Democracy Index in Belgium
Belgium: Democracy Index was 8 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Democracy Index in Belgium, 1830–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Belgium recorded 8 for democracy index in 2018.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Belgium peaked at 10 in 1970 and was at its lowest, -5, in 1830.
That places Belgium 52nd out of 167 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | -4.1 | -5 | -4 | 10 |
| 1840s | -1.6 | -4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1850s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1860s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1870s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1880s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1890s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1900s | 4.4 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| 1910s | 6 | 6 | 6 | 9 |
| 1920s | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| 1930s | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| 1940s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 |
| 1950s | 8.9 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 1960s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 1970s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1980s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1990s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 2000s | 9.4 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| 2010s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Belgium
- 52 Botswana 8 compare
- 52 Brazil 8 compare
- 52 East Timor 8 compare
- 52 El Salvador 8 compare
- 52 Ghana 8 compare
- 52 Guatemala 8 compare
- 52 Kyrgyzstan 8 compare
- 52 Latvia 8 compare
- 52 Lesotho 8 compare
- 52 Mexico 8 compare
- 52 Myanmar 8 compare
- 52 Philippines 8 compare
- 52 Serbia 8 compare
- 52 Solomon Islands 8 compare
- 52 South Korea 8 compare
- 52 United Kingdom 8 compare
More social development data for Belgium
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 186,393 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 113 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.794 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.889 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.969 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.896 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.889 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 3 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in Belgium?
- Democracy index in Belgium was 8 in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy index recorded in Belgium?
- The highest recorded value was 10 in 1970.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Belgium?
- The lowest recorded value was -5 in 1830.
- How does Belgium rank for democracy index?
- Belgium ranks 52nd out of 167 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Belgium?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belgium data come from?
- The figures come from Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 184 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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).