Age of democracy in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Age of democracy was 139 years in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
139 years
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
4th
of 110 countries
All-time high
139 years
in 2018
All-time low
1 years
in 1880
Years of data
139
1880–2018
Age of democracy in United Kingdom, 1880–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 139 years for age of democracy in 2018. That is the highest value across all 139 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.7% on the previous year and up 7.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age of democracy in United Kingdom peaked at 139 years in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1880.
That places United Kingdom 4th out of 110 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Age of democracy in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 1 years | — |
| 1881 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1882 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1883 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1884 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1885 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1886 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1887 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1888 | 9 years | +12.5% |
| 1889 | 10 years | +11.1% |
| 1890 | 11 years | +10.0% |
| 1891 | 12 years | +9.1% |
| 1892 | 13 years | +8.3% |
| 1893 | 14 years | +7.7% |
| 1894 | 15 years | +7.1% |
| 1895 | 16 years | +6.7% |
| 1896 | 17 years | +6.2% |
| 1897 | 18 years | +5.9% |
| 1898 | 19 years | +5.6% |
| 1899 | 20 years | +5.3% |
| 1900 | 21 years | +5.0% |
| 1901 | 22 years | +4.8% |
| 1902 | 23 years | +4.5% |
| 1903 | 24 years | +4.3% |
| 1904 | 25 years | +4.2% |
| 1905 | 26 years | +4.0% |
| 1906 | 27 years | +3.8% |
| 1907 | 28 years | +3.7% |
| 1908 | 29 years | +3.6% |
| 1909 | 30 years | +3.4% |
| 1910 | 31 years | +3.3% |
| 1911 | 32 years | +3.2% |
| 1912 | 33 years | +3.1% |
| 1913 | 34 years | +3.0% |
| 1914 | 35 years | +2.9% |
| 1915 | 36 years | +2.9% |
| 1916 | 37 years | +2.8% |
| 1917 | 38 years | +2.7% |
| 1918 | 39 years | +2.6% |
| 1919 | 40 years | +2.6% |
| 1920 | 41 years | +2.5% |
| 1921 | 42 years | +2.4% |
| 1922 | 43 years | +2.4% |
| 1923 | 44 years | +2.3% |
| 1924 | 45 years | +2.3% |
| 1925 | 46 years | +2.2% |
| 1926 | 47 years | +2.2% |
| 1927 | 48 years | +2.1% |
| 1928 | 49 years | +2.1% |
| 1929 | 50 years | +2.0% |
| 1930 | 51 years | +2.0% |
| 1931 | 52 years | +2.0% |
| 1932 | 53 years | +1.9% |
| 1933 | 54 years | +1.9% |
| 1934 | 55 years | +1.9% |
| 1935 | 56 years | +1.8% |
| 1936 | 57 years | +1.8% |
| 1937 | 58 years | +1.8% |
| 1938 | 59 years | +1.7% |
| 1939 | 60 years | +1.7% |
| 1940 | 61 years | +1.7% |
| 1941 | 62 years | +1.6% |
| 1942 | 63 years | +1.6% |
| 1943 | 64 years | +1.6% |
| 1944 | 65 years | +1.6% |
| 1945 | 66 years | +1.5% |
| 1946 | 67 years | +1.5% |
| 1947 | 68 years | +1.5% |
| 1948 | 69 years | +1.5% |
| 1949 | 70 years | +1.4% |
| 1950 | 71 years | +1.4% |
| 1951 | 72 years | +1.4% |
| 1952 | 73 years | +1.4% |
| 1953 | 74 years | +1.4% |
| 1954 | 75 years | +1.4% |
| 1955 | 76 years | +1.3% |
| 1956 | 77 years | +1.3% |
| 1957 | 78 years | +1.3% |
| 1958 | 79 years | +1.3% |
| 1959 | 80 years | +1.3% |
| 1960 | 81 years | +1.2% |
| 1961 | 82 years | +1.2% |
| 1962 | 83 years | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 84 years | +1.2% |
| 1964 | 85 years | +1.2% |
| 1965 | 86 years | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 87 years | +1.2% |
| 1967 | 88 years | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 89 years | +1.1% |
| 1969 | 90 years | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 91 years | +1.1% |
| 1971 | 92 years | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 93 years | +1.1% |
| 1973 | 94 years | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 95 years | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 96 years | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 97 years | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 98 years | +1.0% |
| 1978 | 99 years | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 100 years | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 101 years | +1.0% |
| 1981 | 102 years | +1.0% |
| 1982 | 103 years | +1.0% |
| 1983 | 104 years | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 105 years | +1.0% |
| 1985 | 106 years | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 107 years | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 108 years | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 109 years | +0.9% |
| 1989 | 110 years | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 111 years | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 112 years | +0.9% |
| 1992 | 113 years | +0.9% |
| 1993 | 114 years | +0.9% |
| 1994 | 115 years | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 116 years | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 117 years | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 118 years | +0.9% |
| 1998 | 119 years | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 120 years | +0.8% |
| 2000 | 121 years | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 122 years | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 123 years | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 124 years | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 125 years | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 126 years | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 127 years | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 128 years | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 129 years | +0.8% |
| 2009 | 130 years | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 131 years | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 132 years | +0.8% |
| 2012 | 133 years | +0.8% |
| 2013 | 134 years | +0.8% |
| 2014 | 135 years | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 136 years | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 137 years | +0.7% |
| 2017 | 138 years | +0.7% |
| 2018 | 139 years | +0.7% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 139 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 44 years, 3.2× the median. (43 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 139 years is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 29 years, 4.8× the median. (40 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Age of democracy in United Kingdom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1881 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1882 | +50.0% | 2 years | 3 years |
| 1883 | +33.3% | 3 years | 4 years |
| 1884 | +25.0% | 4 years | 5 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5.5 years | 1 years | 10 years | 10 |
| 1890s | 15.5 years | 11 years | 20 years | 10 |
| 1900s | 25.5 years | 21 years | 30 years | 10 |
| 1910s | 35.5 years | 31 years | 40 years | 10 |
| 1920s | 45.5 years | 41 years | 50 years | 10 |
| 1930s | 55.5 years | 51 years | 60 years | 10 |
| 1940s | 65.5 years | 61 years | 70 years | 10 |
| 1950s | 75.5 years | 71 years | 80 years | 10 |
| 1960s | 85.5 years | 81 years | 90 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 95.5 years | 91 years | 100 years | 10 |
| 1980s | 105.5 years | 101 years | 110 years | 10 |
| 1990s | 115.5 years | 111 years | 120 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 125.5 years | 121 years | 130 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 135 years | 131 years | 139 years | 9 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 1 Switzerland 171 years compare
- 2 United States 155 years compare
- 3 New Zealand 142 years compare
- 5 Canada 131 years compare
- 6 Australia 118 years compare
- 7 Sweden 105 years compare
More social development data for United Kingdom
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 581,072 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 517 (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 517 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0084 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 United Kingdom?
- Age of democracy in United Kingdom was 139 years in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age of democracy recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 139 years in 2018.
- What is the lowest age of democracy recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1880.
- How does United Kingdom rank for age of democracy?
- United Kingdom ranks 4th out of 110 countries with data for 2018.
- Is age of democracy rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 7.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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 — 139 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of consecutive years in a democracy.