Iceland vs Sweden: Age of liberal democracy
Iceland
82 years
in 2025
Sweden
104 years
in 2025
Iceland rank
7th
Sweden rank
5th
Age of liberal democracy over time
- Iceland
- Sweden
How they compare
Sweden currently reports 104 years against 82 years in Iceland, a difference of 22 years.
That makes Sweden's figure about 1.3 times Iceland's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 90 shared years of data; in 1922 it was Iceland ahead.
Iceland ranks 7th and Sweden ranks 5th of 47 countries.
Across the 10 decades both report, Iceland averaged higher in 1 and Sweden in 9.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iceland | Sweden | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 6.5 years | 4.5 years | 2 years | Iceland |
| 1940s | 3.5 years | 25.5 years | 22 years | Sweden |
| 1950s | 11.5 years | 33.5 years | 22 years | Sweden |
| 1960s | 21.5 years | 43.5 years | 22 years | Sweden |
| 1970s | 31.5 years | 53.5 years | 22 years | Sweden |
| 1980s | 41.5 years | 63.5 years | 22 years | Sweden |
| 1990s | 51.5 years | 73.5 years | 22 years | Sweden |
| 2000s | 61.5 years | 83.5 years | 22 years | Sweden |
| 2010s | 71.5 years | 93.5 years | 22 years | Sweden |
| 2020s | 79.5 years | 101.5 years | 22 years | Sweden |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher age of liberal democracy, Iceland or Sweden?
- Sweden, at 104 years against 82 years in Iceland as of 2025.
- What is the difference in age of liberal democracy between Iceland and Sweden?
- 22 years, with Sweden ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iceland and Sweden?
- 90 years are reported by both, from 1922 to 2025.
- How do Iceland and Sweden rank globally for age of liberal democracy?
- Iceland ranks 7th and Sweden ranks 5th of 47 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Age of liberal 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.