Civil liberties rating by country
Identifies the extent of freedom of expression and association, the rule of law, and personal autonomy. Lower ratings indicate more liberties.
Countries reporting
194
Highest
7
Afghanistan
Lowest
1
Taiwan
Median
3
Years covered
54
1972–2025
Data points
10,083
What the numbers show
Civil liberties rating is currently reported for 194 countries. The highest value is 7 in Afghanistan; the lowest is 1 in Taiwan.
The median across all reporting countries is 3, and the mean is 3.53.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 7.
Over the past decade 42 countries rose and 16 fell. The largest increase was in Nicaragua (up 100.0%), and the largest decrease in Belize (down 50.0%).
Civil liberties rating: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Afghanistan | 7 | 2025 | up 16.7% | falling |
| 1 | Azerbaijan | 7 | 2025 | up 16.7% | flat |
| 1 | Belarus | 7 | 2025 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 1 | Central African Republic | 7 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Eritrea | 7 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Equatorial Guinea | 7 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Iran | 7 | 2025 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 1 | Myanmar | 7 | 2025 | up 40.0% | flat |
| 1 | North Korea | 7 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Sudan | 7 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Somalia | 7 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | South Sudan | 7 | 2025 | up 16.7% | rising |
| 1 | Tajikistan | 7 | 2025 | up 16.7% | flat |
| 1 | Turkmenistan | 7 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Western Sahara | 7 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 16 | United Arab Emirates | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 16 | Burundi | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 16 | Bahrain | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 16 | China | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 16 | Cameroon | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 16 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 16 | Congo | 6 | 2025 | up 20.0% | falling |
| 16 | Cuba | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 16 | Egypt | 6 | 2025 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 16 | Ethiopia | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 16 | Iraq | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 16 | Laos | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 16 | Libya | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 16 | Nicaragua | 6 | 2025 | up 100.0% | flat |
| 16 | Russia | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 16 | Rwanda | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 16 | Saudi Arabia | 6 | 2025 | down 14.3% | rising |
| 16 | Eswatini | 6 | 2025 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 16 | Syria | 6 | 2025 | down 14.3% | flat |
| 16 | Chad | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 16 | Turkey | 6 | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 16 | Uzbekistan | 6 | 2025 | down 14.3% | rising |
| 16 | Venezuela | 6 | 2025 | up 20.0% | rising |
| 16 | Vietnam | 6 | 2025 | up 20.0% | falling |
| 16 | Yemen | 6 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 41 | Angola | 5 | 2025 | down 16.7% | falling |
| 41 | Burkina Faso | 5 | 2025 | up 66.7% | falling |
| 41 | Brunei | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Comoros | 5 | 2025 | up 25.0% | falling |
| 41 | Djibouti | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Algeria | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Gabon | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Guinea | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Haiti | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Jordan | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Kazakhstan | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Kyrgyzstan | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Cambodia | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Kuwait | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 41 | Morocco | 5 | 2025 | up 25.0% | flat |
| 41 | Maldives | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 41 | Mali | 5 | 2025 | up 25.0% | falling |
| 41 | Mauritania | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Niger | 5 | 2025 | up 25.0% | falling |
| 41 | Nigeria | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 41 | Oman | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Pakistan | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 41 | Palestine | 5 | 1995 | unchanged | rising |
| 41 | Qatar | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 41 | Thailand | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 41 | Tanzania | 5 | 2025 | up 25.0% | falling |
| 41 | Uganda | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 41 | Zimbabwe | 5 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 69 | Armenia | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 69 | Bangladesh | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 69 | Cote d'Ivoire | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 69 | Georgia | 4 | 2025 | up 33.3% | falling |
| 69 | Gambia | 4 | 2025 | down 33.3% | rising |
| 69 | Guinea-Bissau | 4 | 2025 | down 20.0% | falling |
| 69 | Guatemala | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 69 | Hong Kong | 4 | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 69 | Honduras | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 69 | Indonesia | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 69 | India | 4 | 2025 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 69 | Kenya | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 69 | Lebanon | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 69 | Liberia | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 69 | Sri Lanka | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 69 | Madagascar | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 69 | Mexico | 4 | 2025 | up 33.3% | falling |
| 69 | Mozambique | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 69 | Malaysia | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 69 | Nepal | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 69 | Philippines | 4 | 2025 | up 33.3% | falling |
| 69 | Singapore | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 69 | El Salvador | 4 | 2025 | up 33.3% | falling |
| 69 | Togo | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 69 | Tunisia | 4 | 2025 | up 33.3% | falling |
| 69 | Ukraine | 4 | 2025 | up 33.3% | falling |
| 69 | Zambia | 4 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Albania | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Benin | 3 | 2025 | up 50.0% | volatile |
| 96 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Bolivia | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Brazil | 3 | 2025 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 96 | Bhutan | 3 | 2025 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 96 | Colombia | 3 | 2025 | down 25.0% | rising |
| 96 | Dominican Republic | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 96 | Ecuador | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 96 | Hungary | 3 | 2025 | up 50.0% | volatile |
| 96 | Israel | 3 | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 96 | Lesotho | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Moldova | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | North Macedonia | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Montenegro | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Malawi | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Nauru | 3 | 2025 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 96 | Peru | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Papua New Guinea | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 96 | Paraguay | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Senegal | 3 | 2025 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 96 | Sierra Leone | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 96 | Serbia | 3 | 2025 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 96 | East Timor | 3 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Argentina | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Antigua and Barbuda | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Bulgaria | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 120 | Bahamas | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 120 | Botswana | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Cyprus | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 120 | Fiji | 2 | 2025 | down 33.3% | rising |
| 120 | France | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 120 | Ghana | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Greece | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Grenada | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Guyana | 2 | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 120 | Croatia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Italy | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 120 | Jamaica | 2 | 2025 | down 33.3% | flat |
| 120 | South Korea | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Lithuania | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 120 | Latvia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 120 | Mongolia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 120 | Mauritius | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Namibia | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Panama | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Poland | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 120 | Romania | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 120 | Solomon Islands | 2 | 2025 | down 33.3% | rising |
| 120 | Sao Tome and Principe | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 120 | Suriname | 2 | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 120 | Seychelles | 2 | 2025 | down 33.3% | falling |
| 120 | Tonga | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Trinidad and Tobago | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 120 | United States | 2 | 2025 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 120 | Vanuatu | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | Samoa | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 120 | South Africa | 2 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Andorra | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Australia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Austria | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Belgium | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Belize | 1 | 2025 | down 50.0% | rising |
| 154 | Barbados | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Canada | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Switzerland | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Chile | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Cape Verde | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Costa Rica | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Czechia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Germany | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Dominica | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Denmark | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Spain | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Estonia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Finland | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Micronesia (country) | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | United Kingdom | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Iceland | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Japan | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 154 | Kiribati | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Saint Lucia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Monaco | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Marshall Islands | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Netherlands | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Norway | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | New Zealand | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Palau | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Puerto Rico | 1 | 2015 | unchanged | rising |
| 154 | Portugal | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | San Marino | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Slovakia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Slovenia | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Sweden | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | flat |
| 154 | Tuvalu | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Uruguay | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 154 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1 | 2025 | unchanged | falling |
| 154 | Taiwan | 1 | 2025 | down 50.0% | volatile |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- USSR 4
About this data
Identifies the extent of freedom of expression and association, the rule of law, and personal autonomy. Lower ratings indicate more liberties.