Democracy Index in Congo
Congo: Democracy Index was -4 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Democracy Index in Congo, 1960–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Congo recorded -4 for democracy index in 2018.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Congo peaked at 5 in 1992 and was at its lowest, -8, in 1979.
Congo ranks 139th of 168 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Democracy Index in Congo, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3 | — |
| 1961 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | -7 | -333.3% |
| 1964 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -8 | +14.3% |
| 1980 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -1 | -87.5% |
| 1992 | 5 | -600.0% |
| 1993 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | -6 | -220.0% |
| 1998 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -5 | -16.7% |
| 2002 | -4 | -20.0% |
| 2003 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2016 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2017 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -4 | -0.0% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's -4 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5. (43 countries reporting)
- Congo's -4 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.5. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -4 | -7 | 3 | 10 |
| 1970s | -7.1 | -8 | -7 | 10 |
| 1980s | -8 | -8 | -8 | 10 |
| 1990s | -0.2 | -8 | 5 | 10 |
| 2000s | -4.3 | -6 | -4 | 10 |
| 2010s | -4 | -4 | -4 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More social development data for Congo
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 62,500 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13,134 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13,134 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0096 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 Congo?
- Democracy index in Congo was -4 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 Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 5 in 1992.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was -8 in 1979.
- How does Congo rank for democracy index?
- Congo ranks 139th out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Congo 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 — 59 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).