Key features of human rights in Syria
Syria: Key features of human rights was 0.321 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Key features of human rights in Syria, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Syria recorded 0.321 for key features of human rights in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 139.6% on the previous year and up 473.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of human rights in Syria peaked at 0.505 in 1956 and was at its lowest, 0.056, in 2015.
Syria ranks 146th of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 235 years of available data.
Key features of human rights in Syria, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.176 | — |
| 1790 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1793 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.174 | -1.1% |
| 1809 | 0.168 | -3.4% |
| 1810 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.173 | +3.0% |
| 1831 | 0.308 | +78.0% |
| 1832 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 0.308 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.317 | +2.9% |
| 1841 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.317 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.325 | +2.5% |
| 1858 | 0.326 | +0.3% |
| 1859 | 0.326 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.349 | +7.1% |
| 1861 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.349 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.342 | -2.0% |
| 1866 | 0.342 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.345 | +0.9% |
| 1868 | 0.345 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.345 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 0.345 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 0.345 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.345 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.345 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.345 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.345 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.371 | +7.5% |
| 1877 | 0.21 | -43.4% |
| 1878 | 0.226 | +7.6% |
| 1879 | 0.226 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.191 | -15.5% |
| 1881 | 0.191 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.191 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.191 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.191 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.191 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 0.191 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 0.18 | -5.8% |
| 1888 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.18 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.174 | -3.3% |
| 1891 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 0.174 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.175 | +0.6% |
| 1901 | 0.175 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.175 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.175 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.175 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.175 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.175 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.174 | -0.6% |
| 1908 | 0.238 | +36.8% |
| 1909 | 0.366 | +53.8% |
| 1910 | 0.343 | -6.3% |
| 1911 | 0.301 | -12.2% |
| 1912 | 0.269 | -10.6% |
| 1913 | 0.198 | -26.4% |
| 1914 | 0.151 | -23.7% |
| 1915 | 0.139 | -7.9% |
| 1916 | 0.143 | +2.9% |
| 1917 | 0.143 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.362 | +153.1% |
| 1919 | 0.375 | +3.6% |
| 1922 | 0.257 | -31.5% |
| 1923 | 0.264 | +2.7% |
| 1924 | 0.257 | -2.7% |
| 1925 | 0.24 | -6.6% |
| 1926 | 0.247 | +2.9% |
| 1927 | 0.247 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.266 | +7.7% |
| 1929 | 0.266 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.344 | +29.3% |
| 1931 | 0.358 | +4.1% |
| 1932 | 0.359 | +0.3% |
| 1933 | 0.359 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.359 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.359 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.36 | +0.3% |
| 1937 | 0.36 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.36 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.335 | -6.9% |
| 1940 | 0.336 | +0.3% |
| 1941 | 0.338 | +0.6% |
| 1942 | 0.339 | +0.3% |
| 1943 | 0.327 | -3.5% |
| 1944 | 0.322 | -1.5% |
| 1945 | 0.322 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.4 | +24.2% |
| 1947 | 0.503 | +25.7% |
| 1948 | 0.503 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.457 | -9.1% |
| 1950 | 0.438 | -4.2% |
| 1951 | 0.415 | -5.3% |
| 1952 | 0.418 | +0.7% |
| 1953 | 0.417 | -0.2% |
| 1954 | 0.452 | +8.4% |
| 1955 | 0.504 | +11.5% |
| 1956 | 0.505 | +0.2% |
| 1957 | 0.505 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.36 | -28.7% |
| 1959 | 0.342 | -5.0% |
| 1960 | 0.33 | -3.5% |
| 1961 | 0.343 | +3.9% |
| 1962 | 0.415 | +21.0% |
| 1963 | 0.3 | -27.7% |
| 1964 | 0.272 | -9.3% |
| 1965 | 0.272 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.268 | -1.5% |
| 1967 | 0.267 | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 0.267 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.257 | -3.7% |
| 1970 | 0.166 | -35.4% |
| 1971 | 0.138 | -16.9% |
| 1972 | 0.135 | -2.2% |
| 1973 | 0.12 | -11.1% |
| 1974 | 0.12 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.109 | -9.2% |
| 1976 | 0.114 | +4.6% |
| 1977 | 0.114 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.104 | -8.8% |
| 1979 | 0.099 | -4.8% |
| 1980 | 0.097 | -2.0% |
| 1981 | 0.097 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.097 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.106 | +9.3% |
| 1984 | 0.107 | +0.9% |
| 1985 | 0.104 | -2.8% |
| 1986 | 0.104 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.104 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.104 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.104 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.118 | +13.5% |
| 1991 | 0.117 | -0.8% |
| 1992 | 0.118 | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 0.123 | +4.2% |
| 1994 | 0.123 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.127 | +3.3% |
| 1996 | 0.127 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.127 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.132 | +3.9% |
| 1999 | 0.136 | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 0.183 | +34.6% |
| 2001 | 0.185 | +1.1% |
| 2002 | 0.183 | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 0.178 | -2.7% |
| 2004 | 0.168 | -5.6% |
| 2005 | 0.171 | +1.8% |
| 2006 | 0.17 | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 0.169 | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 0.169 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.169 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.17 | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 0.107 | -37.1% |
| 2012 | 0.087 | -18.7% |
| 2013 | 0.059 | -32.2% |
| 2014 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.056 | -5.1% |
| 2016 | 0.06 | +7.1% |
| 2017 | 0.066 | +10.0% |
| 2018 | 0.062 | -6.1% |
| 2019 | 0.063 | +1.6% |
| 2020 | 0.065 | +3.2% |
| 2021 | 0.072 | +10.8% |
| 2022 | 0.077 | +6.9% |
| 2023 | 0.115 | +49.4% |
| 2024 | 0.134 | +16.5% |
| 2025 | 0.321 | +139.6% |
Syria compared with similar countries
- Syria's 0.321 is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.42, 76% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Syria's 0.321 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.404, 79% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.176 | 0.176 | 0.176 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.176 | 0.176 | 0.176 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.175 | 0.168 | 0.176 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.168 | 0.168 | 0.168 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.168 | 0.168 | 0.168 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.2945 | 0.173 | 0.308 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.317 | 0.317 | 0.317 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.3196 | 0.317 | 0.326 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.3464 | 0.342 | 0.349 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.3103 | 0.21 | 0.371 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.1877 | 0.18 | 0.191 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.174 | 0.174 | 0.174 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.2003 | 0.174 | 0.366 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.2424 | 0.139 | 0.375 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.2555 | 0.24 | 0.266 | 8 |
| 1930s | 0.3553 | 0.335 | 0.36 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.3847 | 0.322 | 0.503 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.4356 | 0.342 | 0.505 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.2991 | 0.257 | 0.415 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1219 | 0.099 | 0.166 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1024 | 0.097 | 0.107 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1248 | 0.117 | 0.136 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1745 | 0.168 | 0.185 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.0789 | 0.056 | 0.17 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1307 | 0.065 | 0.321 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Syria
More social development data for Syria
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 9,885 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4.87 million (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.1899 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 4.87 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0004 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key features of human rights in Syria?
- Key features of human rights in Syria was 0.321 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of human rights recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 0.505 in 1956.
- What is the lowest key features of human rights recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.056 in 2015.
- How does Syria rank for key features of human rights?
- Syria ranks 146th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of human rights rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is up 473.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Syria 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.
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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.