Statizoid

Age of liberal democracy in Australia

Australia: Age of liberal democracy was 108 years in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
108 years
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
3rd
of 47 countries
All-time high
108 years
in 2025
All-time low
1 years
in 1858
Years of data
166
1858–2025

Age of liberal democracy in Australia, 1858–2025

0255075100185819412025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in years.

Analysis

In 2025, age of liberal democracy in Australia stood at 108 years. That is the highest value across all 166 years on record.

The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 10.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, age of liberal democracy in Australia peaked at 108 years in 2025 and was at its lowest, 1 years, in 1858.

That places Australia 3rd out of 47 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Age of liberal democracy in Australia, year by year

Year years Change
1858 1 years —
1859 2 years +100.0%
1860 3 years +50.0%
1861 4 years +33.3%
1862 5 years +25.0%
1863 6 years +20.0%
1864 7 years +16.7%
1865 8 years +14.3%
1866 9 years +12.5%
1867 10 years +11.1%
1868 11 years +10.0%
1869 12 years +9.1%
1870 13 years +8.3%
1871 14 years +7.7%
1872 15 years +7.1%
1873 16 years +6.7%
1874 17 years +6.2%
1875 18 years +5.9%
1876 19 years +5.6%
1877 20 years +5.3%
1878 21 years +5.0%
1879 22 years +4.8%
1880 23 years +4.5%
1881 24 years +4.3%
1882 25 years +4.2%
1883 26 years +4.0%
1884 27 years +3.8%
1885 28 years +3.7%
1886 29 years +3.6%
1887 30 years +3.4%
1888 31 years +3.3%
1889 32 years +3.2%
1890 33 years +3.1%
1891 34 years +3.0%
1892 35 years +2.9%
1893 36 years +2.9%
1894 37 years +2.8%
1895 38 years +2.7%
1896 39 years +2.6%
1897 40 years +2.6%
1898 41 years +2.5%
1899 42 years +2.4%
1900 43 years +2.4%
1901 44 years +2.3%
1902 45 years +2.3%
1903 46 years +2.2%
1904 47 years +2.2%
1905 48 years +2.1%
1906 49 years +2.1%
1907 50 years +2.0%
1908 51 years +2.0%
1909 52 years +2.0%
1910 53 years +1.9%
1911 54 years +1.9%
1912 55 years +1.9%
1913 56 years +1.8%
1914 57 years +1.8%
1915 58 years +1.8%
1918 1 years -98.3%
1919 2 years +100.0%
1920 3 years +50.0%
1921 4 years +33.3%
1922 5 years +25.0%
1923 6 years +20.0%
1924 7 years +16.7%
1925 8 years +14.3%
1926 9 years +12.5%
1927 10 years +11.1%
1928 11 years +10.0%
1929 12 years +9.1%
1930 13 years +8.3%
1931 14 years +7.7%
1932 15 years +7.1%
1933 16 years +6.7%
1934 17 years +6.2%
1935 18 years +5.9%
1936 19 years +5.6%
1937 20 years +5.3%
1938 21 years +5.0%
1939 22 years +4.8%
1940 23 years +4.5%
1941 24 years +4.3%
1942 25 years +4.2%
1943 26 years +4.0%
1944 27 years +3.8%
1945 28 years +3.7%
1946 29 years +3.6%
1947 30 years +3.4%
1948 31 years +3.3%
1949 32 years +3.2%
1950 33 years +3.1%
1951 34 years +3.0%
1952 35 years +2.9%
1953 36 years +2.9%
1954 37 years +2.8%
1955 38 years +2.7%
1956 39 years +2.6%
1957 40 years +2.6%
1958 41 years +2.5%
1959 42 years +2.4%
1960 43 years +2.4%
1961 44 years +2.3%
1962 45 years +2.3%
1963 46 years +2.2%
1964 47 years +2.2%
1965 48 years +2.1%
1966 49 years +2.1%
1967 50 years +2.0%
1968 51 years +2.0%
1969 52 years +2.0%
1970 53 years +1.9%
1971 54 years +1.9%
1972 55 years +1.9%
1973 56 years +1.8%
1974 57 years +1.8%
1975 58 years +1.8%
1976 59 years +1.7%
1977 60 years +1.7%
1978 61 years +1.7%
1979 62 years +1.6%
1980 63 years +1.6%
1981 64 years +1.6%
1982 65 years +1.6%
1983 66 years +1.5%
1984 67 years +1.5%
1985 68 years +1.5%
1986 69 years +1.5%
1987 70 years +1.4%
1988 71 years +1.4%
1989 72 years +1.4%
1990 73 years +1.4%
1991 74 years +1.4%
1992 75 years +1.4%
1993 76 years +1.3%
1994 77 years +1.3%
1995 78 years +1.3%
1996 79 years +1.3%
1997 80 years +1.3%
1998 81 years +1.2%
1999 82 years +1.2%
2000 83 years +1.2%
2001 84 years +1.2%
2002 85 years +1.2%
2003 86 years +1.2%
2004 87 years +1.2%
2005 88 years +1.1%
2006 89 years +1.1%
2007 90 years +1.1%
2008 91 years +1.1%
2009 92 years +1.1%
2010 93 years +1.1%
2011 94 years +1.1%
2012 95 years +1.1%
2013 96 years +1.1%
2014 97 years +1.0%
2015 98 years +1.0%
2016 99 years +1.0%
2017 100 years +1.0%
2018 101 years +1.0%
2019 102 years +1.0%
2020 103 years +1.0%
2021 104 years +1.0%
2022 105 years +1.0%
2023 106 years +1.0%
2024 107 years +0.9%
2025 108 years +0.9%

