Democracy Index by country
It combines information on the extent to which open, multi-party, and competitive elections choose a chief executive who faces comprehensive institutional constraints, and political participation is competitive. It ranges from -10 to 10 (fully democratic).
Countries reporting
165
Highest
10
Australia
Lowest
-10
Saudi Arabia
Median
7
Years covered
245
1776–2020
Data points
18,392
What the numbers show
Democracy Index is currently reported for 165 countries. The highest value is 10 in Australia; the lowest is -10 in Saudi Arabia.
The median across all reporting countries is 7, and the mean is 3.89.
Over the past decade 37 countries rose and 21 fell. The largest increase was in Central African Republic (up 700.0%), and the largest decrease in Cambodia (down 300.0%).
Democracy Index: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Austria | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Canada | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Switzerland | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Chile | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Cape Verde | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Costa Rica | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Cyprus | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Germany | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Denmark | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Spain | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Finland | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | France | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Greece | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Hungary | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Italy | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Japan | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Lithuania | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Mongolia | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Mauritius | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Netherlands | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Norway | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | New Zealand | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Poland | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Portugal | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Slovakia | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Slovenia | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Sweden | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Uruguay | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Taiwan | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Albania | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Argentina | 9 | 2018 | up 12.5% | volatile |
| 33 | Bulgaria | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Czechia | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Estonia | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Croatia | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Indonesia | 9 | 2018 | up 12.5% | volatile |
| 33 | India | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Jamaica | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 33 | Kenya | 9 | 2018 | up 28.6% | volatile |
| 33 | Moldova | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | North Macedonia | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Montenegro | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Panama | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Peru | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Paraguay | 9 | 2018 | up 12.5% | volatile |
| 33 | Romania | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Trinidad and Tobago | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | South Africa | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Belgium | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Brazil | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Botswana | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | United Kingdom | 8 | 2018 | down 20.0% | volatile |
| 52 | Ghana | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Guatemala | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Kyrgyzstan | 8 | 2018 | up 166.7% | volatile |
| 52 | South Korea | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Lesotho | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Latvia | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Mexico | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Myanmar | 8 | 2018 | up 233.3% | volatile |
| 52 | Philippines | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Solomon Islands | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | El Salvador | 8 | 2018 | up 14.3% | volatile |
| 52 | Serbia | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | East Timor | 8 | 2018 | up 14.3% | rising |
| 69 | Armenia | 7 | 2018 | up 40.0% | volatile |
| 69 | Benin | 7 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 69 | Bolivia | 7 | 2018 | down 12.5% | volatile |
| 69 | Bhutan | 7 | 2018 | up 133.3% | volatile |
| 69 | Colombia | 7 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 69 | Dominican Republic | 7 | 2018 | down 12.5% | volatile |
| 69 | Georgia | 7 | 2018 | up 16.7% | volatile |
| 69 | Guyana | 7 | 2018 | up 16.7% | volatile |
| 69 | Honduras | 7 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 69 | Liberia | 7 | 2018 | up 16.7% | volatile |
| 69 | Malaysia | 7 | 2018 | up 16.7% | falling |
| 69 | Nigeria | 7 | 2018 | up 75.0% | volatile |
| 69 | Nepal | 7 | 2018 | up 16.7% | volatile |
| 69 | Pakistan | 7 | 2018 | up 40.0% | volatile |
| 69 | Senegal | 7 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 69 | Sierra Leone | 7 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 69 | Tunisia | 7 | 2018 | up 275.0% | volatile |
