Which has higher liberal democracy index, China or Sudan?

China, at 0.039 against 0.034 in Sudan as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for China and Sudan?

188 years are reported by both, from 1821 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.

China vs Sudan: Liberal Democracy Index

China

0.039

in 2025

Sudan

0.034

in 2025

China rank

167th

Sudan rank

169th

Liberal Democracy Index over time

China
Sudan

How they compare

China currently reports 0.039 against 0.034 in Sudan, a difference of 0.005.

That makes China's figure about 1.1 times Sudan's.

The two have swapped places 5 times across 188 shared years of data; in 1821 it was Sudan ahead.

China ranks 167th and Sudan ranks 169th of 176 countries.

Across the 20 decades both report, China averaged higher in 6 and Sudan in 14.

Head to head by decade

Decade	China	Sudan	Difference	Ahead
1820s	0.013	0.06	0.047	Sudan
1830s	0.013	0.06	0.047	Sudan
1840s	0.013	0.0648	0.0518	Sudan
1850s	0.0121	0.0811	0.069	Sudan
1860s	0.0131	0.0843	0.0712	Sudan
1870s	0.014	0.0967	0.0827	Sudan
1880s	0.014	0.135	0.121	Sudan
1900s	0.0237	0.04	0.0163	Sudan
1910s	0.0553	0.0406	0.0147	China
1920s	0.0555	0.0412	0.0143	China
1930s	0.0507	0.043	0.0077	China
1940s	0.0563	0.0444	0.0119	China
1950s	0.0348	0.0964	0.0616	Sudan
1960s	0.0365	0.0731	0.0366	Sudan
1970s	0.0392	0.0685	0.0293	Sudan
1980s	0.0668	0.1026	0.0358	Sudan
1990s	0.0673	0.0208	0.0465	China
2000s	0.0646	0.0481	0.0165	China
2010s	0.0525	0.0644	0.0119	Sudan
2020s	0.0402	0.0427	0.0025	Sudan

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher liberal democracy index, China or Sudan?: China, at 0.039 against 0.034 in Sudan as of 2025.
What is the difference in liberal democracy index between China and Sudan?: 0.005, with China ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for China and Sudan?: 188 years are reported by both, from 1821 to 2025.
How do China and Sudan rank globally for liberal democracy index?: China ranks 167th and Sudan ranks 169th 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.