Which has higher participatory democracy index, Bulgaria or Lesotho?

Lesotho, at 0.404 against 0.397 in Bulgaria as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Bulgaria 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 Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Bulgaria vs Lesotho: Participatory Democracy Index

Bulgaria

0.397

in 2025

Lesotho

0.404

in 2025

Bulgaria rank

64th

Lesotho rank

61st

Participatory Democracy Index over time

Bulgaria
Lesotho

How they compare

Lesotho currently reports 0.404 against 0.397 in Bulgaria, a difference of 0.007.

The two have swapped places 3 times across 126 shared years of data; in 1900 it was Bulgaria ahead.

Bulgaria ranks 64th and Lesotho ranks 61st of 176 countries.

Bulgaria has averaged higher in every one of the 13 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Bulgaria	Lesotho	Difference	Ahead
1900s	0.1497	0.04	0.1097	Bulgaria
1910s	0.1479	0.04	0.1079	Bulgaria
1920s	0.1428	0.04	0.1028	Bulgaria
1930s	0.1167	0.04	0.0767	Bulgaria
1940s	0.1008	0.04	0.0608	Bulgaria
1950s	0.0967	0.0426	0.0541	Bulgaria
1960s	0.0824	0.0707	0.0117	Bulgaria
1970s	0.0978	0.0496	0.0482	Bulgaria
1980s	0.0915	0.0534	0.0381	Bulgaria
1990s	0.429	0.1446	0.2844	Bulgaria
2000s	0.4429	0.2884	0.1545	Bulgaria
2010s	0.4541	0.3549	0.0992	Bulgaria
2020s	0.4517	0.3985	0.0532	Bulgaria

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher participatory democracy index, Bulgaria or Lesotho?: Lesotho, at 0.404 against 0.397 in Bulgaria as of 2025.
What is the difference in participatory democracy index between Bulgaria and Lesotho?: 0.007, with Lesotho ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Bulgaria and Lesotho?: 126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.
How do Bulgaria and Lesotho rank globally for participatory democracy index?: Bulgaria ranks 64th and Lesotho ranks 61st of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Participatory Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,363 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, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.