United Kingdom vs United States: Distribution of Democracy Index
United Kingdom
18
in 2018
United States
18
in 2018
United Kingdom rank
52nd
United States rank
52nd
Distribution of Democracy Index over time
- United Kingdom
- United States
How they compare
United Kingdom currently reports 18 against 18 in United States, a difference of 0.
The two have swapped places 4 times across 219 shared years of data; in 1800 it was United States ahead.
United Kingdom ranks 52nd and United States ranks 52nd of 168 countries.
Across the 22 decades both report, United Kingdom averaged higher in 6 and United States in 12.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | United Kingdom | United States | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | 8 | 15.9 | 7.9 | United States |
| 1810s | 8 | 16 | 8 | United States |
| 1820s | 8 | 16.8 | 8.8 | United States |
| 1830s | 9.5 | 20 | 10.5 | United States |
| 1840s | 13 | 20 | 7 | United States |
| 1850s | 13 | 18.4 | 5.4 | United States |
| 1860s | 13 | 13.5 | 0.5 | United States |
| 1870s | 13 | 18.1 | 5.1 | United States |
| 1880s | 17 | 19 | 2 | United States |
| 1890s | 17 | 19 | 2 | United States |
| 1900s | 17.9 | 19 | 1.1 | United States |
| 1910s | 18 | 19 | 1 | United States |
| 1920s | 19.6 | 19 | 0.6 | United Kingdom |
| 1930s | 20 | 19 | 1 | United Kingdom |
| 1940s | 20 | 19 | 1 | United Kingdom |
| 1950s | 20 | 19 | 1 | United Kingdom |
| 1960s | 20 | 18.7 | 1.3 | United Kingdom |
| 1970s | 20 | 19.2 | 0.8 | United Kingdom |
| 1980s | 20 | 20 | 0 | — |
| 1990s | 20 | 20 | 0 | — |
| 2000s | 20 | 20 | 0 | — |
| 2010s | 19.33 | 19.33 | 0 | — |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher distribution of democracy index, United Kingdom or United States?
- United Kingdom, at 18 against 18 in United States as of 2018.
- What is the difference in distribution of democracy index between United Kingdom and United States?
- 0, with United Kingdom ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for United Kingdom and United States?
- 219 years are reported by both, from 1800 to 2018.
- How do United Kingdom and United States rank globally for distribution of democracy index?
- United Kingdom ranks 52nd and United States ranks 52nd 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.
Individual pages
About this data
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).