Which has higher egalitarian democracy index, Botswana or Lesotho?

Lesotho, at 0.49 against 0.48 in Botswana as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and Lesotho?

126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Egalitarian Democracy Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Botswana vs Lesotho: Egalitarian Democracy Index

Botswana

0.48

in 2025

Lesotho

0.49

in 2025

Botswana rank

55th

Lesotho rank

54th

Egalitarian Democracy Index over time

Botswana
Lesotho

How they compare

Lesotho currently reports 0.49 against 0.48 in Botswana, a difference of 0.01.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 126 shared years of data; in 1900 it was Lesotho ahead.

Botswana ranks 55th and Lesotho ranks 54th of 175 countries.

Across the 13 decades both report, Botswana averaged higher in 5 and Lesotho in 8.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Botswana	Lesotho	Difference	Ahead
1900s	0.022	0.083	0.061	Lesotho
1910s	0.022	0.083	0.061	Lesotho
1920s	0.022	0.083	0.061	Lesotho
1930s	0.022	0.083	0.061	Lesotho
1940s	0.022	0.094	0.072	Lesotho
1950s	0.0223	0.0994	0.0771	Lesotho
1960s	0.1606	0.1629	0.0023	Lesotho
1970s	0.3823	0.174	0.2083	Botswana
1980s	0.3997	0.1766	0.2231	Botswana
1990s	0.4455	0.2894	0.1561	Botswana
2000s	0.5101	0.439	0.0711	Botswana
2010s	0.4991	0.4749	0.0242	Botswana
2020s	0.429	0.4988	0.0698	Lesotho

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher egalitarian democracy index, Botswana or Lesotho?: Lesotho, at 0.49 against 0.48 in Botswana as of 2025.
What is the difference in egalitarian democracy index between Botswana and Lesotho?: 0.01, with Lesotho ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and Lesotho?: 126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.
How do Botswana and Lesotho rank globally for egalitarian democracy index?: Botswana ranks 55th and Lesotho ranks 54th of 175 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Egalitarian Democracy Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Egalitarian Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 175 places, 20,734 data points, 1900–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, as well as the extent to which the protection of rights, access to power, and distribution of resources is equal.