South Korea vs South Africa: Age of full democracy
South Korea
29 years
in 2025
South Africa
32 years
in 2025
South Korea rank
62nd
South Africa rank
59th
Age of full democracy over time
- South Korea
- South Africa
How they compare
South Africa currently reports 32 years against 29 years in South Korea, a difference of 3 years.
That makes South Africa's figure about 1.1 times South Korea's.
Across all 29 years both countries report, South Africa has been ahead every year.
South Korea ranks 62nd and South Africa ranks 59th of 89 countries.
South Africa has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | South Korea | South Africa | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 2 years | 5 years | 3 years | South Africa |
| 2000s | 8.5 years | 11.5 years | 3 years | South Africa |
| 2010s | 18.5 years | 21.5 years | 3 years | South Africa |
| 2020s | 26.5 years | 29.5 years | 3 years | South Africa |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher age of full democracy, South Korea or South Africa?
- South Africa, at 32 years against 29 years in South Korea as of 2025.
- What is the difference in age of full democracy between South Korea and South Africa?
- 3 years, with South Africa ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and South Africa?
- 29 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2025.
- How do South Korea and South Africa rank globally for age of full democracy?
- South Korea ranks 62nd and South Africa ranks 59th of 89 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Lexical Index (2026) β processed by Our World in Data, published as Age of full 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 a full democracy.