This study presents a general analytical framework for the double decision of country allocation and currency risk exposure. As each of these decisions can be taken in a passive way or in an active way via optimizations, four possible approaches are scrutinized. We use Morgan Stanley Capital International historical index returns for the G-7 countries from July 1976 to June 2001 and compare the relative performance of each approach on an ex post basis. For optimisation based strategies, we focus on the marginal gain of relaxing practical constraints relative to the market indexes (importance of the tilt relative to the market capitalization of the benchmark) and/or the currencies (hedging of the currency risk, cross-hedging, exposure to the currency risk).