Australia compared with similar countries

  • Australia's 108 years is above the median for high income countries, which is 45 years, 2.4× the median. (40 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Age of liberal democracy in Australia 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.

YearChange FromTo
1918 -98.3% 58 years 1 years
1859 +100.0% 1 years 2 years
1919 +100.0% 1 years 2 years
1860 +50.0% 2 years 3 years
1920 +50.0% 2 years 3 years
1861 +33.3% 3 years 4 years

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1850s 1.5 years 1 years 2 years 2
1860s 7.5 years 3 years 12 years 10
1870s 17.5 years 13 years 22 years 10
1880s 27.5 years 23 years 32 years 10
1890s 37.5 years 33 years 42 years 10
1900s 47.5 years 43 years 52 years 10
1910s 42 years 1 years 58 years 8
1920s 7.5 years 3 years 12 years 10
1930s 17.5 years 13 years 22 years 10
1940s 27.5 years 23 years 32 years 10
1950s 37.5 years 33 years 42 years 10
1960s 47.5 years 43 years 52 years 10
1970s 57.5 years 53 years 62 years 10
1980s 67.5 years 63 years 72 years 10
1990s 77.5 years 73 years 82 years 10
2000s 87.5 years 83 years 92 years 10
2010s 97.5 years 93 years 102 years 10
2020s 105.5 years 103 years 108 years 6

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 1 Switzerland 177 years compare
  2. 2 New Zealand 113 years compare
  3. 4 United Kingdom 105 years compare
  4. 5 Sweden 104 years compare
  5. 6 Ireland 102 years compare

See the full ranking of 47 places →

More social development data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is age of liberal democracy in Australia?
Age of liberal democracy in Australia was 108 years in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest age of liberal democracy recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 108 years in 2025.
What is the lowest age of liberal democracy recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was 1 years in 1858.
How does Australia rank for age of liberal democracy?
Australia ranks 3rd out of 47 countries with data for 2025.
Is age of liberal democracy rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Age of liberal democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Age of liberal democracy in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 07 November 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/age-of-liberal-democracy-row/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Age of liberal democracy
Unit
years
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
47 places, 2,559 data points, 1849–2025
Last refreshed

Number of consecutive years in electoral democracy.