Age of democracy in India
India: Age of democracy was 52 years in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Age of democracy in India, 1967–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
India recorded 52 years for age of democracy in 2018. That is the highest value across all 52 years on record.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and up 23.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age of democracy in India peaked at 52 years in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1967.
India ranks 24th 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 India, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1 years | — |
| 1968 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1969 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1970 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1971 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1972 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1973 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1974 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1975 | 9 years | +12.5% |
| 1976 | 10 years | +11.1% |
| 1977 | 11 years | +10.0% |
| 1978 | 12 years | +9.1% |
| 1979 | 13 years | +8.3% |
| 1980 | 14 years | +7.7% |
| 1981 | 15 years | +7.1% |
| 1982 | 16 years | +6.7% |
| 1983 | 17 years | +6.2% |
| 1984 | 18 years | +5.9% |
| 1985 | 19 years | +5.6% |
| 1986 | 20 years | +5.3% |
| 1987 | 21 years | +5.0% |
| 1988 | 22 years | +4.8% |
| 1989 | 23 years | +4.5% |
| 1990 | 24 years | +4.3% |
| 1991 | 25 years | +4.2% |
| 1992 | 26 years | +4.0% |
| 1993 | 27 years | +3.8% |
| 1994 | 28 years | +3.7% |
| 1995 | 29 years | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 30 years | +3.4% |
| 1997 | 31 years | +3.3% |
| 1998 | 32 years | +3.2% |
| 1999 | 33 years | +3.1% |
| 2000 | 34 years | +3.0% |
| 2001 | 35 years | +2.9% |
| 2002 | 36 years | +2.9% |
| 2003 | 37 years | +2.8% |
| 2004 | 38 years | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 39 years | +2.6% |
| 2006 | 40 years | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 41 years | +2.5% |
| 2008 | 42 years | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 43 years | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 44 years | +2.3% |
| 2011 | 45 years | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 46 years | +2.2% |
| 2013 | 47 years | +2.2% |
| 2014 | 48 years | +2.1% |
| 2015 | 49 years | +2.1% |
| 2016 | 50 years | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 51 years | +2.0% |
| 2018 | 52 years | +2.0% |
India compared with similar countries
- India's 52 years is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 16.5 years, 3.2× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Age of democracy in India 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.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1969 | +50.0% | 2 years | 3 years |
| 1970 | +33.3% | 3 years | 4 years |
| 1971 | +25.0% | 4 years | 5 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2 years | 1 years | 3 years | 3 |
| 1970s | 8.5 years | 4 years | 13 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 18.5 years | 14 years | 23 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 28.5 years | 24 years | 33 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 38.5 years | 34 years | 43 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 48 years | 44 years | 52 years | 9 |
Countries ranked near India
More social development data for India
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 238,643 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 42,610 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 42,610 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is age of democracy in India?
- Age of democracy in India was 52 years in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age of democracy recorded in India?
- The highest recorded value was 52 years in 2018.
- What is the lowest age of democracy recorded in India?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1967.
- How does India rank for age of democracy?
- India ranks 24th out of 110 countries with data for 2018.
- Is age of democracy rising or falling in India?
- Over the last ten years it is up 23.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this India 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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About this data
Number of consecutive years in a democracy.