Key features of human rights in El Salvador
El Salvador: Key features of human rights was 0.511 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.511
Change on year
up 5.6%
World rank
121st
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.835
in 2011
All-time low
0.091
in 1979
Years of data
188
1838–2025
Key features of human rights in El Salvador, 1838–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for key features of human rights in El Salvador is 0.511, measured in 2025.
The figure is up 5.6% on the previous year and down 38.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of human rights in El Salvador peaked at 0.835 in 2011 and was at its lowest, 0.091, in 1979.
That places El Salvador 121st out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key features of human rights in El Salvador, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1838 | 0.18 | — |
| 1839 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 0.202 | +12.2% |
| 1872 | 0.202 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.202 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.202 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.202 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.202 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.202 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.202 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.202 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.202 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.204 | +1.0% |
| 1882 | 0.204 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.204 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.204 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.223 | +9.3% |
| 1886 | 0.28 | +25.6% |
| 1887 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.275 | -1.8% |
| 1891 | 0.275 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.275 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.275 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.275 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.275 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.275 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.275 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.275 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 0.275 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.266 | -3.3% |
| 1901 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.292 | +9.8% |
| 1906 | 0.266 | -8.9% |
| 1907 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.276 | +3.8% |
| 1912 | 0.276 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.276 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.272 | -1.4% |
| 1915 | 0.272 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.272 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.272 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.272 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.272 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.276 | +1.5% |
| 1921 | 0.276 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.276 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.276 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.276 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.276 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.276 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.303 | +9.8% |
| 1928 | 0.303 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.303 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.298 | -1.7% |
| 1931 | 0.243 | -18.5% |
| 1932 | 0.107 | -56.0% |
| 1933 | 0.105 | -1.9% |
| 1934 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.124 | +18.1% |
| 1941 | 0.124 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.124 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.124 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.129 | +4.0% |
| 1945 | 0.215 | +66.7% |
| 1946 | 0.227 | +5.6% |
| 1947 | 0.227 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.227 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.236 | +4.0% |
| 1950 | 0.237 | +0.4% |
| 1951 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.227 | -4.2% |
| 1956 | 0.227 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.227 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.227 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.227 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.235 | +3.5% |
| 1961 | 0.237 | +0.9% |
| 1962 | 0.24 | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 0.249 | +3.8% |
| 1964 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.238 | -4.4% |
| 1967 | 0.238 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.218 | -8.4% |
| 1969 | 0.203 | -6.9% |
| 1970 | 0.188 | -7.4% |
| 1971 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.17 | -9.6% |
| 1973 | 0.117 | -31.2% |
| 1974 | 0.107 | -8.5% |
| 1975 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.098 | -8.4% |
| 1978 | 0.093 | -5.1% |
| 1979 | 0.091 | -2.2% |
| 1980 | 0.098 | +7.7% |
| 1981 | 0.099 | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 0.106 | +7.1% |
| 1983 | 0.112 | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 0.112 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.125 | +11.6% |
| 1986 | 0.127 | +1.6% |
| 1987 | 0.127 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.127 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.138 | +8.7% |
| 1990 | 0.183 | +32.6% |
| 1991 | 0.202 | +10.4% |
| 1992 | 0.431 | +113.4% |
| 1993 | 0.699 | +62.2% |
| 1994 | 0.745 | +6.6% |
| 1995 | 0.755 | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 0.766 | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 0.767 | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 0.798 | +4.0% |
| 1999 | 0.803 | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 0.806 | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 0.807 | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 0.804 | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 0.804 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.814 | +1.2% |
| 2005 | 0.822 | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 0.824 | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 0.824 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.824 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.825 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 0.834 | +1.1% |
| 2011 | 0.835 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 0.834 | -0.1% |
| 2013 | 0.829 | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 0.827 | -0.2% |
| 2015 | 0.825 | -0.2% |
| 2016 | 0.831 | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 0.809 | -2.6% |
| 2018 | 0.784 | -3.1% |
| 2019 | 0.76 | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 0.663 | -12.8% |
| 2021 | 0.575 | -13.3% |
| 2022 | 0.487 | -15.3% |
| 2023 | 0.508 | +4.3% |
| 2024 | 0.484 | -4.7% |
| 2025 | 0.511 | +5.6% |
El Salvador compared with similar countries
- El Salvador's 0.511 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.7345, 70% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- El Salvador's 0.511 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 0.819, 62% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.18 | 2 |
| 1840s | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.18 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.18 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.18 | 0.18 | 0.18 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.1998 | 0.18 | 0.202 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.2361 | 0.202 | 0.28 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.275 | 0.275 | 0.275 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.2686 | 0.266 | 0.292 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.2726 | 0.266 | 0.276 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.2841 | 0.276 | 0.303 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.1383 | 0.105 | 0.298 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.1757 | 0.124 | 0.236 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.232 | 0.227 | 0.237 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2356 | 0.203 | 0.249 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1266 | 0.091 | 0.188 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1171 | 0.098 | 0.138 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6149 | 0.183 | 0.803 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8154 | 0.804 | 0.825 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8168 | 0.76 | 0.835 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.538 | 0.484 | 0.663 | 6 |
Countries ranked near El Salvador
- 118 Iraq 0.521 compare
- 119 Kazakhstan 0.513 compare
- 119 Mauritania 0.513 compare
- 122 Cameroon 0.509 compare
- 123 Kuwait 0.488 compare
- 124 Mozambique 0.483 compare
More social development data for El Salvador
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 182 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 68,182 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0107 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 68,182 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key features of human rights in El Salvador?
- Key features of human rights in El Salvador was 0.511 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of human rights recorded in El Salvador?
- The highest recorded value was 0.835 in 2011.
- What is the lowest key features of human rights recorded in El Salvador?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.091 in 1979.
- How does El Salvador rank for key features of human rights?
- El Salvador ranks 121st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of human rights rising or falling in El Salvador?
- Over the last ten years it is down 38.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this El Salvador data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key features of human rights. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 188 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
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.