diff --git a/app.js b/app.js
index 485320f..9be7c99 100644
--- a/app.js
+++ b/app.js
@@ -340,6 +340,97 @@ window.addEventListener('resize', () => {
   composer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
 });
 
+// === SOVEREIGNTY METER ===
+// Holographic arc gauge floating above the platform; reads from sovereignty-status.json
+const sovereigntyGroup = new THREE.Group();
+sovereigntyGroup.position.set(0, 3.8, 0);
+
+// Background ring — full circle, dark frame
+const meterBgGeo = new THREE.TorusGeometry(1.6, 0.1, 8, 64);
+const meterBgMat = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial({ color: 0x0a1828, transparent: true, opacity: 0.5 });
+sovereigntyGroup.add(new THREE.Mesh(meterBgGeo, meterBgMat));
+
+let sovereigntyScore = 85;
+let sovereigntyLabel = 'Mostly Sovereign';
+
+function sovereigntyHexColor(score) {
+  if (score >= 80) return 0x00ff88;
+  if (score >= 40) return 0xffcc00;
+  return 0xff4444;
+}
+
+function buildScoreArcGeo(score) {
+  return new THREE.TorusGeometry(1.6, 0.1, 8, 64, (score / 100) * Math.PI * 2);
+}
+
+const scoreArcMat = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial({
+  color: sovereigntyHexColor(sovereigntyScore),
+  transparent: true,
+  opacity: 0.9,
+});
+const scoreArcMesh = new THREE.Mesh(buildScoreArcGeo(sovereigntyScore), scoreArcMat);
+scoreArcMesh.rotation.z = Math.PI / 2; // arc starts at 12 o'clock
+sovereigntyGroup.add(scoreArcMesh);
+
+// Glow light at gauge center
+const meterLight = new THREE.PointLight(sovereigntyHexColor(sovereigntyScore), 0.7, 6);
+sovereigntyGroup.add(meterLight);
+
+function buildMeterTexture(score, label) {
+  const canvas = document.createElement('canvas');
+  canvas.width = 256;
+  canvas.height = 128;
+  const ctx = canvas.getContext('2d');
+  const hexStr = score >= 80 ? '#00ff88' : score >= 40 ? '#ffcc00' : '#ff4444';
+  ctx.clearRect(0, 0, 256, 128);
+  ctx.font = 'bold 52px "Courier New", monospace';
+  ctx.fillStyle = hexStr;
+  ctx.textAlign = 'center';
+  ctx.fillText(`${score}%`, 128, 58);
+  ctx.font = '16px "Courier New", monospace';
+  ctx.fillStyle = '#8899bb';
+  ctx.fillText(label.toUpperCase(), 128, 82);
+  ctx.font = '11px "Courier New", monospace';
+  ctx.fillStyle = '#445566';
+  ctx.fillText('SOVEREIGNTY', 128, 104);
+  return new THREE.CanvasTexture(canvas);
+}
+
+const meterSpriteMat = new THREE.SpriteMaterial({
+  map: buildMeterTexture(sovereigntyScore, sovereigntyLabel),
+  transparent: true,
+  depthWrite: false,
+});
+const meterSprite = new THREE.Sprite(meterSpriteMat);
+meterSprite.scale.set(3.2, 1.6, 1);
+sovereigntyGroup.add(meterSprite);
+
+scene.add(sovereigntyGroup);
+
+async function loadSovereigntyStatus() {
+  try {
+    const res = await fetch('./sovereignty-status.json');
+    if (!res.ok) throw new Error('not found');
+    const data = await res.json();
+    const score = Math.max(0, Math.min(100, typeof data.score === 'number' ? data.score : 85));
+    const label = typeof data.label === 'string' ? data.label : '';
+    sovereigntyScore = score;
+    sovereigntyLabel = label;
+    scoreArcMesh.geometry.dispose();
+    scoreArcMesh.geometry = buildScoreArcGeo(score);
+    const col = sovereigntyHexColor(score);
+    scoreArcMat.color.setHex(col);
+    meterLight.color.setHex(col);
+    if (meterSpriteMat.map) meterSpriteMat.map.dispose();
+    meterSpriteMat.map = buildMeterTexture(score, label);
+    meterSpriteMat.needsUpdate = true;
+  } catch {
+    // defaults already set above
+  }
+}
+
+loadSovereigntyStatus();
+
 // === ANIMATION LOOP ===
 const clock = new THREE.Clock();
 
@@ -384,6 +475,10 @@ function animate() {
     orbitControls.update();
   }
 
+  // Animate sovereignty meter — gentle hover float and glow pulse
+  sovereigntyGroup.position.y = 3.8 + Math.sin(elapsed * 0.8) * 0.15;
+  meterLight.intensity = 0.5 + Math.sin(elapsed * 1.8) * 0.25;
+
   // Animate floating commit banners
   const FADE_DUR = 1.5;
   commitBanners.forEach(banner => {
diff --git a/sovereignty-status.json b/sovereignty-status.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1926bb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sovereignty-status.json
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+{
+  "score": 85,
+  "local": 85,
+  "cloud": 15,
+  "label": "Mostly Sovereign"
+}