Democracy Index in Botswana
Botswana: Democracy Index was 8 in 2018. ▲ Rising
Democracy Index in Botswana, 1966–2018
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 Botswana is 8, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Botswana peaked at 8 in 1997 and was at its lowest, 6, in 1966.
Botswana ranks 52nd of 168 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 53 years of available data.
Democracy Index in Botswana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 6 | — |
| 1967 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 1988 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 8 | +14.3% |
| 1998 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 8 | +0.0% |
Botswana compared with similar countries
- Botswana's 8 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Botswana's 8 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.5, 1.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| 1970s | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.3 | 6 | 7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7.3 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Botswana
- 52 Belgium 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 Botswana
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 847 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 384 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 384 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0003 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in Botswana?
- Democracy index in Botswana 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 Botswana?
- The highest recorded value was 8 in 1997.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Botswana?
- The lowest recorded value was 6 in 1966.
- How does Botswana rank for democracy index?
- Botswana ranks 52nd out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Botswana?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Botswana 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 — 53 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).