Which has higher participatory democracy index, Colombia or South Africa?

South Africa, at 0.47 against 0.467 in Colombia as of 2025.

What is the difference in participatory democracy index between Colombia and South Africa?

0.003, with South Africa ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Colombia and South Africa?

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.

Colombia vs South Africa: Participatory Democracy Index

Colombia

0.467

in 2025

South Africa

0.47

in 2025

Colombia rank

46th

South Africa rank

45th

Participatory Democracy Index over time

Colombia
South Africa

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 0.47 against 0.467 in Colombia, a difference of 0.003.

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

Colombia ranks 46th and South Africa ranks 45th of 176 countries.

Across the 13 decades both report, Colombia averaged higher in 5 and South Africa in 8.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Colombia	South Africa	Difference	Ahead
1900s	0.0704	0.1112	0.0408	South Africa
1910s	0.0853	0.1424	0.0571	South Africa
1920s	0.0812	0.1443	0.0631	South Africa
1930s	0.0916	0.1495	0.0579	South Africa
1940s	0.0892	0.1463	0.0571	South Africa
1950s	0.0707	0.1313	0.0606	South Africa
1960s	0.1329	0.1265	0.0064	Colombia
1970s	0.1533	0.1265	0.0268	Colombia
1980s	0.1913	0.1286	0.0627	Colombia
1990s	0.3694	0.3318	0.0376	Colombia
2000s	0.3823	0.525	0.1427	South Africa
2010s	0.4614	0.5034	0.042	South Africa
2020s	0.4712	0.4613	0.0098	Colombia

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher participatory democracy index, Colombia or South Africa?: South Africa, at 0.47 against 0.467 in Colombia as of 2025.
What is the difference in participatory democracy index between Colombia and South Africa?: 0.003, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Colombia and South Africa?: 126 years are reported by both, from 1900 to 2025.
How do Colombia and South Africa rank globally for participatory democracy index?: Colombia ranks 46th and South Africa ranks 45th 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.

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Colombia vs South Africa: Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/participatory-democracy-index/colombia/south-africa/

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<a href="https://social-development.statizoid.com/compare/participatory-democracy-index/colombia/south-africa/">Colombia vs South Africa: Participatory Democracy Index</a> — Statizoid

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: 30 October 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.