Countries With the Highest Political Civil Liberties
Every country with a figure for political civil liberties, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Denmark (0.975), Switzerland (0.969) and Ireland (0.967). The middle country of the 175 has 0.747.
What this measures
Political civil liberties index, in index (0-1). Source: V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg. For this measure, higher is better.
Combines freedom of expression and freedom of association. So it shares both parts with the electoral democracy index.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2025–2025. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Political civil liberties | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denmark | 0.975 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 2 | Switzerland | 0.969 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 3 | Ireland | 0.967 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 4 | Estonia | 0.966 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 5 | Belgium | 0.963 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 6 | Sweden | 0.96 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 7 | Luxembourg | 0.956 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 8 | Norway | 0.955 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 9 | France | 0.953 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 10 | Uruguay | 0.947 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 11 | Chile | 0.943 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 12 | Latvia | 0.943 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 13 | Finland | 0.936 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 14 | Jamaica | 0.936 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 15 | Czechia | 0.934 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 16 | Brazil | 0.932 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 17 | Costa Rica | 0.931 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 18 | Iceland | 0.93 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 19 | Poland | 0.93 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 20 | New Zealand | 0.929 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 21 | Austria | 0.926 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 22 | Spain | 0.925 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 23 | Barbados | 0.922 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 24 | Canada | 0.922 | 2025 | North America |
| 25 | Dominican Republic | 0.922 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 26 | Ghana | 0.922 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 27 | Mauritius | 0.922 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 28 | Japan | 0.92 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 29 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.92 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 30 | Suriname | 0.916 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 31 | Portugal | 0.914 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 32 | Korea, Rep. | 0.911 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 33 | Australia | 0.906 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 34 | Vanuatu | 0.905 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 35 | Taiwan | 0.904 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 36 | Namibia | 0.896 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 37 | Sri Lanka | 0.895 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 38 | Cabo Verde | 0.893 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 39 | Lithuania | 0.893 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 40 | Seychelles | 0.893 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 41 | Germany | 0.892 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 42 | Netherlands | 0.892 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 43 | Solomon Islands | 0.892 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 44 | Malta | 0.891 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 45 | Montenegro | 0.891 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 46 | Papua New Guinea | 0.889 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 47 | Panama | 0.885 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 48 | South Africa | 0.884 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 49 | Cyprus | 0.879 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 50 | Honduras | 0.876 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 51 | Italy | 0.873 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 52 | Sierra Leone | 0.868 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 53 | Timor-Leste | 0.866 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 54 | United States | 0.865 | 2025 | North America |
| 55 | Nigeria | 0.863 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 56 | Nepal | 0.863 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 57 | Kenya | 0.86 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 58 | United Kingdom | 0.858 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 59 | Lesotho | 0.857 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 60 | Guatemala | 0.856 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 61 | Guyana | 0.855 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 62 | Greece | 0.845 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 63 | Liberia | 0.845 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 64 | Botswana | 0.843 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 65 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.843 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 66 | Colombia | 0.842 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 67 | Romania | 0.838 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 68 | Gambia, The | 0.837 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 69 | Senegal | 0.837 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 70 | Kosovo | 0.828 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 71 | Bulgaria | 0.825 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 72 | Armenia | 0.818 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 73 | Slovak Republic | 0.807 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 74 | Paraguay | 0.799 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 75 | Slovenia | 0.797 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 76 | Zambia | 0.797 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 77 | Croatia | 0.793 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 78 | Haiti | 0.786 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 79 | Argentina | 0.774 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 80 | Israel | 0.769 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 81 | Albania | 0.761 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 82 | Moldova | 0.761 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 83 | Fiji | 0.759 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 84 | Peru | 0.759 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 85 | Mongolia | 0.758 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 86 | Malawi | 0.755 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 87 | North Macedonia | 0.753 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 88 | Gabon | 0.747 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 89 | Niger | 0.747 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 90 | Madagascar | 0.743 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 91 | Benin | 0.741 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 92 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.735 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 93 | Bolivia | 0.735 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 94 | Lebanon | 0.729 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 95 | Maldives | 0.724 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 96 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.701 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 97 | Ecuador | 0.694 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 98 | Malaysia | 0.691 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 99 | Bhutan | 0.658 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 100 | Mexico | 0.642 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 101 | Philippines | 0.641 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 102 | Bangladesh | 0.636 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 103 | Tanzania | 0.614 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 104 | Hungary | 0.607 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 105 | Georgia | 0.605 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 106 | Indonesia | 0.596 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 107 | Angola | 0.578 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 108 | Tunisia | 0.561 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 109 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 0.555 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 110 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.549 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 111 | Jordan | 0.549 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 112 | Morocco | 0.549 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 113 | Serbia | 0.549 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 114 | Thailand | 0.548 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 115 | Iraq | 0.543 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 116 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 0.532 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 117 | Singapore | 0.528 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 118 | Mauritania | 0.526 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 119 | Central African Republic | 0.525 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 120 | Libya | 0.515 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 121 | Comoros | 0.514 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 122 | Ukraine | 0.511 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 123 | Mozambique | 0.504 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 124 | Pakistan | 0.502 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 125 | Togo | 0.483 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 126 | India | 0.465 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 127 | Guinea | 0.453 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 128 | Mali | 0.439 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 129 | El Salvador | 0.429 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 130 | Kyrgyz Republic | 0.427 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 131 | Cameroon | 0.417 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 132 | Djibouti | 0.41 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 133 | Uganda | 0.368 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 134 | Kuwait | 0.364 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 135 | Kazakhstan | 0.362 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 136 | Zimbabwe | 0.349 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 137 | Burkina Faso | 0.346 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 138 | Algeria | 0.339 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 139 | Ethiopia | 0.336 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 140 | Chad | 0.302 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 141 | Congo, Rep. | 0.296 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 142 | Yemen, Rep. | 0.295 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 143 | Syrian Arab Republic | 0.283 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 144 | Sudan | 0.271 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 145 | Turkiye | 0.263 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 146 | Uzbekistan | 0.249 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 147 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 0.231 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 148 | Cambodia | 0.208 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 149 | Rwanda | 0.174 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 150 | Oman | 0.167 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 151 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 0.158 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 152 | Burundi | 0.157 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 153 | Venezuela, RB | 0.155 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 154 | Bahrain | 0.15 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 155 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 0.145 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 156 | United Arab Emirates | 0.122 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 157 | Azerbaijan | 0.121 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 158 | South Sudan | 0.121 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 159 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.117 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 160 | Russian Federation | 0.1 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 161 | Viet Nam | 0.094 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 162 | Saudi Arabia | 0.083 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 163 | Qatar | 0.079 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 164 | Tajikistan | 0.07 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 165 | Eswatini | 0.062 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 166 | Myanmar | 0.058 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 167 | Turkmenistan | 0.054 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 168 | Lao PDR | 0.053 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 169 | Cuba | 0.037 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 170 | Belarus | 0.036 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 171 | China | 0.036 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 172 | Eritrea | 0.024 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 173 | Afghanistan | 0.021 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 174 | Nicaragua | 0.017 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 175 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 0.015 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
More on political civil liberties
- Countries With the Lowest Political Civil Liberties
- Political civil liberties by country: trend over time and what it goes with
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- Countries With the Highest Corruption Perceptions Index
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- Countries With the Highest Civil Liberties (FH)
- Countries With the Highest Trust in Government
- Countries With the Highest Pre-trial Detainee Shares
- Countries With the Highest Refugees Originating
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A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.