Key features of human rights in Ireland
Ireland: Key features of human rights was 0.956 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Key features of human rights in Ireland, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Ireland recorded 0.956 for key features of human rights in 2025.
The figure is down 0.1% on the previous year and unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of human rights in Ireland peaked at 0.958 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.535, in 1819.
That places Ireland 4th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 237 years of available data.
Key features of human rights in Ireland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.561 | — |
| 1790 | 0.561 | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 0.561 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 0.553 | -1.4% |
| 1793 | 0.553 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.553 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.54 | -2.4% |
| 1796 | 0.572 | +5.9% |
| 1797 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.572 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.558 | -2.4% |
| 1817 | 0.558 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.558 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.535 | -4.1% |
| 1820 | 0.549 | +2.6% |
| 1821 | 0.549 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 0.549 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.549 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.55 | +0.2% |
| 1825 | 0.591 | +7.5% |
| 1826 | 0.602 | +1.9% |
| 1827 | 0.602 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.602 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.593 | -1.5% |
| 1830 | 0.634 | +6.9% |
| 1831 | 0.634 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.634 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.641 | +1.1% |
| 1834 | 0.655 | +2.2% |
| 1835 | 0.713 | +8.9% |
| 1836 | 0.713 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.713 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.72 | +1.0% |
| 1839 | 0.732 | +1.7% |
| 1840 | 0.752 | +2.7% |
| 1841 | 0.752 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.752 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.752 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.766 | +1.9% |
| 1845 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 0.766 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.769 | +0.4% |
| 1851 | 0.776 | +0.9% |
| 1852 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.776 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.789 | +1.7% |
| 1869 | 0.773 | -2.0% |
| 1870 | 0.776 | +0.4% |
| 1871 | 0.786 | +1.3% |
| 1872 | 0.786 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.795 | +1.1% |
| 1874 | 0.795 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.795 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.795 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.795 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.795 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.795 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.818 | +2.9% |
| 1881 | 0.818 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.818 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.825 | +0.9% |
| 1884 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.825 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.826 | +0.1% |
| 1899 | 0.826 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.831 | +0.6% |
| 1901 | 0.829 | -0.2% |
| 1902 | 0.829 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.829 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.829 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.829 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.831 | +0.2% |
| 1907 | 0.831 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.831 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.831 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.835 | +0.5% |
| 1911 | 0.835 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.835 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.835 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.823 | -1.4% |
| 1915 | 0.823 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.807 | -1.9% |
| 1917 | 0.807 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.807 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.669 | -17.1% |
| 1920 | 0.675 | +0.9% |
| 1921 | 0.684 | +1.3% |
| 1922 | 0.713 | +4.2% |
| 1923 | 0.738 | +3.5% |
| 1924 | 0.804 | +8.9% |
| 1925 | 0.819 | +1.9% |
| 1926 | 0.855 | +4.4% |
| 1927 | 0.855 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.855 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.855 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.855 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.855 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.855 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.855 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.855 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.879 | +2.8% |
| 1936 | 0.879 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.879 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.879 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.876 | -0.3% |
| 1940 | 0.876 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.876 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.876 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.876 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.876 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.88 | +0.5% |
| 1946 | 0.884 | +0.5% |
| 1947 | 0.884 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.884 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.886 | +0.2% |
| 1950 | 0.886 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.887 | +0.1% |
| 1952 | 0.887 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.887 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.888 | +0.1% |
| 1955 | 0.888 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.888 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.892 | +0.5% |
| 1958 | 0.892 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.892 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.895 | +0.3% |
| 1961 | 0.897 | +0.2% |
| 1962 | 0.897 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.899 | +0.2% |
| 1964 | 0.902 | +0.3% |
| 1965 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.902 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.901 | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 0.907 | +0.7% |
| 1971 | 0.916 | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 0.916 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.916 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.919 | +0.3% |
| 1975 | 0.919 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.919 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.919 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.919 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.919 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.918 | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 0.921 | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 0.924 | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 0.931 | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 0.931 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.933 | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 0.933 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.933 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.933 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.933 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.94 | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 0.947 | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 0.947 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.947 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.947 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.947 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.949 | +0.2% |
| 1997 | 0.949 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.949 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.949 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.951 | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 0.951 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.951 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.951 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.951 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.951 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.951 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.951 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.951 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.952 | +0.1% |
| 2010 | 0.952 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.952 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.956 | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 0.955 | -0.1% |
| 2014 | 0.955 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.956 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.956 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.944 | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 0.958 | +1.5% |
| 2020 | 0.957 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 0.954 | -0.3% |
| 2022 | 0.957 | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 0.957 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.957 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 0.956 | -0.1% |
Ireland compared with similar countries
- Ireland's 0.956 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.906, 1.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Ireland's 0.956 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.8795, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.561 | 0.561 | 0.561 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.5609 | 0.54 | 0.572 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.572 | 0.572 | 0.572 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.5641 | 0.535 | 0.572 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.5736 | 0.549 | 0.602 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.6789 | 0.634 | 0.732 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.7604 | 0.752 | 0.766 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.7753 | 0.769 | 0.776 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.777 | 0.773 | 0.789 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.7913 | 0.776 | 0.795 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.8229 | 0.818 | 0.825 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.8252 | 0.825 | 0.826 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.83 | 0.829 | 0.831 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.8076 | 0.669 | 0.835 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.7853 | 0.675 | 0.855 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.8667 | 0.855 | 0.879 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.8798 | 0.876 | 0.886 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.8887 | 0.886 | 0.892 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.8999 | 0.895 | 0.902 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.9169 | 0.907 | 0.919 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.929 | 0.918 | 0.933 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9471 | 0.94 | 0.949 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.9511 | 0.951 | 0.952 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.954 | 0.944 | 0.958 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.9563 | 0.954 | 0.957 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ireland
More social development data for Ireland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 137,869 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 69 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 69 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0251 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 Ireland?
- Key features of human rights in Ireland was 0.956 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of human rights recorded in Ireland?
- The highest recorded value was 0.958 in 2019.
- What is the lowest key features of human rights recorded in Ireland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.535 in 1819.
- How does Ireland rank for key features of human rights?
- Ireland ranks 4th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of human rights rising or falling in Ireland?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Ireland 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 — 237 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.