Which has higher liberal democracy index, Botswana or Gambia?

Gambia, at 0.522 against 0.52 in Botswana as of 2025.

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

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 Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Botswana vs Gambia: Liberal Democracy Index

Botswana

0.52

in 2025

Gambia

0.522

in 2025

Botswana rank

59th

Gambia rank

58th

Liberal Democracy Index over time

Botswana
Gambia

How they compare

Gambia currently reports 0.522 against 0.52 in Botswana, a difference of 0.002.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 126 shared years of data; in 1900 it was Gambia ahead.

Botswana ranks 59th and Gambia ranks 58th of 176 countries.

Across the 13 decades both report, Botswana averaged higher in 6 and Gambia in 7.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Botswana	Gambia	Difference	Ahead
1900s	0.095	0.1095	0.0145	Gambia
1910s	0.0955	0.111	0.0155	Gambia
1920s	0.096	0.111	0.015	Gambia
1930s	0.096	0.111	0.015	Gambia
1940s	0.0992	0.1207	0.0215	Gambia
1950s	0.1022	0.1396	0.0374	Gambia
1960s	0.2781	0.2401	0.038	Botswana
1970s	0.5112	0.3358	0.1754	Botswana
1980s	0.5407	0.325	0.2157	Botswana
1990s	0.5874	0.1987	0.3887	Botswana
2000s	0.6139	0.1166	0.4973	Botswana
2010s	0.5952	0.1999	0.3953	Botswana
2020s	0.4757	0.478	0.0023	Gambia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher liberal democracy index, Botswana or Gambia?: Gambia, at 0.522 against 0.52 in Botswana as of 2025.
What is the difference in liberal democracy index between Botswana and Gambia?: 0.002, with Gambia ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Botswana and Gambia?: 126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.
How do Botswana and Gambia rank globally for liberal democracy index?: Botswana ranks 59th and Gambia ranks 58th of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Liberal Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 28,671 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, individual and minority rights, equality before the law, and executive constraints.