Which has higher liberal democracy index, Kenya or Malawi?

Malawi, at 0.462 against 0.446 in Kenya as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Kenya and Malawi?

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.

Kenya vs Malawi: Liberal Democracy Index

Kenya

0.446

in 2025

Malawi

0.462

in 2025

Kenya rank

73rd

Malawi rank

70th

Liberal Democracy Index over time

Kenya
Malawi

How they compare

Malawi currently reports 0.462 against 0.446 in Kenya, a difference of 0.016.

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

Kenya ranks 73rd and Malawi ranks 70th of 176 countries.

Across the 13 decades both report, Kenya averaged higher in 8 and Malawi in 5.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Kenya	Malawi	Difference	Ahead
1900s	0.0266	0.032	0.0054	Malawi
1910s	0.0435	0.0398	0.0037	Kenya
1920s	0.0472	0.04	0.0072	Kenya
1930s	0.0504	0.04	0.0104	Kenya
1940s	0.0522	0.04	0.0122	Kenya
1950s	0.0558	0.041	0.0148	Kenya
1960s	0.1193	0.088	0.0313	Kenya
1970s	0.1157	0.0828	0.0329	Kenya
1980s	0.1034	0.077	0.0264	Kenya
1990s	0.1937	0.2798	0.0861	Malawi
2000s	0.319	0.3779	0.0589	Malawi
2010s	0.3971	0.4314	0.0343	Malawi
2020s	0.4372	0.4848	0.0477	Malawi

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher liberal democracy index, Kenya or Malawi?: Malawi, at 0.462 against 0.446 in Kenya as of 2025.
What is the difference in liberal democracy index between Kenya and Malawi?: 0.016, with Malawi ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Kenya and Malawi?: 126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.
How do Kenya and Malawi rank globally for liberal democracy index?: Kenya ranks 73rd and Malawi ranks 70th 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.

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Kenya vs Malawi: Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/liberal-democracy-index/kenya/malawi/

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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: 18 September 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.