What is the highest legislative checks on government index recorded in South Africa?

The highest recorded value was 0.926 in 2024.

What is the lowest legislative checks on government index recorded in South Africa?

The lowest recorded value was 0.332 in 1948.

How does South Africa rank for legislative checks on government index?

South Africa ranks 42nd out of 174 countries with data for 2025.

Is legislative checks on government index rising or falling in South Africa?

Over the last ten years it is down 4.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this South Africa data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Legislative Checks on Government Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Legislative Checks on Government Index in South Africa

Name: Legislative Checks on Government Index in South Africa
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

South Africa: Legislative Checks on Government Index was 0.843 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.843

Change on year

down 9.0%

World rank

42nd

of 174 countries

All-time high

0.926

in 2024

All-time low

0.332

in 1948

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Legislative Checks on Government Index in South Africa, 1900–2025

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

Analysis

South Africa recorded 0.843 for legislative checks on government index in 2025.

That represents a change of down 9.0% on the previous year and down 4.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, legislative checks on government index in South Africa peaked at 0.926 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.332, in 1948.

That places South Africa 42nd out of 174 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 126 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.415	0.415	0.415	10
1910s	0.415	0.415	0.415	10
1920s	0.415	0.415	0.415	10
1930s	0.415	0.415	0.415	10
1940s	0.3924	0.332	0.415	10
1950s	0.332	0.332	0.332	10
1960s	0.332	0.332	0.332	10
1970s	0.332	0.332	0.332	10
1980s	0.482	0.332	0.582	10
1990s	0.7086	0.582	0.83	10
2000s	0.8287	0.817	0.83	10
2010s	0.8657	0.836	0.903	10
2020s	0.8587	0.829	0.926	6

Countries ranked near South Africa

39 Kenya 0.85 compare
40 Trinidad and Tobago 0.849 compare
41 Canada 0.845 compare
43 Spain 0.839 compare
44 Mongolia 0.838 compare
45 Bhutan 0.833 compare

See the full ranking of 174 places →

More reference data data for South Africa

Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5111 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 8.71 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 13.63 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.7468 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 13.63 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.71 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.49 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 41.1 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 63.65 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 4.07 (2050)

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is legislative checks on government index in South Africa?: Legislative checks on government index in South Africa was 0.843 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest legislative checks on government index recorded in South Africa?: The highest recorded value was 0.926 in 2024.
What is the lowest legislative checks on government index recorded in South Africa?: The lowest recorded value was 0.332 in 1948.
How does South Africa rank for legislative checks on government index?: South Africa ranks 42nd out of 174 countries with data for 2025.
Is legislative checks on government index rising or falling in South Africa?: Over the last ten years it is down 4.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Legislative Checks on Government Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Legislative Checks on Government Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 174 places, 23,601 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which the legislature, including opposition parties, questions executive officials and oversees and investigates the executive.