How does Vatican rank for individual liberties and equality before the law index?

Vatican ranks 166th out of 176 countries with data for 1870.

Is individual liberties and equality before the law index rising or falling in Vatican?

Over the last ten years it is down 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.

Where does this Vatican 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.

Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in Vatican

Name: Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in Vatican
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Vatican: Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index was 0.154 in 1870. ▼ Falling

Latest (1870)

0.154

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

166th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.329

in 1798

All-time low

0.095

in 1831

Years of data

1789–1870

Individual Liberties and Equality before the Law Index in Vatican, 1789–1870

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

Vatican recorded 0.154 for individual liberties and equality before the law index in 1870.

That represents a change of down 8.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, individual liberties and equality before the law index in Vatican peaked at 0.329 in 1798 and was at its lowest, 0.095, in 1831.

Vatican ranks 166th of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 78 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.166	0.166	0.166	1
1790s	0.1986	0.166	0.329	10
1800s	0.2079	0.19	0.236	10
1810s	0.1975	0.184	0.211	6
1820s	0.1711	0.153	0.184	10
1830s	0.1008	0.095	0.153	10
1840s	0.1536	0.095	0.266	10
1850s	0.1784	0.152	0.185	10
1860s	0.1554	0.154	0.168	10
1870s	0.154	0.154	0.154	1

Countries ranked near Vatican

163 Chad 0.186 compare
164 South Sudan 0.171 compare
165 Equatorial Guinea 0.169 compare
167 Tajikistan 0.128 compare
168 Libya 0.121 compare
169 Sudan 0.108 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Vatican

Chief executive of the government is elected 0 (1869)
Universal right to vote in practice 0 (1869)
Universal right to vote 0 (1869)
Democracy 0 (1869)
Competitive elections 0 (1869)
Elected parliament 0 (1869)
Men's universal right to vote 0 (1869)
Engaged Society Score -0.132 (1870)
Participatory Political Institutions Index 0.036 (1870)
Free and Fair Elections Index 0.22 (1870)

All data for Vatican →

Frequently asked questions

What is individual liberties and equality before the law index in Vatican?: Individual liberties and equality before the law index in Vatican was 0.154 in 1870, 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 Vatican?: The highest recorded value was 0.329 in 1798.
What is the lowest individual liberties and equality before the law index recorded in Vatican?: The lowest recorded value was 0.095 in 1831.
How does Vatican rank for individual liberties and equality before the law index?: Vatican ranks 166th out of 176 countries with data for 1870.
Is individual liberties and equality before the law index rising or falling in Vatican?: Over the last ten years it is down 8.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Vatican 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 — 78 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

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: 07 August 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.