Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in South Sudan
South Sudan: Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index was 0.171 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
0.171
Change on year
up 8.9%
World rank
164th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.467
in 1849
All-time low
0.045
in 1991
Years of data
190
1821–2025
Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in South Sudan, 1821–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, individual liberties and equality before the law index in South Sudan stood at 0.171.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 8.9% on the previous year and up 58.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, individual liberties and equality before the law index in South Sudan peaked at 0.467 in 1849 and was at its lowest, 0.045, in 1991.
That places South Sudan 164th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 190 years of available data.
Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in South Sudan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1821 | 0.369 | — |
| 1822 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 0.369 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.38 | +3.0% |
| 1841 | 0.38 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.413 | +8.7% |
| 1843 | 0.413 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.413 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.413 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.413 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.413 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.413 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 0.467 | +13.1% |
| 1850 | 0.437 | -6.4% |
| 1851 | 0.424 | -3.0% |
| 1852 | 0.424 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.424 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.424 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.424 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.424 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.424 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.424 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.424 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.408 | -3.8% |
| 1861 | 0.408 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.408 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.359 | -12.0% |
| 1864 | 0.359 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.359 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.359 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.359 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.359 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.359 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 0.372 | +3.6% |
| 1871 | 0.372 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.372 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.372 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.372 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.372 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.372 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.387 | +4.0% |
| 1878 | 0.387 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.387 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.456 | +17.8% |
| 1881 | 0.456 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.44 | -3.5% |
| 1883 | 0.44 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.44 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.177 | -59.8% |
| 1901 | 0.173 | -2.3% |
| 1902 | 0.173 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.173 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.173 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.173 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.173 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.173 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.173 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.173 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.179 | +3.5% |
| 1911 | 0.179 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.179 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.179 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.177 | -1.1% |
| 1915 | 0.177 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.177 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.177 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.177 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.177 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.184 | +4.0% |
| 1921 | 0.19 | +3.3% |
| 1922 | 0.19 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.19 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.186 | -2.1% |
| 1925 | 0.186 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.194 | +4.3% |
| 1927 | 0.194 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.192 | -1.0% |
| 1929 | 0.198 | +3.1% |
| 1930 | 0.2 | +1.0% |
| 1931 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.198 | -1.0% |
| 1945 | 0.201 | +1.5% |
| 1946 | 0.201 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.21 | +4.5% |
| 1948 | 0.21 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.21 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.21 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.21 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.21 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.339 | +61.4% |
| 1954 | 0.339 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.326 | -3.8% |
| 1956 | 0.289 | -11.3% |
| 1957 | 0.301 | +4.2% |
| 1958 | 0.298 | -1.0% |
| 1959 | 0.207 | -30.5% |
| 1960 | 0.202 | -2.4% |
| 1961 | 0.202 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.197 | -2.5% |
| 1963 | 0.197 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.252 | +27.9% |
| 1965 | 0.287 | +13.9% |
| 1966 | 0.287 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.287 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.294 | +2.4% |
| 1969 | 0.177 | -39.8% |
| 1970 | 0.174 | -1.7% |
| 1971 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.181 | +4.0% |
| 1973 | 0.188 | +3.9% |
| 1974 | 0.195 | +3.7% |
| 1975 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.195 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.194 | -0.5% |
| 1978 | 0.194 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.193 | -0.5% |
| 1980 | 0.202 | +4.7% |
| 1981 | 0.203 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 0.198 | -2.5% |
| 1983 | 0.186 | -6.1% |
| 1984 | 0.206 | +10.8% |
| 1985 | 0.267 | +29.6% |
| 1986 | 0.277 | +3.7% |
| 1987 | 0.277 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.259 | -6.5% |
| 1989 | 0.092 | -64.5% |
| 1990 | 0.048 | -47.8% |
| 1991 | 0.045 | -6.3% |
| 1992 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.046 | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.047 | +2.2% |
| 1998 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.052 | +10.6% |
| 2001 | 0.048 | -7.7% |
| 2002 | 0.048 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.048 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.063 | +31.2% |
| 2005 | 0.095 | +50.8% |
| 2006 | 0.094 | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 0.094 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.094 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.094 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.089 | -5.3% |
| 2011 | 0.223 | +150.6% |
| 2012 | 0.221 | -0.9% |
| 2013 | 0.163 | -26.2% |
| 2014 | 0.11 | -32.5% |
| 2015 | 0.108 | -1.8% |
| 2016 | 0.077 | -28.7% |
| 2017 | 0.064 | -16.9% |
| 2018 | 0.076 | +18.7% |
| 2019 | 0.099 | +30.3% |
| 2020 | 0.113 | +14.1% |
| 2021 | 0.14 | +23.9% |
| 2022 | 0.125 | -10.7% |
| 2023 | 0.129 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | 0.157 | +21.7% |
| 2025 | 0.171 | +8.9% |
South Sudan compared with similar countries
- South Sudan's 0.171 is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.341, 50% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- South Sudan's 0.171 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.5635, 30% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1820s | 0.369 | 0.369 | 0.369 | 9 |
| 1830s | 0.369 | 0.369 | 0.369 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.4118 | 0.38 | 0.467 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.4253 | 0.424 | 0.437 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.3737 | 0.359 | 0.408 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.3765 | 0.372 | 0.387 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.4464 | 0.44 | 0.456 | 5 |
| 1900s | 0.1734 | 0.173 | 0.177 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.1778 | 0.177 | 0.179 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.1904 | 0.184 | 0.198 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.203 | 0.198 | 0.21 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.2729 | 0.207 | 0.339 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2382 | 0.177 | 0.294 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1883 | 0.174 | 0.195 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.2167 | 0.092 | 0.277 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0463 | 0.045 | 0.048 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.073 | 0.048 | 0.095 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.123 | 0.064 | 0.223 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1392 | 0.113 | 0.171 | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Sudan
- 161 Saudi Arabia 0.199 compare
- 162 Venezuela 0.191 compare
- 163 Chad 0.186 compare
- 165 Equatorial Guinea 0.169 compare
- 166 Vatican 0.154 compare
- 167 Tajikistan 0.128 compare
More reference data data for South Sudan
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 7.41 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.3667 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 7 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0368 (2019)
- Spring temperature anomalies -2.16 °C (2026)
- Temperature anomalies by month -0.2213 °C (2026)
- Autumn temperature anomalies 4.23 °C (2026)
- Summer temperature anomalies 2.51 °C (2026)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 (AR5) - Burning - Crop 6.36 (2019)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (CO2eq) (AR5) - IPCC Agriculture 43,123 (2019)
Frequently asked questions
- What is individual liberties and equality before the law index in South Sudan?
- Individual liberties and equality before the law index in South Sudan was 0.171 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest individual liberties and equality before the law index recorded in South Sudan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.467 in 1849.
- What is the lowest individual liberties and equality before the law index recorded in South Sudan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.045 in 1991.
- How does South Sudan rank for individual liberties and equality before the law index?
- South Sudan ranks 164th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is individual liberties and equality before the law index rising or falling in South Sudan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 58.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this South Sudan data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 190 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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.