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