Social Development in South Africa 165 indicators covering social development for South Africa. IndicatorLatest Year10-yr change Rank Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 55,177 2025 down 54.6% 61st Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 2025 up 195.1% 100th Political Rights Rating 2 2025 unchanged 115th Electoral democracy 1 2025 unchanged 1st Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year 2025 — 11th Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 2025 unchanged 115th Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person 2025 up 158.5% 156th Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,319 2025 up 195.1% 100th Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0009 units per person 2025 down 60.3% 91st Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP 2025 down 63.2% 96th Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -22.47 % change on previous year 2025 down 366.7% 150th Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 55,177 2025 down 54.6% 61st Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year 2025 — 1st Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 12.35 % change on previous year 2025 up 108.5% 50th Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP 2025 up 139.5% 143rd Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index 0.857 2025 down 1.2% 54th Liberal Democracy Index 0.633 2025 down 2.5% 39th Electoral Democracy Index 0.743 2025 down 1.6% 42nd Freedom of Association Index 0.87 2025 down 3.5% 41st Freedom of Expression Index 0.837 2025 down 4.6% 51st Participatory Democracy Index 0.47 2025 down 6.0% 45th Varieties of democracy 0.743 2025 down 1.6% 42nd Liberal democracy 2 2025 unchanged 32nd Electoral democracy 2 2025 unchanged 1st Human Rights Index 0.857 2025 down 1.2% 54th Key features of human rights 0.857 2025 down 1.2% 54th Key features of electoral democracy 0.743 2025 down 1.6% 42nd Key features of liberal democracy 0.633 2025 down 2.5% 39th Executive Corruption Index 0.59 2025 down 9.9% 73rd Judicial Corruption Score 0.512 2025 down 52.7% 83rd Public Sector Corruption Index 0.755 2025 up 15.4% 39th Key features of democracy 0.743 2025 down 1.6% 42nd Key features of democracy, annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year 2025 up 409.8% 37th Key features of liberal democracy, annual growth rate -2.31 % change on previous year 2025 down 285.5% 118th Key features of liberal democracy, gaps filled 0.633 2025 down 2.5% 39th Key features of electoral democracy, annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year 2025 up 409.8% 37th Key features of human rights, annual growth rate -1.15 % change on previous year 2025 down 198.8% 122nd Electoral democracy row, gaps filled 2 2025 unchanged 1st Liberal democracy row, gaps filled 2 2025 unchanged 32nd Varieties democracy vdem, annual growth rate 1.23 % change on previous year 2025 up 409.8% 37th Government Effectiveness Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index 0.743 2025 down 1.6% 42nd Egalitarian Democracy Index 0.518 2025 up 0.4% 49th Deliberative Democracy Index 0.651 2025 up 3.2% 35th Direct Democracy Index 0.02 2025 unchanged 104th Key media freedoms 1.68 2025 up 56.4% 37th Media Corruption Score 1.72 2025 up 9.9% 40th Key media freedoms, annual growth rate 17.52 % change on previous year 2025 — 27th Academic Freedom Index 0.831 2025 up 0.4% 44th Legislative Corruption Score 0.011 2025 up 136.7% 83rd Key features of democracy, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP 2025 down 20.1% 119th Key features of liberal democracy, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP 2025 down 20.8% 106th Key features of electoral democracy, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP 2025 down 20.1% 119th Varieties democracy vdem, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP 2025 down 20.1% 119th Political rights rating fh, per square kilometre 0 units per square kilometre 2023 unchanged 184th Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0554 units per square kilometre 2023 up 1.8% 94th Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0008 units per square kilometre 2023 up 116.7% 154th Electoral democracy row, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year 2025 — 5th Liberal democracy row, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year 2025 — 7th Democracy lexical, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year 2025 — 1st Physical Integrity Rights Score -0.5153 2019 down 0.7% 153rd Page 1 of 3 Next →