| 86 | Burkina Faso | 6 | 2018 | — | volatile |
| 86 | Central African Republic | 6 | 2018 | up 700.0% | volatile |
| 86 | Guinea-Bissau | 6 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 86 | Iraq | 6 | 2018 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 86 | Israel | 6 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 86 | Lebanon | 6 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 86 | Sri Lanka | 6 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 86 | Madagascar | 6 | 2018 | down 14.3% | volatile |
| 86 | Malawi | 6 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 86 | Namibia | 6 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 86 | Nicaragua | 6 | 2018 | down 33.3% | volatile |
| 86 | Zambia | 6 | 2018 | down 14.3% | volatile |
| 98 | Ecuador | 5 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 98 | Haiti | 5 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 98 | Mali | 5 | 2018 | down 28.6% | volatile |
| 98 | Mozambique | 5 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 98 | Niger | 5 | 2018 | down 16.7% | volatile |
| 98 | Papua New Guinea | 5 | 2018 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 98 | Somalia | 5 | 2018 | — | volatile |
| 98 | Suriname | 5 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 98 | United States | 5 | 2020 | down 50.0% | rising |
| 107 | Cote d'Ivoire | 4 | 2018 | — | volatile |
| 107 | Guinea | 4 | 2018 | up 500.0% | volatile |
| 107 | Gambia | 4 | 2018 | up 180.0% | volatile |
| 107 | Russia | 4 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 107 | Ukraine | 4 | 2018 | down 42.9% | volatile |
| 107 | Zimbabwe | 4 | 2018 | up 200.0% | volatile |
| 113 | Djibouti | 3 | 2018 | up 50.0% | volatile |
| 113 | Gabon | 3 | 2018 | up 175.0% | volatile |
| 113 | Tanzania | 3 | 2018 | up 400.0% | volatile |
| 116 | Algeria | 2 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 116 | Fiji | 2 | 2018 | up 150.0% | volatile |
| 118 | Ethiopia | 1 | 2018 | up 133.3% | volatile |
| 119 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0 | 1994 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 119 | Libya | 0 | 2018 | up 100.0% | rising |
| 119 | South Sudan | 0 | 2018 | — | flat |
| 119 | Yemen | 0 | 2018 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 123 | Afghanistan | -1 | 2018 | — | falling |
| 123 | Burundi | -1 | 2018 | down 116.7% | volatile |
| 123 | Chad | -1 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 123 | Uganda | -1 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 127 | Angola | -2 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 127 | Mauritania | -2 | 2018 | up 60.0% | rising |
| 127 | Singapore | -2 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 127 | Togo | -2 | 2018 | up 50.0% | rising |
| 131 | Democratic Republic of Congo | -3 | 2018 | down 160.0% | volatile |
| 131 | Comoros | -3 | 2018 | down 133.3% | volatile |
| 131 | Jordan | -3 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 131 | Rwanda | -3 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 131 | Thailand | -3 | 2018 | down 175.0% | volatile |
| 131 | Tajikistan | -3 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 131 | Venezuela | -3 | 2018 | down 160.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Congo | -4 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 138 | Egypt | -4 | 2018 | down 33.3% | volatile |
| 138 | Cambodia | -4 | 2018 | down 300.0% | volatile |
| 138 | Morocco | -4 | 2018 | up 33.3% | falling |
| 138 | Sudan | -4 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 138 | Turkey | -4 | 2018 | down 157.1% | volatile |
| 144 | Cameroon | -5 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 144 | Cuba | -5 | 2018 | up 28.6% | volatile |
| 146 | Bangladesh | -6 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 146 | Equatorial Guinea | -6 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 146 | Kazakhstan | -6 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 149 | Azerbaijan | -7 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 149 | Belarus | -7 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 149 | China | -7 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 149 | Eritrea | -7 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 149 | Iran | -7 | 2018 | down 16.7% | volatile |
| 149 | Kuwait | -7 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 149 | Laos | -7 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 149 | Eswatini | -7 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 149 | Vietnam | -7 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 158 | United Arab Emirates | -8 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 158 | Oman | -8 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 158 | Turkmenistan | -8 | 2018 | up 11.1% | rising |
| 161 | Syria | -9 | 2018 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 161 | Uzbekistan | -9 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 161 | Vatican | -9 | 1870 | unchanged | flat |
| 164 | Bahrain | -10 | 2018 | down 42.9% | rising |
| 164 | North Korea | -10 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 164 | Qatar | -10 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 164 | Saudi Arabia | -10 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
Regions and income groups
Aggregates are excluded from the country ranking above so that a region can never outrank a country.
- USSR 0
About this data
It combines information on the extent to which open, multi-party, and competitive elections choose a chief executive who faces comprehensive institutional constraints, and political participation is competitive. It ranges from -10 to 10 (fully democratic).