Democracy Index in Bhutan
Bhutan: Democracy Index was 7 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Democracy Index in Bhutan, 1907–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for democracy index in Bhutan is 7, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 112 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 40.0% on the previous year and up 133.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Bhutan peaked at 7 in 2018 and was at its lowest, -10, in 1907.
Bhutan ranks 69th of 167 countries on this measure, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 3 |
| 1910s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1920s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1930s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1940s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1950s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1960s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1970s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1980s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1990s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 2000s | -5.9 | -10 | 3 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.56 | 3 | 7 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Bhutan
- 69 Armenia 7 compare
- 69 Benin 7 compare
- 69 Bolivia 7 compare
- 69 Colombia 7 compare
- 69 Dominican Republic 7 compare
- 69 Georgia 7 compare
- 69 Guyana 7 compare
- 69 Honduras 7 compare
- 69 Liberia 7 compare
- 69 Malaysia 7 compare
- 69 Nepal 7 compare
- 69 Nigeria 7 compare
- 69 Pakistan 7 compare
- 69 Senegal 7 compare
- 69 Sierra Leone 7 compare
- 69 Tunisia 7 compare
More social development data for Bhutan
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 7,257 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.457 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.566 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.682 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.609 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.566 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 2 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in Bhutan?
- Democracy index in Bhutan was 7 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 Bhutan?
- The highest recorded value was 7 in 2018.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Bhutan?
- The lowest recorded value was -10 in 1907.
- How does Bhutan rank for democracy index?
- Bhutan ranks 69th out of 167 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Bhutan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 133.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bhutan 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 — 112 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).