Age of democracy in Spain
Spain: Age of democracy was 41 years in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
41 years
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
30th
of 110 countries
All-time high
41 years
in 2018
All-time low
1 years
in 1900
Years of data
72
1900–2018
Age of democracy in Spain, 1900–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for age of democracy in Spain is 41 years, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 72 years on record.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 32.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age of democracy in Spain peaked at 41 years in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1900.
Spain ranks 30th of 110 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Age of democracy in Spain, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 1 years | — |
| 1901 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1902 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1903 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1904 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1905 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1906 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1907 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1908 | 9 years | +12.5% |
| 1909 | 10 years | +11.1% |
| 1910 | 11 years | +10.0% |
| 1911 | 12 years | +9.1% |
| 1912 | 13 years | +8.3% |
| 1913 | 14 years | +7.7% |
| 1914 | 15 years | +7.1% |
| 1915 | 16 years | +6.7% |
| 1916 | 17 years | +6.2% |
| 1917 | 18 years | +5.9% |
| 1918 | 19 years | +5.6% |
| 1919 | 20 years | +5.3% |
| 1920 | 21 years | +5.0% |
| 1921 | 22 years | +4.8% |
| 1922 | 23 years | +4.5% |
| 1931 | 1 years | -95.7% |
| 1932 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1933 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1934 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1935 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1936 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1937 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1938 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1978 | 1 years | -87.5% |
| 1979 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1980 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1981 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1982 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1983 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1984 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1985 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1986 | 9 years | +12.5% |
| 1987 | 10 years | +11.1% |
| 1988 | 11 years | +10.0% |
| 1989 | 12 years | +9.1% |
| 1990 | 13 years | +8.3% |
| 1991 | 14 years | +7.7% |
| 1992 | 15 years | +7.1% |
| 1993 | 16 years | +6.7% |
| 1994 | 17 years | +6.2% |
| 1995 | 18 years | +5.9% |
| 1996 | 19 years | +5.6% |
| 1997 | 20 years | +5.3% |
| 1998 | 21 years | +5.0% |
| 1999 | 22 years | +4.8% |
| 2000 | 23 years | +4.5% |
| 2001 | 24 years | +4.3% |
| 2002 | 25 years | +4.2% |
| 2003 | 26 years | +4.0% |
| 2004 | 27 years | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 28 years | +3.7% |
| 2006 | 29 years | +3.6% |
| 2007 | 30 years | +3.4% |
| 2008 | 31 years | +3.3% |
| 2009 | 32 years | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 33 years | +3.1% |
| 2011 | 34 years | +3.0% |
| 2012 | 35 years | +2.9% |
| 2013 | 36 years | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 37 years | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 38 years | +2.7% |
| 2016 | 39 years | +2.6% |
| 2017 | 40 years | +2.6% |
| 2018 | 41 years | +2.5% |
Spain compared with similar countries
- Spain's 41 years is below the median for high income countries, which is 44 years, 93% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Spain's 41 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 29 years, 1.4× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Age of democracy in Spain 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | -95.7% | 23 years | 1 years |
| 1978 | -87.5% | 8 years | 1 years |
| 1901 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1932 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1979 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1902 | +50.0% | 2 years | 3 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 5.5 years | 1 years | 10 years | 10 |
| 1910s | 15.5 years | 11 years | 20 years | 10 |
| 1920s | 22 years | 21 years | 23 years | 3 |
| 1930s | 4.5 years | 1 years | 8 years | 8 |
| 1970s | 1.5 years | 1 years | 2 years | 2 |
| 1980s | 7.5 years | 3 years | 12 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 17.5 years | 13 years | 22 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.5 years | 23 years | 32 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 37 years | 33 years | 41 years | 9 |
Countries ranked near Spain
More social development data for Spain
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- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 186 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 186 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0104 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 Spain?
- Age of democracy in Spain was 41 years in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age of democracy recorded in Spain?
- The highest recorded value was 41 years in 2018.
- What is the lowest age of democracy recorded in Spain?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1900.
- How does Spain rank for age of democracy?
- Spain ranks 30th out of 110 countries with data for 2018.
- Is age of democracy rising or falling in Spain?
- Over the last ten years it is up 32.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Spain 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 72 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of consecutive years in a democracy.