Age of electoral democracy by country
Number of consecutive years in electoral democracy.
Countries reporting
109
Highest
177 years
Switzerland
Lowest
1 years
Nigeria
Median
33 years
Years covered
177
1849–2025
Data points
5,296
What the numbers show
Age of electoral democracy is currently reported for 109 countries. The highest value is 177 years in Switzerland; the lowest is 1 years in Nigeria.
The median across all reporting countries is 33 years, and the mean is 39.33 years.
The gap between the highest and lowest reporting country is a factor of about 177.
Over the past decade 94 countries rose and 11 fell. The largest increase was in Sri Lanka (up 1,000.0%), and the largest decrease in Mauritius (down 97.9%).
Age of electoral democracy: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | 177 years | 2025 | up 6.0% | volatile |
| 2 | Australia | 168 years | 2025 | up 6.3% | volatile |
| 3 | New Zealand | 139 years | 2025 | up 7.8% | volatile |
| 4 | Iceland | 122 years | 2025 | up 8.9% | volatile |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 107 years | 2025 | up 10.3% | volatile |
| 6 | United States | 106 years | 2025 | up 10.4% | volatile |
| 7 | Canada | 105 years | 2025 | up 10.5% | volatile |
| 8 | Ireland | 104 years | 2025 | up 10.6% | volatile |
| 8 | Sweden | 104 years | 2025 | up 10.6% | volatile |
| 10 | Austria | 81 years | 2025 | up 14.1% | volatile |
| 10 | Finland | 81 years | 2025 | up 14.1% | volatile |
| 12 | Belgium | 80 years | 2025 | up 14.3% | volatile |
| 12 | Denmark | 80 years | 2025 | up 14.3% | volatile |
| 12 | Luxembourg | 80 years | 2025 | up 14.3% | volatile |
| 12 | Netherlands | 80 years | 2025 | up 14.3% | volatile |
| 12 | Norway | 80 years | 2025 | up 14.3% | volatile |
| 17 | France | 79 years | 2025 | up 14.5% | volatile |
| 17 | Italy | 79 years | 2025 | up 14.5% | volatile |
| 19 | Israel | 77 years | 2025 | up 14.9% | volatile |
| 20 | Costa Rica | 76 years | 2025 | up 15.2% | volatile |
| 21 | Japan | 74 years | 2025 | up 15.6% | volatile |
| 22 | Barbados | 66 years | 2025 | up 17.9% | volatile |
| 23 | Trinidad and Tobago | 64 years | 2025 | up 18.5% | volatile |
| 24 | Malta | 63 years | 2025 | up 18.9% | volatile |
| 25 | Botswana | 59 years | 2025 | up 20.4% | volatile |
| 26 | Cyprus | 51 years | 2025 | up 24.4% | volatile |
| 26 | Greece | 51 years | 2025 | up 24.4% | volatile |
| 28 | Portugal | 50 years | 2025 | up 25.0% | volatile |
| 29 | Spain | 48 years | 2025 | up 26.3% | volatile |
| 30 | Ecuador | 46 years | 2025 | up 27.8% | volatile |
| 30 | Vanuatu | 46 years | 2025 | up 27.8% | volatile |
| 32 | Venezuela | 43 years | 2001 | up 30.3% | volatile |
| 33 | Argentina | 42 years | 2025 | up 31.2% | volatile |
| 33 | Jamaica | 42 years | 2025 | up 31.2% | volatile |
| 35 | Uruguay | 41 years | 2025 | up 32.3% | volatile |
| 36 | Brazil | 39 years | 2025 | up 34.5% | volatile |
| 36 | India | 39 years | 2016 | up 34.5% | volatile |
| 38 | South Korea | 38 years | 2025 | up 35.7% | volatile |
| 39 | Bulgaria | 36 years | 2025 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 39 | Chile | 36 years | 2025 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 39 | Czechia | 36 years | 2025 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 39 | Lithuania | 36 years | 2025 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 39 | Latvia | 36 years | 2025 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 39 | Namibia | 36 years | 2025 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 39 | Poland | 36 years | 2025 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 39 | Romania | 36 years | 2025 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 39 | Senegal | 36 years | 2025 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 39 | Slovenia | 36 years | 2025 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 49 | Colombia | 35 years | 2025 | up 40.0% | volatile |
