Democracy Index in Estonia
Estonia: Democracy Index was 9 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Democracy Index in Estonia, 1917–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2018, democracy index in Estonia stood at 9.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Estonia peaked at 10 in 1919 and was at its lowest, -9, in 1941.
Estonia ranks 33rd of 167 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 9 | 8 | 10 | 2 |
| 1920s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.2 | -6 | 10 | 10 |
| 1940s | -8.7 | -9 | -6 | 10 |
| 1950s | -7.6 | -9 | -7 | 10 |
| 1960s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 10 |
| 1970s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 10 |
| 1980s | -6.6 | -7 | -4 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.5 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| 2000s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Estonia
- 33 Albania 9 compare
- 33 Argentina 9 compare
- 33 Bulgaria 9 compare
- 33 Croatia 9 compare
- 33 Czechia 9 compare
- 33 India 9 compare
- 33 Indonesia 9 compare
- 33 Jamaica 9 compare
- 33 Kenya 9 compare
- 33 Moldova 9 compare
- 33 Montenegro 9 compare
- 33 North Macedonia 9 compare
- 33 Panama 9 compare
- 33 Paraguay 9 compare
- 33 Peru 9 compare
- 33 Romania 9 compare
- 33 South Africa 9 compare
- 33 Trinidad and Tobago 9 compare
More social development data for Estonia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 41,299 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 86 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.837 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.887 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.969 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.908 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.887 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 3 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in Estonia?
- Democracy index in Estonia was 9 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 Estonia?
- The highest recorded value was 10 in 1919.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Estonia?
- The lowest recorded value was -9 in 1941.
- How does Estonia rank for democracy index?
- Estonia ranks 33rd out of 167 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Estonia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Estonia 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 — 101 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).