Panama vs South Africa: Distribution of Democracy Index

Panama
19
in 2018
South Africa
19
in 2018
Panama rank
33rd
South Africa rank
33rd

Distribution of Democracy Index over time

  • Panama
  • South Africa
05101520190319602018

How they compare

Panama currently reports 19 against 19 in South Africa, a difference of 0.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 109 shared years of data; in 1910 it was South Africa ahead.

Panama ranks 33rd and South Africa ranks 33rd of 168 countries.

Across the 11 decades both report, Panama averaged higher in 1 and South Africa in 8.

Head to head by decade

Decade Panama South Africa Difference Ahead
1910s 7 14 7 South Africa
1920s 7 14 7 South Africa
1930s 7 14 7 South Africa
1940s 7.2 14 6.8 South Africa
1950s 11.5 14 2.5 South Africa
1960s 11.8 14 2.2 South Africa
1970s 3.2 14 10.8 South Africa
1980s 5.2 14 8.8 South Africa
1990s 18.6 17.8 0.8 Panama
2000s 19 19 0 —
2010s 19 19 0 —

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher distribution of democracy index, Panama or South Africa?
Panama, at 19 against 19 in South Africa as of 2018.
What is the difference in distribution of democracy index between Panama and South Africa?
0, with Panama ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Panama and South Africa?
109 years are reported by both, from 1910 to 2018.
How do Panama and South Africa rank globally for distribution of democracy index?
Panama ranks 33rd and South Africa ranks 33rd of 168 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Distribution of Democracy Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Panama vs South Africa: Distribution of Democracy Index. Statizoid, drawing on Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/distribution-democracy-index-polity/panama/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Distribution of Democracy Index
Source
Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
168 places, 18,366 data points, 1800–2018
Last refreshed

It combines information on the extent to which open, multi-party, and competitive elections choose a chief executive who faces comprehensive institutional constraints, and political participation is competitive. It ranges from 0 to 20 (fully democratic).