Jamaica vs South Africa: Civil liberties rating
Jamaica
2
in 2025
South Africa
2
in 2025
Jamaica rank
121st
South Africa rank
121st
Civil liberties rating over time
- Jamaica
- South Africa
How they compare
Jamaica currently reports 2 against 2 in South Africa, a difference of 0.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 53 shared years of data; in 1972 it was South Africa ahead.
Jamaica ranks 121st and South Africa ranks 121st of 199 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Jamaica averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 3.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Jamaica | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2.5 | 5.5 | 3 | South Africa |
| 1980s | 2.67 | 5.89 | 3.22 | South Africa |
| 1990s | 2.5 | 2.9 | 0.4 | South Africa |
| 2000s | 2.9 | 2 | 0.9 | Jamaica |
| 2010s | 2.8 | 2 | 0.8 | Jamaica |
| 2020s | 2 | 2 | 0 | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher civil liberties rating, Jamaica or South Africa?
- Jamaica, at 2 against 2 in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in civil liberties rating between Jamaica and South Africa?
- 0, with Jamaica ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Jamaica and South Africa?
- 53 years are reported by both, from 1972 to 2025.
- How do Jamaica and South Africa rank globally for civil liberties rating?
- Jamaica ranks 121st and South Africa ranks 121st of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Civil liberties rating. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Identifies the extent of freedom of expression and association, the rule of law, and personal autonomy. Lower ratings indicate more liberties.