What is human rights index in Australia?

Human rights index in Australia was 0.906 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest human rights index recorded in Australia?

The highest recorded value was 0.955 in 2008.

What is the lowest human rights index recorded in Australia?

The lowest recorded value was 0.483 in 1789.

How does Australia rank for human rights index?

Australia ranks 32nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is human rights index rising or falling in Australia?

Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Australia data come from?

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

Human Rights Index in Australia

Name: Human Rights Index in Australia
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Australia: Human Rights Index was 0.906 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.906

Change on year

down 1.3%

World rank

32nd

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.955

in 2008

All-time low

0.483

in 1789

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Human Rights Index in Australia, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

Australia recorded 0.906 for human rights index in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year and down 3.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, human rights index in Australia peaked at 0.955 in 2008 and was at its lowest, 0.483, in 1789.

Australia ranks 32nd of 176 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.483	0.483	0.483	1
1790s	0.4885	0.483	0.493	10
1800s	0.493	0.493	0.493	10
1810s	0.493	0.493	0.493	10
1820s	0.5786	0.503	0.619	10
1830s	0.619	0.619	0.619	10
1840s	0.8017	0.619	0.822	10
1850s	0.8252	0.822	0.83	10
1860s	0.83	0.83	0.83	10
1870s	0.83	0.83	0.83	10
1880s	0.83	0.83	0.83	10
1890s	0.8292	0.826	0.83	10
1900s	0.8391	0.826	0.844	10
1910s	0.8315	0.814	0.842	10
1920s	0.843	0.843	0.843	10
1930s	0.8416	0.829	0.843	10
1940s	0.8329	0.801	0.873	10
1950s	0.9167	0.906	0.923	10
1960s	0.9259	0.922	0.94	10
1970s	0.953	0.951	0.954	10
1980s	0.951	0.951	0.951	10
1990s	0.9513	0.949	0.952	10
2000s	0.9526	0.952	0.955	10
2010s	0.9411	0.923	0.953	10
2020s	0.9117	0.9	0.921	6

Countries ranked near Australia

30 Austria 0.907 compare
30 Cape Verde 0.907 compare
33 Seychelles 0.904 compare
34 Italy 0.9 compare
35 Canada 0.897 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Australia

Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 33,415 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 41 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Key features of democracy 0.844 (2025)
Freedom of Expression Index 0.915 (2025)
Freedom of Association Index 0.876 (2025)
Electoral Democracy Index 0.844 (2025)
Participatory Democracy Index 0.648 (2025)
Liberal Democracy Index 0.793 (2025)

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is human rights index in Australia?: Human rights index in Australia was 0.906 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest human rights index recorded in Australia?: The highest recorded value was 0.955 in 2008.
What is the lowest human rights index recorded in Australia?: The lowest recorded value was 0.483 in 1789.
How does Australia rank for human rights index?: Australia ranks 32nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is human rights index rising or falling in Australia?: Over the last ten years it is down 3.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Australia data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Human Rights Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Human Rights Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 30,202 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which people are free from government torture, political killings, and forced labor, they have property rights, and enjoy the freedoms of movement, religion, expression, and association.