Iceland vs New Zealand: Age of electoral democracy
Iceland
122 years
in 2025
New Zealand
139 years
in 2025
Iceland rank
4th
New Zealand rank
3rd
Age of electoral democracy over time
- Iceland
- New Zealand
How they compare
New Zealand currently reports 139 years against 122 years in Iceland, a difference of 17 years.
That makes New Zealand's figure about 1.1 times Iceland's.
Across all 122 years both countries report, New Zealand has been ahead every year.
Iceland ranks 4th and New Zealand ranks 3rd of 111 countries.
New Zealand has averaged higher in every one of the 13 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iceland | New Zealand | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 3.5 years | 20.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 1910s | 11.5 years | 28.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 1920s | 21.5 years | 38.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 1930s | 31.5 years | 48.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 1940s | 41.5 years | 58.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 1950s | 51.5 years | 68.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 1960s | 61.5 years | 78.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 1970s | 71.5 years | 88.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 1980s | 81.5 years | 98.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 1990s | 91.5 years | 108.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 2000s | 101.5 years | 118.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 2010s | 111.5 years | 128.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
| 2020s | 119.5 years | 136.5 years | 17 years | New Zealand |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher age of electoral democracy, Iceland or New Zealand?
- New Zealand, at 139 years against 122 years in Iceland as of 2025.
- What is the difference in age of electoral democracy between Iceland and New Zealand?
- 17 years, with New Zealand ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and New Zealand?
- 122 years are reported by both, from 1904 to 2025.
- How do Iceland and New Zealand rank globally for age of electoral democracy?
- Iceland ranks 4th and New Zealand ranks 3rd 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.