What is the difference in individual liberties and equality before the law index between South Africa and United Kingdom?

0.013, with South Africa ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Kingdom?

126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

South Africa vs United Kingdom: Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index

South Africa

0.861

in 2025

United Kingdom

0.848

in 2025

South Africa rank

55th

United Kingdom rank

58th

Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index over time

South Africa
United Kingdom

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 0.861 against 0.848 in United Kingdom, a difference of 0.013.

The two have swapped places 1 time across 126 shared years of data; in 1900 it was United Kingdom ahead.

South Africa ranks 55th and United Kingdom ranks 58th of 176 countries.

United Kingdom has averaged higher in every one of the 13 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	South Africa	United Kingdom	Difference	Ahead
1900s	0.155	0.872	0.717	United Kingdom
1910s	0.155	0.8662	0.7112	United Kingdom
1920s	0.155	0.8942	0.7392	United Kingdom
1930s	0.1604	0.9042	0.7438	United Kingdom
1940s	0.1551	0.904	0.7489	United Kingdom
1950s	0.122	0.9208	0.7988	United Kingdom
1960s	0.1086	0.9218	0.8132	United Kingdom
1970s	0.1082	0.932	0.8238	United Kingdom
1980s	0.1109	0.948	0.8371	United Kingdom
1990s	0.573	0.9635	0.3905	United Kingdom
2000s	0.8748	0.97	0.0952	United Kingdom
2010s	0.8666	0.9455	0.0789	United Kingdom
2020s	0.8482	0.8903	0.0422	United Kingdom

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher individual liberties and equality before the law index, South Africa or United Kingdom?: South Africa, at 0.861 against 0.848 in United Kingdom as of 2025.
What is the difference in individual liberties and equality before the law index between South Africa and United Kingdom?: 0.013, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Africa and United Kingdom?: 126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.
How do South Africa and United Kingdom rank globally for individual liberties and equality before the law index?: South Africa ranks 55th and United Kingdom ranks 58th of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Africa vs United Kingdom: Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 09 November 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/individual-liberties-and-equality-before-the-law-index/south-africa/united-kingdom/

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<a href="https://reference.statizoid.com/compare/individual-liberties-and-equality-before-the-law-index/south-africa/united-kingdom/">South Africa vs United Kingdom: Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index</a> — Statizoid

About this data

Indicator: Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,494 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 30 October 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which extent to which citizens enjoy physical integrity rights, freedoms of religion, of movement, and from forced labor, as well as access to justice, laws are transparent, and public administration is impartial.