Estonia vs South Africa: Age of electoral democracy
Estonia
33 years
in 2025
South Africa
31 years
in 2025
Estonia rank
56th
South Africa rank
59th
Age of electoral democracy over time
- Estonia
- South Africa
How they compare
Estonia currently reports 33 years against 31 years in South Africa, a difference of 2 years.
That makes Estonia's figure about 1.1 times South Africa's.
Across all 31 years both countries report, Estonia has been ahead every year.
Estonia ranks 56th and South Africa ranks 59th of 111 countries.
Estonia has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Estonia | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 5 years | 3 years | 2 years | Estonia |
| 2000s | 12.5 years | 10.5 years | 2 years | Estonia |
| 2010s | 22.5 years | 20.5 years | 2 years | Estonia |
| 2020s | 30.5 years | 28.5 years | 2 years | Estonia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher age of electoral democracy, Estonia or South Africa?
- Estonia, at 33 years against 31 years in South Africa as of 2025.
- What is the difference in age of electoral democracy between Estonia and South Africa?
- 2 years, with Estonia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Estonia and South Africa?
- 31 years are reported by both, from 1995 to 2025.
- How do Estonia and South Africa rank globally for age of electoral democracy?
- Estonia ranks 56th and South Africa ranks 59th of 111 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- V-Dem (2026) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Age of electoral democracy. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Number of consecutive years in electoral democracy.