Statizoid

Age of democracy in France

France: Age of democracy was 54 years in 2018. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2018)
54 years
Change on year
up 1.9%
World rank
22nd
of 110 countries
All-time high
64 years
in 1939
All-time low
1 years
in 1848
Years of data
135
1848–2018

Age of democracy in France, 1848–2018

0204060184819332018

Source: Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.

Analysis

In 2018, age of democracy in France stood at 54 years.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and up 22.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, age of democracy in France peaked at 64 years in 1939 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1848.

France ranks 22nd of 110 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Age of democracy in France, year by year

Year years Change
1848 1 years —
1849 2 years +100.0%
1850 3 years +50.0%
1876 1 years -66.7%
1877 2 years +100.0%
1878 3 years +50.0%
1879 4 years +33.3%
1880 5 years +25.0%
1881 6 years +20.0%
1882 7 years +16.7%
1883 8 years +14.3%
1884 9 years +12.5%
1885 10 years +11.1%
1886 11 years +10.0%
1887 12 years +9.1%
1888 13 years +8.3%
1889 14 years +7.7%
1890 15 years +7.1%
1891 16 years +6.7%
1892 17 years +6.2%
1893 18 years +5.9%
1894 19 years +5.6%
1895 20 years +5.3%
1896 21 years +5.0%
1897 22 years +4.8%
1898 23 years +4.5%
1899 24 years +4.3%
1900 25 years +4.2%
1901 26 years +4.0%
1902 27 years +3.8%
1903 28 years +3.7%
1904 29 years +3.6%
1905 30 years +3.4%
1906 31 years +3.3%
1907 32 years +3.2%
1908 33 years +3.1%
1909 34 years +3.0%
1910 35 years +2.9%
1911 36 years +2.9%
1912 37 years +2.8%
1913 38 years +2.7%
1914 39 years +2.6%
1915 40 years +2.6%
1916 41 years +2.5%
1917 42 years +2.4%
1918 43 years +2.4%
1919 44 years +2.3%
1920 45 years +2.3%
1921 46 years +2.2%
1922 47 years +2.2%
1923 48 years +2.1%
1924 49 years +2.1%
1925 50 years +2.0%
1926 51 years +2.0%
1927 52 years +2.0%
1928 53 years +1.9%
1929 54 years +1.9%
1930 55 years +1.9%
1931 56 years +1.8%
1932 57 years +1.8%
1933 58 years +1.8%
1934 59 years +1.7%
1935 60 years +1.7%
1936 61 years +1.7%
1937 62 years +1.6%
1938 63 years +1.6%
1939 64 years +1.6%
1944 1 years -98.4%
1945 2 years +100.0%
1946 3 years +50.0%
1947 4 years +33.3%
1948 5 years +25.0%
1949 6 years +20.0%
1950 7 years +16.7%
1951 8 years +14.3%
1952 9 years +12.5%
1953 10 years +11.1%
1954 11 years +10.0%
1955 12 years +9.1%
1956 13 years +8.3%
1957 14 years +7.7%
1965 1 years -92.9%
1966 2 years +100.0%
1967 3 years +50.0%
1968 4 years +33.3%
1969 5 years +25.0%
1970 6 years +20.0%
1971 7 years +16.7%
1972 8 years +14.3%
1973 9 years +12.5%
1974 10 years +11.1%
1975 11 years +10.0%
1976 12 years +9.1%
1977 13 years +8.3%
1978 14 years +7.7%
1979 15 years +7.1%
1980 16 years +6.7%
1981 17 years +6.2%
1982 18 years +5.9%
1983 19 years +5.6%
1984 20 years +5.3%
1985 21 years +5.0%
1986 22 years +4.8%
1987 23 years +4.5%
1988 24 years +4.3%
1989 25 years +4.2%
1990 26 years +4.0%
1991 27 years +3.8%
1992 28 years +3.7%
1993 29 years +3.6%
1994 30 years +3.4%
1995 31 years +3.3%
1996 32 years +3.2%
1997 33 years +3.1%
1998 34 years +3.0%
1999 35 years +2.9%
2000 36 years +2.9%
2001 37 years +2.8%
2002 38 years +2.7%
2003 39 years +2.6%
2004 40 years +2.6%
2005 41 years +2.5%
2006 42 years +2.4%
2007 43 years +2.4%
2008 44 years +2.3%
2009 45 years +2.3%
2010 46 years +2.2%
2011 47 years +2.2%
2012 48 years +2.1%
2013 49 years +2.1%
2014 50 years +2.0%
2015 51 years +2.0%
2016 52 years +2.0%
2017 53 years +1.9%
2018 54 years +1.9%

France compared with similar countries

  • France's 54 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 44 years, 1.2× the median. (43 countries reporting)
  • France's 54 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 29 years, 1.9× the median. (40 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Age of democracy in France changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
1944 -98.4% 64 years 1 years
1965 -92.9% 14 years 1 years
1849 +100.0% 1 years 2 years
1877 +100.0% 1 years 2 years
1945 +100.0% 1 years 2 years
1966 +100.0% 1 years 2 years

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1840s 1.5 years 1 years 2 years 2
1850s 3 years 3 years 3 years 1
1870s 2.5 years 1 years 4 years 4
1880s 9.5 years 5 years 14 years 10
1890s 19.5 years 15 years 24 years 10
1900s 29.5 years 25 years 34 years 10
1910s 39.5 years 35 years 44 years 10
1920s 49.5 years 45 years 54 years 10
1930s 59.5 years 55 years 64 years 10
1940s 3.5 years 1 years 6 years 6
1950s 10.5 years 7 years 14 years 8
1960s 3 years 1 years 5 years 5
1970s 10.5 years 6 years 15 years 10
1980s 20.5 years 16 years 25 years 10
1990s 30.5 years 26 years 35 years 10
2000s 40.5 years 36 years 45 years 10
2010s 50 years 46 years 54 years 9

Countries ranked near France

  1. 19 Japan 67 years compare
  2. 20 Colombia 62 years compare
  3. 21 Jamaica 60 years compare
  4. 23 Botswana 53 years compare
  5. 24 India 52 years compare
  6. 25 Cyprus 51 years compare
  7. 25 Mauritius 51 years compare

See the full ranking of 110 places →

More social development data for France

All data for France →

Frequently asked questions

What is age of democracy in France?
Age of democracy in France was 54 years in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest age of democracy recorded in France?
The highest recorded value was 64 years in 1939.
What is the lowest age of democracy recorded in France?
The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1848.
How does France rank for age of democracy?
France ranks 22nd out of 110 countries with data for 2018.
Is age of democracy rising or falling in France?
Over the last ten years it is up 22.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this France data come from?
The figures come from Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age of democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Age of democracy in France. Statizoid, drawing on Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 08 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/age-of-democracy-polity/france/

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About this data

Indicator
Age of democracy
Unit
years
Source
Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
110 places, 4,915 data points, 1801–2019
Last refreshed

Number of consecutive years in a democracy.