's top five for the first quarter of 2024. (Pictured: the Swiss Alps.)