Which has higher varieties of democracy, Portugal or Spain?

Portugal, at 0.822 against 0.822 in Spain as of 2025.

How many years of comparable data are there for Portugal and Spain?

237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Varieties of democracy. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Portugal vs Spain: Varieties of democracy

Portugal

0.822

in 2025

Spain

0.822

in 2025

Portugal rank

22nd

Spain rank

22nd

Varieties of democracy over time

Portugal
Spain

How they compare

Portugal currently reports 0.822 against 0.822 in Spain, a difference of 0.

The two have swapped places 24 times across 237 shared years of data; in 1789 it was Spain ahead.

Portugal ranks 22nd and Spain ranks 22nd of 176 countries.

Across the 25 decades both report, Portugal averaged higher in 12 and Spain in 13.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Portugal	Spain	Difference	Ahead
1780s	0.015	0.019	0.004	Spain
1790s	0.015	0.019	0.004	Spain
1800s	0.015	0.0278	0.0128	Spain
1810s	0.015	0.0603	0.0453	Spain
1820s	0.1536	0.0912	0.0624	Portugal
1830s	0.0884	0.0898	0.0014	Spain
1840s	0.129	0.1313	0.0023	Spain
1850s	0.139	0.128	0.011	Portugal
1860s	0.1621	0.145	0.0171	Portugal
1870s	0.1663	0.2047	0.0384	Spain
1880s	0.178	0.1557	0.0223	Portugal
1890s	0.1696	0.1823	0.0127	Spain
1900s	0.1478	0.1827	0.0349	Spain
1910s	0.2286	0.1794	0.0492	Portugal
1920s	0.1862	0.0994	0.0868	Portugal
1930s	0.1134	0.3925	0.2791	Spain
1940s	0.1169	0.0691	0.0478	Portugal
1950s	0.1206	0.0691	0.0515	Portugal
1960s	0.1255	0.0797	0.0458	Portugal
1970s	0.3886	0.2838	0.1048	Portugal
1980s	0.8574	0.8845	0.0271	Spain
1990s	0.8638	0.8927	0.0289	Spain
2000s	0.883	0.8837	0.0007	Spain
2010s	0.8893	0.868	0.0213	Portugal
2020s	0.8548	0.8475	0.0073	Portugal

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher varieties of democracy, Portugal or Spain?: Portugal, at 0.822 against 0.822 in Spain as of 2025.
What is the difference in varieties of democracy between Portugal and Spain?: 0, with Portugal ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Portugal and Spain?: 237 years are reported by both, from 1789 to 2025.
How do Portugal and Spain rank globally for varieties of democracy?: Portugal ranks 22nd and Spain ranks 22nd of 176 countries.
Where does this data come from?: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Varieties of democracy. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator: Varieties of democracy
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,649 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which political leaders are elected under comprehensive suffrage in free and fair elections, and freedoms of association and expression are guaranteed.