| 49 | Cape Verde | 35 years | 2025 | up 40.0% | volatile |
| 49 | Germany | 35 years | 2025 | up 40.0% | volatile |
| 49 | Papua New Guinea | 35 years | 2007 | up 40.0% | volatile |
| 49 | Sao Tome and Principe | 35 years | 2025 | up 40.0% | volatile |
| 55 | Suriname | 34 years | 2025 | up 41.7% | volatile |
| 56 | Estonia | 33 years | 2025 | up 43.5% | volatile |
| 56 | Paraguay | 33 years | 2025 | up 43.5% | volatile |
| 58 | Slovakia | 32 years | 2025 | up 45.5% | volatile |
| 59 | South Africa | 31 years | 2025 | up 47.6% | volatile |
| 60 | Dominican Republic | 30 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | volatile |
| 60 | Ghana | 30 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | volatile |
| 60 | Taiwan | 30 years | 2025 | up 50.0% | volatile |
| 63 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 28 years | 2024 | up 55.6% | volatile |
| 63 | Hungary | 28 years | 2017 | up 55.6% | volatile |
| 66 | Benin | 27 years | 2018 | up 58.8% | volatile |
| 67 | Guatemala | 26 years | 2025 | up 62.5% | volatile |
| 67 | Croatia | 26 years | 2025 | up 62.5% | volatile |
| 69 | Indonesia | 25 years | 2023 | up 66.7% | volatile |
| 69 | Peru | 25 years | 2025 | up 66.7% | volatile |
| 71 | East Timor | 24 years | 2025 | up 71.4% | volatile |
| 72 | Lesotho | 23 years | 2025 | up 76.9% | volatile |
| 72 | Turkey | 23 years | 2012 | up 76.9% | volatile |
| 74 | El Salvador | 22 years | 2020 | up 83.3% | volatile |
| 75 | Albania | 20 years | 2024 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 75 | Liberia | 20 years | 2025 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 75 | Sierra Leone | 20 years | 2022 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 78 | Solomon Islands | 19 years | 2025 | up 111.1% | volatile |
| 79 | Bhutan | 17 years | 2025 | up 142.9% | volatile |
| 79 | Nicaragua | 17 years | 2006 | up 142.9% | volatile |
| 81 | Moldova | 16 years | 2025 | up 166.7% | volatile |
| 82 | Serbia | 13 years | 2013 | up 333.3% | volatile |
| 83 | Georgia | 12 years | 2023 | up 500.0% | volatile |
| 83 | Niger | 12 years | 2022 | up 500.0% | volatile |
| 83 | Nepal | 12 years | 2025 | up 500.0% | volatile |
| 86 | Sri Lanka | 11 years | 2025 | up 1,000.0% | volatile |
| 86 | Seychelles | 11 years | 2025 | up 1,000.0% | volatile |
| 88 | Bangladesh | 10 years | 2001 | up 900.0% | volatile |
| 88 | Tunisia | 10 years | 2021 | up 900.0% | volatile |
| 90 | North Macedonia | 9 years | 2025 | up 800.0% | volatile |
| 91 | Armenia | 8 years | 2025 | up 700.0% | volatile |
| 91 | Thailand | 8 years | 2005 | up 700.0% | volatile |
| 93 | Maldives | 7 years | 2025 | up 75.0% | volatile |
| 94 | Burkina Faso | 6 years | 2021 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 94 | Malawi | 6 years | 2025 | unchanged | volatile |
| 94 | Philippines | 6 years | 2015 | down 62.5% | volatile |
| 97 | Bolivia | 5 years | 2025 | down 83.3% | volatile |
| 97 | Gambia | 5 years | 2025 | up 400.0% | volatile |
| 97 | Montenegro | 5 years | 2025 | unchanged | rising |
| 100 | Guinea-Bissau | 4 years | 2021 | up 300.0% | rising |
| 100 | Honduras | 4 years | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 100 | Kenya | 4 years | 2025 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 100 | Mali | 4 years | 2017 | down 73.3% | volatile |
| 104 | Fiji | 3 years | 2025 | — | volatile |
| 104 | Ukraine | 3 years | 2021 | down 25.0% | falling |
| 104 | Zambia | 3 years | 2024 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 107 | Guyana | 1 years | 2025 | down 94.4% | volatile |
| 107 | Madagascar | 1 years | 2008 | down 80.0% | volatile |
| 107 | Mongolia | 1 years | 2025 | down 96.0% | volatile |
| 107 | Mauritius | 1 years | 2025 | down 97.9% | volatile |
| 107 | Nigeria | 1 years | 2025 | down 75.0% | volatile |
About this data
Number of consecutive years in electoral democracy.