In Washington, it’s not for nothing that think tanks are called “governments in waiting.” Presidents seek them out because they are critical to the global ideas industry. Far more than simply churning out endless papers, think tank wonks generate and fine-tune solutions to some of the most complex and vexing issues of the day. Leaders around the world need them to provide independent analysis, help set policy agendas, and bridge the gap between knowledge and action.

But not all think tanks are created equal. There are some 5,500 think tanks worldwide, in nearly 170 countries. Some organizations specialize in security; others in the environment. Some are intensely partisan; others fiercely independent. Some have budgets in the tens of millions of dollars; others are one-person operations. Some are already changing the world with their big ideas; others merely aspire to.

Until now, there has been no guide to this rapidly growing global industry. The Think Tank Index is the first comprehensive ranking of the world’s top think tanks, based on a worldwide survey of hundreds of scholars and experts. Think of it as an insider’s guide to the competitive marketplace for ideas that matter.

The Think Tank Field Guide

As think tanks have grown in number and influence, a handful of distinct breeds have emerged. Here’s a guide to telling the wonks from the water carriers.

	The Policymakers These organizations enjoy a competitive advantage over their rivals when it comes to government contracts and research. They have the know-how and PR skills that ministers, bean counters, and bureaucrats seek.	Rand Corporation, United States Urban Institute, United States Overseas Development Institute, Britain Fundação Getulio Vargas, Brazil Institute for Research on Public Policy, Canada
	The Partisans These ideology-driven organizations generate the leading ideas on the right and left, develop new political talent, and offer a home to out-of-power party leaders.	Heritage Foundation, United States Center for American Progress, United States Adam Smith Institute, Britain Civitas, Britain
	The Phantoms Designed to look like NGOs, these organizations are in fact arms of the government. They’ve emerged as a favorite strategy for authoritarians to mask their diktats as flourishing civil society.	China Development Institute, China Institute for Democracy and Cooperation, Russia Center for Political Studies, Uzbekistan
	The Scholars The stars of the think tank world, these powerhouses of policy are regularly relied upon to set agendas and craft new initiatives.	Brookings Institution, United States Council on Foreign Relations, United States Chatham House, Britain Danish Institute of International Studies, Denmark
	The Activists These do-gooders don’t simply advocate for important causes. They’ve become top-notch policy and research hubs in their own right.	Human Rights Watch, United States Centre for Conflict Resolution, South Africa Amnesty International, Britain

1. Cato Institute

   Cato’s libertarian stance, once viewed as fringe, is now considered respectable. With its anti-incumbent, anti-Washington attitude, Cato has antagonized liberals with its push to privatize Social Security, as well as conservatives with its vigorous opposition to the Iraq war.

2. Brookings Institution

   From heathcare reform to recommendations on closing the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Brookings has a breadth of expertise that allows it to offer innovative fixes for nearly every critical issue facing the United States today.

3. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

   Carnegie’s role in opposing the invasion of Iraq and providing critical research on issues such as Iran’s and North Korea’s nuclear weapons programs places it at the heart of some of Washington’s defining policy debates.

Best New Think Tanks (of the last 5 years)

1. European Council on Foreign Relations

   Populated by European heavyweights like Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari and former German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, the ECFR aims to craft a common foreign policy for an increasingly integrated Europe.

2. Bruegel

   Funded by EU member states and located in Brussels, Bruegel specializes in driving European economic growth and making the continent more competitive in the global economy.

3. Center for American Progress

   Thanks to its all-star roster of experts and savvy use of new media, CAP has emerged as the intellectual center of Democratic D.C.

Most Impact on Public Policy Debates

1. Brookings Institution

   When important debates occur in Washington—whether over Middle East peace, global finance, or urban strategy—it’s a fair bet that Brookings is driving the conversation.

2. Heritage Foundation

   A partisan approach, obsession with the latest policy issues, an effective marketing strategy, and proximity to the seat of power (it is steps away from the U.S. Congress) give Heritage an influential edge.

Top 5 Think Tanks in Latin America and the Caribbean

1. Consejo Argentino para las Relaciones Internacionales (Argentina)

2. Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (Costa Rica)

3. Libertad y Desarrollo (Chile)

4. Centro de Estudios Públicos (Chile)

5. Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento (Argentina)

Top 5 Think Tanks in Asia

1. Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (China)

2. Japan Institute of International Affairs (Japan)

3. Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (India)

4. Centre for Strategic and International Studies (Indonesia)

5. Institute for International Policy Studies (Japan)

Top 5 Think Tanks in the Middle East and North Africa

1. Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies (Egypt)

2. Center for Strategic Studies (Jordan)

3. Institute for National Security Studies (Israel)

4. Gulf Research Center (United Arab Emirates)

5. Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research (United Arab Emirates)

Top 5 Think Tanks in Sub-Saharan Africa

1. Centre for Conflict Resolution (South Africa)

2. South African Institute of International Affairs (South Africa)

3. Institute for Security Studies (South Africa)

4. Free Market Foundation (South Africa)

5. Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa (Senegal)

Top 5 Security and International Affairs Think Tanks

1. Brookings Institution

2. Chatham House

3. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

4. Council on Foreign Relations

5. International Institute for Strategic Studies

Top 5 International Development Think Tanks

1. Brookings Institution

2. Overseas Development Institute

3. Council on Foreign Relations

4. Rand Corporation

5. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

Top 5 International Economic Policy Think Tanks

1. Brookings Institution

2. Peterson Institute for International Economics

3. Fraser Institute

4. National Bureau of Economic Research

5. Adam Smith Institute

There are 5,465 think tanks worldwide.

Breakdown:

• 1,872 in North America

• 1,208 in Western Europe
• 653 in Asia
• 538 in Latin America and the Caribbean
• 514 in Eastern Europe
• 424 in sub-Saharan Africa
•  218 in the Middle East and North Africa
•   38 in Oceania

• There are 1,777 think tanks in the United States.
• Nine out of 10 U.S. think tanks were created since 1951.
• The number of U.S. think tanks has more than doubled since 1980.
• Approximately 350 think tanks are based in Washington, more than in any country other than the United States.

Prior to launching the Think Tank Index, extensive research was conducted to develop a comprehensive list of all think tanks in the world. Relying on previous studies, think tank directories and databases, and experts in the field, 5,465 institutions worldwide were identified for inclusion in the study.

To create a more manageable list from which to identify leading think tanks, an international group of scholars, think tank executives, public and private donors, and policymakers were then asked to nominate think tanks they consider to be the best in the world. These experts used selection criteria such as a think tank's ability to retain elite scholars and analysts; access to elites in policymaking, media, and academia; media reputation; reputation with policymakers; scholarly output; and usefulness of the organization's information, among others. This effort resulted in a list of approximately 400 think tanks worldwide that were then included in the Think Tank Impact Survey.

The Think Tank Impact Survey was then sent to hundreds of think tank scholars, think tank executives, and government and NGO personnel who fund think tanks. More than 150 responses from this panel of experts were received. These respondents ranked the list of think tanks by region and research area, the results of which are seen here.

• Download the full report and methodology (PDF, ~1MB)