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Kalandula waterfalls of Lucala river, Malange, Angola

Photo: Paulo César Santos derivative work: Jjtkk · CC0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale

Topic 09 of 18 · Country Index 2026

Angola: Democracy & Civil Liberties

Do people choose their rulers, and can they speak freely?

Angola is placed 152nd of 198 countries on democracy & civil liberties in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics. Readings behind it: Rule of Law -1.125 (2025); Civic Space Ratings 23.97 (2025).

Democracy & Civil Liberties

152nd

of 198 countries placed

Placed from 3 of 3 key statistics

Country Index 2026, all topics155th of 178 →

01The evidence

The 3 key statistics that decide it

Only these place Angola on democracy & civil liberties — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.

Why these keys

  1. Key 1 of 3

    Rule of Law

    World Bank Group

    Why it is a key: Whether the law binds those who write it — contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts. Where the other two keys measure who holds power and what people may do, this measures whether power itself is bound by rules.

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY 4.0

    -1.125

    Rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)

    Higher is better

    Angola: -1.125. Across the 211 countries in this edition, values run from -2.199 (Venezuela) to 2.012 (Finland); the world median is -0.102.

    World median
    -0.102
    Best in Middle Africa
    -0.454 São Tomé and Príncipe
    Land neighbours
    DR Congo -1.664 · Republic of the Congo -1.247 · Namibia 0.376 · Zambia -0.492

    Each grey tick is one of 211 countries in the 2025 edition.

  2. Key 2 of 3

    Civic Space Ratings

    CIVICUS

    Why it is a key: Whether people can assemble, organise and speak in practice this year. Correlates 0.915 with V-Dem, just inside the 0.92 bar, and kept because a country can hold real elections while closing civic space between them.

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0

    23.97

    Civic space score (0–100)

    Higher is better

    Angola: 23.97. Across the 198 countries in this edition, values run from 2.17 (North Korea) to 100 (Kiribati); the world median is 50.46.

    World median
    50.46
    Best in Middle Africa
    88.2 São Tomé and Príncipe
    Land neighbours
    DR Congo 25.62 · Republic of the Congo 28.42 · Namibia 80.15 · Zambia 53.25

    Each grey tick is one of 198 countries in the 2025 edition.

  3. Key 3 of 3

    V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index

    V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg

    Why it is a key: Regime type as assessed by scholars: whether elections are genuine and whether rulers can be removed by them.

    2025 edition · data for 2025 · CC BY-SA 4.0

    0.344

    Electoral democracy index (0–1)

    Higher is better

    Angola: 0.344. Across the 176 countries in this edition, values run from 0.016 (Saudi Arabia) to 0.913 (Denmark); the world median is 0.497.

    World median
    0.497
    Best in Middle Africa
    0.632 São Tomé and Príncipe
    Land neighbours
    DR Congo 0.306 · Republic of the Congo 0.243 · Namibia 0.633 · Zambia 0.497

    Each grey tick is one of 176 countries in the 2025 edition.

03In context

Angola beside its neighbours

A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 198 countries on democracy & civil liberties, never a place within the region.

Middle Africa
1st198thNot placed · 26 countries with too few key statisticsNo data

The whole world on democracy & civil liberties

Angola and the countries it borders

The standing is each country’s place among all 198 placed on the topic; the other columns are the publishers’ own values, read at the edition the standing used.

CountryStandingRule of LawRule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)Civic Space RatingsCivic space score (0–100)V-Dem Electoral Democracy IndexElectoral democracy index (0–1)
Namibia59th0.37680.150.633
Zambia106th-0.49253.250.497
Angola152nd-1.12523.970.344
Republic of the Congo165th-1.24728.420.243
DR Congo=167th-1.66425.620.306

“—” means the publisher gives no reading for that country in that edition. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed.

Placed either side on democracy & civil liberties

The countries immediately above and below Angola in the topic’s list.

04Context, no vote

Where Angola is ahead of the world, and behind

14 more statistics filed under democracy & civil liberties, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.

Every country

Behind the world median14

Statistics on which Angola does worse than the middle country measured.

  • Women's Political Empowerment IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.7720.77▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: 0.77 · world median 0.772 · Women's political empowerment index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.028 to 0.954; higher is better.

