Which has higher private civil liberties index, Belgium or Spain?

Spain, at 0.938 against 0.936 in Belgium as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Belgium and Spain?

237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

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

Belgium vs Spain: Private Civil Liberties Index

Belgium

0.936

in 2025

Spain

0.938

in 2025

Belgium rank

9th

Spain rank

7th

Private Civil Liberties Index over time

Belgium
Spain

How they compare

Spain currently reports 0.938 against 0.936 in Belgium, a difference of 0.002.

The two have swapped places 13 times across 237 shared years of data; in 1789 it was Belgium ahead.

Belgium ranks 9th and Spain ranks 7th of 176 countries.

Across the 25 decades both report, Belgium averaged higher in 20 and Spain in 5.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Belgium	Spain	Difference	Ahead
1780s	0.52	0.416	0.104	Belgium
1790s	0.4622	0.416	0.0462	Belgium
1800s	0.5547	0.428	0.1267	Belgium
1810s	0.6749	0.4445	0.2304	Belgium
1820s	0.812	0.427	0.385	Belgium
1830s	0.5796	0.4485	0.1311	Belgium
1840s	0.741	0.452	0.289	Belgium
1850s	0.741	0.4595	0.2815	Belgium
1860s	0.741	0.4579	0.2831	Belgium
1870s	0.741	0.5245	0.2165	Belgium
1880s	0.741	0.506	0.235	Belgium
1890s	0.741	0.506	0.235	Belgium
1900s	0.7398	0.5096	0.2302	Belgium
1910s	0.5942	0.524	0.0702	Belgium
1920s	0.746	0.4682	0.2778	Belgium
1930s	0.76	0.5385	0.2215	Belgium
1940s	0.653	0.3032	0.3498	Belgium
1950s	0.9177	0.3456	0.5721	Belgium
1960s	0.9373	0.365	0.5723	Belgium
1970s	0.9544	0.5323	0.4221	Belgium
1980s	0.956	0.958	0.002	Spain
1990s	0.956	0.958	0.002	Spain
2000s	0.956	0.958	0.002	Spain
2010s	0.9504	0.9573	0.0069	Spain
2020s	0.9342	0.9347	0.0005	Spain

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher private civil liberties index, Belgium or Spain?: Spain, at 0.938 against 0.936 in Belgium as of 2025.
What is the difference in private civil liberties index between Belgium and Spain?: 0.002, with Spain ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Belgium and Spain?: 237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.
How do Belgium and Spain rank globally for private civil liberties index?: Belgium ranks 9th and Spain ranks 7th of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Private Civil Liberties Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Private Civil Liberties 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: 07 August 2026

Central estimate the extent to which people are free from forced labor, have property rights, and enjoy freedom of movement and religion.