Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in Sweden
Sweden: Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index was 0.981 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in Sweden, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, individual liberties and equality before the law index in Sweden stood at 0.981.
That represents a change of down 0.2% on the previous year and down 0.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, individual liberties and equality before the law index in Sweden peaked at 0.992 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 0.746, in 1789.
That places Sweden 4th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.
Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in Sweden, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.746 | — |
| 1790 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1793 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.746 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.762 | +2.1% |
| 1861 | 0.803 | +5.4% |
| 1862 | 0.803 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.803 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.803 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.803 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.803 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.803 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.803 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.821 | +2.2% |
| 1870 | 0.821 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 0.821 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.821 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.821 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.821 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.821 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.821 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.821 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.821 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.821 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.842 | +2.6% |
| 1881 | 0.842 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.842 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.842 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.842 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.842 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 0.842 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 0.842 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.842 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.842 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.862 | +2.4% |
| 1891 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.862 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.866 | +0.5% |
| 1912 | 0.866 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.866 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.867 | +0.1% |
| 1915 | 0.867 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.867 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.876 | +1.0% |
| 1918 | 0.879 | +0.3% |
| 1919 | 0.887 | +0.9% |
| 1920 | 0.894 | +0.8% |
| 1921 | 0.898 | +0.4% |
| 1922 | 0.914 | +1.8% |
| 1923 | 0.914 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.918 | +0.4% |
| 1925 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.918 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.908 | -1.1% |
| 1932 | 0.921 | +1.4% |
| 1933 | 0.922 | +0.1% |
| 1934 | 0.922 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.935 | +1.4% |
| 1936 | 0.934 | -0.1% |
| 1937 | 0.934 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.924 | -1.1% |
| 1939 | 0.924 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.935 | +1.2% |
| 1941 | 0.935 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.935 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.935 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.935 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.935 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.954 | +2.0% |
| 1947 | 0.954 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.954 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.954 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.959 | +0.5% |
| 1951 | 0.959 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.965 | +0.6% |
| 1953 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.965 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.971 | +0.6% |
| 1961 | 0.977 | +0.6% |
| 1962 | 0.977 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.977 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.977 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.977 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.977 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.977 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.979 | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 0.979 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.982 | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 0.982 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.984 | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 0.986 | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 0.986 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.986 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.986 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.986 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.986 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.986 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.987 | +0.1% |
| 1981 | 0.987 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.99 | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.99 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.992 | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 0.992 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.992 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.992 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.991 | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 0.991 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.991 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.991 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.991 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.986 | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 0.986 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.984 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | 0.986 | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 0.986 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.986 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.986 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.987 | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 0.981 | -0.6% |
| 2024 | 0.983 | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 0.981 | -0.2% |
Sweden compared with similar countries
- Sweden's 0.981 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.932, 1.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Sweden's 0.981 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.899, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.746 | 0.746 | 0.746 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.746 | 0.746 | 0.746 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.746 | 0.746 | 0.746 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.746 | 0.746 | 0.746 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.746 | 0.746 | 0.746 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.746 | 0.746 | 0.746 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.746 | 0.746 | 0.746 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.746 | 0.746 | 0.746 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.8007 | 0.762 | 0.821 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.821 | 0.821 | 0.821 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.842 | 0.842 | 0.842 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.862 | 0.862 | 0.862 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.862 | 0.862 | 0.862 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.8703 | 0.862 | 0.887 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.9128 | 0.894 | 0.918 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.9242 | 0.908 | 0.935 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.9426 | 0.935 | 0.954 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.9638 | 0.959 | 0.965 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.9768 | 0.971 | 0.979 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.985 | 0.982 | 0.986 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.9894 | 0.987 | 0.99 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.99 | 0.99 | 0.99 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.9908 | 0.99 | 0.992 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.9883 | 0.984 | 0.991 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.984 | 0.981 | 0.987 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sweden
More reference data data for Sweden
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.4328 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2237 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.2063 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 1.68 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.9766 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.13 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 8.03 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 1.12 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is individual liberties and equality before the law index in Sweden?
- Individual liberties and equality before the law index in Sweden was 0.981 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 Sweden?
- The highest recorded value was 0.992 in 2006.
- What is the lowest individual liberties and equality before the law index recorded in Sweden?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.746 in 1789.
- How does Sweden rank for individual liberties and equality before the law index?
- Sweden ranks 4th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is individual liberties and equality before the law index rising or falling in Sweden?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sweden 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 — 237 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.