    Position 90th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Social Institutions and Gender IndexOECD · 2023 · world median 25.225.9No earlier reading

    Angola: 25.9 · world median 25.2 · SIGI score (0 = no discrimination, 100 = absolute). OECD, 2023 edition, data for 2023.

    Published values in that edition run from 6.7 to 67.4; lower is better.

    Position 66th of 140 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = worst. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2023 dataset

  • Government Internet ShutdownsV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 1.0230.517▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: 0.517 · world median 1.023 · Original latent estimate (≈ −4 to +2); higher = fewer shutdowns. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from -3.547 to 2.081; higher is better.

    Position 106th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Physical Violence IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.790.687▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: 0.687 · world median 0.79 · Freedom from political killings and torture (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.053 to 0.989; higher is better.

    Position 106th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Academic Freedom IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6190.416▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: 0.416 · world median 0.619 · Academic freedom index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.019 to 0.978; higher is better.

    Position 114th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Liberal Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.3530.163▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: 0.163 · world median 0.353 · Liberal democracy index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.009 to 0.884; higher is better.

    Position 119th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Freedom of Expression and Alternative Sources of Information IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6930.497▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: 0.497 · world median 0.693 · Freedom of expression index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.013 to 0.98; higher is better.

    Position 125th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Voice and AccountabilityWorld Bank Group · 2025 · world median -0.022-1▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: -1 · world median -0.022 · Voice and Accountability estimate (−2.5 to 2.5). World Bank Group, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from -2.348 to 1.825; higher is better.

    Position 152nd of 206 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Deliberative Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.3390.173▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: 0.173 · world median 0.339 · Deliberative democracy index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.011 to 0.867; higher is better.

    Position 131st of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Judicial Constraints on the Executive IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.6760.234▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: 0.234 · world median 0.676 · Judicial constraints on the executive index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.988; higher is better.

    Position 132nd of 175 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Government Censorship of the MediaV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.565-0.951▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: -0.951 · world median 0.565 · Original latent estimate (≈ −3 to +3.5); higher = less censorship. V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from -3.017 to 3.489; higher is better.

    Position 138th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Egalitarian Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.3210.129▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: 0.129 · world median 0.321 · Egalitarian democracy index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.016 to 0.876; higher is better.

    Position 143rd of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Participatory Democracy IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.2980.103▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: 0.103 · world median 0.298 · Participatory democracy index (0–1). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0.008 to 0.785; higher is better.

    Position 145th of 176 — derived here by ordering the published values, 1st = best. The publisher ranks no country on this.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

  • Military Dimension IndexV-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg · 2025 · world median 0.10.375▲ Improved since 2015

    Angola: 0.375 · world median 0.1 · Military dimension index (0–1; higher = larger military role). V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg, 2025 edition, data for 2025.

    Published values in that edition run from 0 to 1; lower is better.

    Chart and every countryThe 2025 dataset

05Country Index 2026

Democracy & Civil Liberties among Angola’s 16 topics

Democracy & Civil Liberties is Angola’s 6th best-placed topic of 16. Strongest first; each marker sits at the position divided by that topic’s field, so fields of different sizes compare fairly.

On the profile
  1. Environment & Sustainability7th of 181
  2. Energy66th of 193
  3. Digital & Technologyjoint 108th of 198
  4. Gender & Equalityjoint 125th of 183
  5. Peace & Security125th of 177
  6. Democracy & Civil Liberties152nd of 198
  7. Work & Labour142nd of 182
  8. Governance & Institutions154th of 194
  9. Development & Human Capital157th of 196
  10. Economy & Innovation145th of 176
  11. Education & Knowledge150th of 171
  12. Mobility & Trade129th of 147
  13. Health & Wellbeing183rd of 200
  14. Risk & Resilience178th of 192
  15. Poverty & Inequalityjoint 153rd of 159
  16. Food & Agriculture170th of 175

06The top of the list

Who leads on democracy & civil liberties

The three countries placed highest of 198, and the leaders Angola can most readily be measured against.

All 198 countries
  1. 1

    Norway

    Northern Europe

    1st of 198 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: Ximonic , Simo Räsänen · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  2. =2

    Denmark

    Northern Europe

    Joint 2nd of 198 · 3 of 3 keys

    Photo: User:Aconcagua · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale

  3. =2

    Liechtenstein

    Western Europe

    Joint 2nd of 198 · 2 of 3 keys

    Photo: Guido Radig,Inkey · CC BY 3.0, greyscale

Placed highest nearby

  1. Highest in Africa

    Cabo Verde44th3/3 keys

  2. Highest in Middle Africa

    São Tomé and Príncipe69th3/3 keys

  3. This page

    Angola152nd3/3 keys

Positions out of 198 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.

