South Africa vs United States: Civil liberties rating
South Africa
2
in 2025
United States
2
in 2025
South Africa rank
121st
United States rank
121st
Civil liberties rating over time
- South Africa
- United States
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 2 against 2 in United States, a difference of 0.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 53 shared years of data; in 1972 it was South Africa ahead.
South Africa ranks 121st and United States ranks 121st of 199 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Africa | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.5 | 1 | 4.5 | South Africa |
| 1980s | 5.89 | 1 | 4.89 | South Africa |
| 1990s | 2.9 | 1 | 1.9 | South Africa |
| 2000s | 2 | 1 | 1 | South Africa |
| 2010s | 2 | 1 | 1 | South Africa |
| 2020s | 2 | 2 | 0 | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher civil liberties rating, South Africa or United States?
- South Africa, at 2 against 2 in United States as of 2025.
- What is the difference in civil liberties rating between South Africa and United States?
- 0, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United States?
- 53 years are reported by both, from 1972 to 2025.
- How do South Africa and United States rank globally for civil liberties rating?
- South Africa ranks 121st and United States 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.