North Korea vs Saudi Arabia: Political Rights Rating
North Korea
7
in 2025
Saudi Arabia
7
in 2025
North Korea rank
1st
Saudi Arabia rank
1st
Political Rights Rating over time
- North Korea
- Saudi Arabia
How they compare
North Korea currently reports 7 against 7 in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 0.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 53 shared years of data; in 1972 it was North Korea ahead.
North Korea ranks 1st and Saudi Arabia ranks 1st of 199 countries.
North Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 6 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | North Korea | Saudi Arabia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 7 | 6 | 1 | North Korea |
| 1980s | 7 | 6.11 | 0.8889 | North Korea |
| 1990s | 7 | 7 | 0 | — |
| 2000s | 7 | 7 | 0 | — |
| 2010s | 7 | 7 | 0 | — |
| 2020s | 7 | 7 | 0 | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher political rights rating, North Korea or Saudi Arabia?
- North Korea, at 7 against 7 in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in political rights rating between North Korea and Saudi Arabia?
- 0, with North Korea ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for North Korea and Saudi Arabia?
- 53 years are reported by both, from 1972 to 2025.
- How do North Korea and Saudi Arabia rank globally for political rights rating?
- North Korea ranks 1st and Saudi Arabia ranks 1st of 199 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Freedom House (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Political Rights Rating. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Identifies the extent of free and fair elections, political pluralism and participation, and a functioning government. Lower ratings indicate more rights.