07Analysis

Charts and analysis about Angola and democracy & civil liberties

All charts

08Questions

Angola on democracy & civil liberties: questions answered

Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.

How does Angola rank on democracy & civil liberties?

Angola is placed 152nd of 198 countries on Democracy & Civil Liberties in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 3 key statistics (Rule of Law, Civic Space Ratings and V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.

What is the latest Rule of Law figure for Angola?

-1.125 in 2025 (rule of Law estimate (−2.5 to 2.5)), according to World Bank Group. The world median in the same edition was -0.102.

What is the latest Civic Space Ratings figure for Angola?

23.97 in 2025 (civic space score (0–100)), according to CIVICUS. The world median in the same edition was 50.46.

How does Angola compare with DR Congo on democracy & civil liberties?

DR Congo is placed joint 167th of 198, and Angola 152nd. Rule of Law: DR Congo -1.664, Angola -1.125; Civic Space Ratings: DR Congo 25.62, Angola 23.97; V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index: DR Congo 0.306, Angola 0.344.

How have Angola’s democracy & civil liberties figures changed?

Rule of Law rose from -1.537 in 2000 to -1.125 in 2025; V-Dem Electoral Democracy Index rose from 0.155 in 2000 to 0.344 in 2025.

09Keep reading

Explore further

Democracy & Civil Liberties

Angola, topic by topic

10Method

Method, sources and how to cite

What this topic does not measure

This topic does not judge whether a government is competent or honest — that is Governance & Institutions — and it does not measure economic freedom. It also cannot capture everything about a political system in a single place in a list, which is why every key behind it links to the publisher's full edition.

About democracy & civil liberties, in full

How the Democracy & Civil Liberties standing is decided, step by step

A standing is a place in a list, not a mark out of anything. This one is part of the Country Index 2026, and it is worked out like this.

  1. A few key indicators decide it; the rest are context. 3 indicators on this topic are keys and 14 are charted alongside them without a vote. That split is the point: if every statistic voted, importing five more of one kind would quietly change what the topic is about.
  2. Each key is read at one edition. All of them describe 2025.
  3. Every country’s published value is turned into a place within that one key’s own field, and then expressed as a share of that field — how far down this key’s list the country sits, rather than how many countries are above it. Keys where a higher published number is worse (terrorism, hunger, disaster risk) are turned round first, so the good end is always the same end.
  4. Dividing by the field first is the whole reason this works. A place carries the size of its list inside it: 22nd of 44 and 108th of 215 are the same showing, and averaging the numbers 22 and 108 says loudly that they are not. Fields on this site run from about 44 countries to about 215, so averaging raw places would reward a country for happening to be measured in small ones. Dividing each place by its own field removes the size and leaves only the showing.
  5. The shares are averaged, plainly. One key, one vote — no key is weighted above another, because any weighting would be this site’s opinion presented as a measurement. Countries are then put in order by that average, and the average itself is never published. It is our arithmetic with nothing anchoring it, so printing it would invite it to be read as a measurement somebody made. The position it produces, the band, and the keys it was built from are all published instead — every one of them checkable against the tables on this page.
  6. A country needs 2 of this topic’s 3 keys — half, rounded up, and never fewer than 2. A standing built from one reading, printed beside one built from four, is two different things sharing a column heading. 198 countries clear the bar here.
  7. A key has to earn its vote every edition. It must measure at least 120 countries (below that it starts measuring who was surveyed rather than the world), it must not have more than 10% of its field tied at either end, and it must not repeat another key in the same topic — Spearman correlation above 0.92 counts as repeating. A topic needs at least 2 surviving keys to place anyone at all; this one has 3.
  8. A standing is relative, and the grouping is ours. It says where a country places against the others measured alongside it, so it moves when they move. The publishers listed on this page did not agree to be read together, and each measures its subject its own way: the underlying numbers are theirs, the ordering on top is this site’s — the same method as the rest of the Country Index, applied to one subject instead of all of them.

The key statistics and their licences

The other 14 statistics on this page come from 3 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.

The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Photographs

Angola’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). Angola: Democracy & Civil Liberties — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/angola/democracy

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