Sanctions Map
Formal sanctions designations tell you who is sanctioned. They do not tell you which countries are functioning as evasion nodes — routing sanctioned goods, energy, and capital through compliant jurisdictions before reaching their final destination. The PoliData Sanctions Map shows both.
Shows who is formally sanctioned. Does not reflect practical evasion risk or transhipment exposure.
Incorporates transhipment flows, secondary sanctions exposure, and identified evasion corridor activity.
The two maps tell different stories. Central Asia and the Gulf appear clean on the formal sanctions map. On the practical exposure map, several countries in these regions carry elevated evasion hub scores — reflecting documented transhipment of dual-use goods and energy into or out of sanctioned jurisdictions.
Four regimes, one integrated picture
The Sanctions Map tracks all four major multilateral and unilateral sanctions regimes simultaneously — and where they diverge, the divergence is noted explicitly. Post-Brexit UK sanctions have increasingly taken their own path, and EU and US regimes do not always align on timing or scope.
Office of Foreign Assets Control
The most extraterritorially powerful regime. OFAC’s secondary sanctions and dollar-clearing leverage mean US designations carry compliance implications for non-US entities globally. Updated daily.
EU Consolidated Sanctions List
The broadest multilateral regime in terms of asset freeze and travel ban designations. EU sanctions require unanimity among member states, creating occasional delays post-US action. Updated frequently.
UN Security Council
Narrower in scope than US or EU regimes but universal in application — all UN member states are legally obligated to implement UNSC sanctions. Veto dynamics limit comprehensive use against major powers.
Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation
Post-Brexit, UK sanctions have diverged from EU in both scope and timing. OFSI has taken an increasingly independent line, particularly on Russia and on specific individual designations.
How sanctioned goods and energy actually move
Since February 2022, documented trade flow anomalies and investigative reporting have identified two primary evasion mechanisms. PoliData tracks both — incorporating bilateral trade flow data, vessel tracking, and enforcement action records into the practical exposure scores.
What the Sanctions Map scores
Each country receives scores across five dimensions — covering formal designation status, secondary risk, evasion activity, export control quality, and enforcement. The composite score drives the practical exposure map and is distinct from the binary sanctioned/not-sanctioned classification.
Primary Sanctions Regime
- Comprehensive country sanctions
- Sectoral designations
- Targeted individual/entity designations
- Asset freeze scope
- Financial sector restrictions
- Arms embargo status
Secondary Sanctions Risk
- CAATSA exposure
- Iran secondary sanctions scope
- Correspondent account restrictions (CAPTA)
- OFAC 50% rule exposure
- Dollar-clearing severance risk
Evasion & Transhipment Risk
- Bilateral trade flow anomalies (post-2022)
- Dual-use goods re-export activity
- Dark fleet vessel activity
- Shell company incorporation spike
- OFAC/EU enforcement actions vs local entities
Export Control Regime
- Wassenaar Arrangement membership
- Nuclear Suppliers Group membership
- Domestic export control legislation
- Enforcement track record
- Third-country diversion risk rating
Sanctions Enforcement Quality
- Enforcement actions — number and value
- Criminal prosecutions for sanctions violation
- Regulatory guidance quality
- Financial sector compliance culture
- Domestic entity evasion track record
A sample of country-level sanctions scores. The full dataset — including sub-scores across all five dimensions — is available on subscription.
Lowest sanctions exposure
✓ Public| # | Country | Score | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | 97.4 | Very Low |
| 2 | Norway | 97.1 | Very Low |
| 3 | Japan | 96.8 | Very Low |
| 4 | Germany | 96.4 | Very Low |
| 5 | Canada | 96.1 | Very Low |
| 6 | Australia | 95.8 | Very Low |
| 7 | Sweden | 95.4 | Very Low |
| 8 | Netherlands | 95.1 | Very Low |
| 9 | Finland | 94.8 | Very Low |
| 10 | Denmark | 94.6 | Very Low |
Highest sanctions exposure
✓ Public| # | Country | Score | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 190 | North Korea | 0.8 | Very High |
| 189 | Iran | 1.4 | Very High |
| 188 | Syria | 2.1 | Very High |
| 187 | Russia | 8.4 | Very High |
| 186 | Belarus | 11.2 | Very High |
| 185 | Cuba | 12.8 | Very High |
| 184 | Myanmar | 14.3 | Very High |
| 183 | Venezuela | 16.1 | Very High |
| 182 | Sudan | 19.7 | High |
| 181 | Zimbabwe | 21.4 | High |
Full Sanctions Map dataset · 190 countries
⬤ Subscription required| # | Country | Score | Primary | Secondary | Evasion | Export Ctrl | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | New Zealand | 94.3 | 97.1 | 95.4 | 96.2 | 88.6 | ▲ 0.2 |
| 12 | ████████ | ██.█ | ██.█ | ██.█ | ██.█ | ██.█ | █ █.█ |
| 13 | ██████ | ██.█ | ██.█ | ██.█ | ██.█ | ██.█ | █ █.█ |
Get full access to the Sanctions Map
190 countries. Formal designations and practical evasion exposure. Real-time tracking of OFAC, EU, UN, and OFSI list changes.