Age of democracy in Uruguay
Uruguay: Age of democracy was 34 years in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Age of democracy in Uruguay, 1952–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.
Analysis
The most recent figure for age of democracy in Uruguay is 34 years, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 41.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, age of democracy in Uruguay peaked at 34 years in 2018 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1952.
That places Uruguay 35th out of 110 countries with data for 2018, putting it 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 Uruguay, year by year
| Year | years | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1952 | 1 years | — |
| 1953 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1954 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1955 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1956 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1957 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1958 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1959 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1960 | 9 years | +12.5% |
| 1961 | 10 years | +11.1% |
| 1962 | 11 years | +10.0% |
| 1963 | 12 years | +9.1% |
| 1964 | 13 years | +8.3% |
| 1965 | 14 years | +7.7% |
| 1966 | 15 years | +7.1% |
| 1967 | 16 years | +6.7% |
| 1968 | 17 years | +6.2% |
| 1969 | 18 years | +5.9% |
| 1970 | 19 years | +5.6% |
| 1985 | 1 years | -94.7% |
| 1986 | 2 years | +100.0% |
| 1987 | 3 years | +50.0% |
| 1988 | 4 years | +33.3% |
| 1989 | 5 years | +25.0% |
| 1990 | 6 years | +20.0% |
| 1991 | 7 years | +16.7% |
| 1992 | 8 years | +14.3% |
| 1993 | 9 years | +12.5% |
| 1994 | 10 years | +11.1% |
| 1995 | 11 years | +10.0% |
| 1996 | 12 years | +9.1% |
| 1997 | 13 years | +8.3% |
| 1998 | 14 years | +7.7% |
| 1999 | 15 years | +7.1% |
| 2000 | 16 years | +6.7% |
| 2001 | 17 years | +6.2% |
| 2002 | 18 years | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 19 years | +5.6% |
| 2004 | 20 years | +5.3% |
| 2005 | 21 years | +5.0% |
| 2006 | 22 years | +4.8% |
| 2007 | 23 years | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 24 years | +4.3% |
| 2009 | 25 years | +4.2% |
| 2010 | 26 years | +4.0% |
| 2011 | 27 years | +3.8% |
| 2012 | 28 years | +3.7% |
| 2013 | 29 years | +3.6% |
| 2014 | 30 years | +3.4% |
| 2015 | 31 years | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 32 years | +3.2% |
| 2017 | 33 years | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 34 years | +3.0% |
Uruguay compared with similar countries
- Uruguay's 34 years is below the median for high income countries, which is 44 years, 77% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Uruguay's 34 years is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 30 years, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Age of democracy in Uruguay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | -94.7% | 19 years | 1 years |
| 1953 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1986 | +100.0% | 1 years | 2 years |
| 1954 | +50.0% | 2 years | 3 years |
| 1987 | +50.0% | 2 years | 3 years |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 4.5 years | 1 years | 8 years | 8 |
| 1960s | 13.5 years | 9 years | 18 years | 10 |
| 1970s | 19 years | 19 years | 19 years | 1 |
| 1980s | 3 years | 1 years | 5 years | 5 |
| 1990s | 10.5 years | 6 years | 15 years | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.5 years | 16 years | 25 years | 10 |
| 2010s | 30 years | 26 years | 34 years | 9 |
Countries ranked near Uruguay
- 32 Bolivia 37 years compare
- 33 Argentina 36 years compare
- 34 El Salvador 35 years compare
- 35 Brazil 34 years compare
- 37 Philippines 32 years compare
- 38 South Korea 31 years compare
- 38 Turkey 31 years compare
More social development data for Uruguay
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3,195 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 126 (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 126 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0009 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 Uruguay?
- Age of democracy in Uruguay was 34 years in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest age of democracy recorded in Uruguay?
- The highest recorded value was 34 years in 2018.
- What is the lowest age of democracy recorded in Uruguay?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1952.
- How does Uruguay rank for age of democracy?
- Uruguay ranks 35th out of 110 countries with data for 2018.
- Is age of democracy rising or falling in Uruguay?
- Over the last ten years it is up 41.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Uruguay 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
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About this data
Number of consecutive years in a democracy.