Democracy Index in Guatemala
Guatemala: Democracy Index was 8 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
8
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
52nd
of 168 countries
All-time high
8
in 1996
All-time low
-9
in 1900
Years of data
180
1839–2018
Democracy Index in Guatemala, 1839–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2018, democracy index in Guatemala stood at 8. That is the highest value across all 180 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Guatemala peaked at 8 in 1996 and was at its lowest, -9, in 1900.
That places Guatemala 52nd out of 168 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.
Democracy Index in Guatemala, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1839 | -3 | — |
| 1840 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1841 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1842 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1843 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1844 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1845 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1846 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1847 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1848 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1849 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1850 | -1 | -66.7% |
| 1851 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1852 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1853 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1854 | -3 | +200.0% |
| 1855 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1856 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1857 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1858 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1859 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1860 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1861 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1862 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1863 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1864 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1865 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1866 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1867 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1868 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1869 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1870 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1871 | -2 | -33.3% |
| 1872 | -2 | -0.0% |
| 1873 | -1 | -50.0% |
| 1874 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1875 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1876 | -5 | +400.0% |
| 1877 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1878 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1879 | 2 | -140.0% |
| 1880 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | -3 | -250.0% |
| 1897 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1898 | 2 | -166.7% |
| 1899 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | -9 | -550.0% |
| 1901 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1918 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | 2 | -122.2% |
| 1922 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | -9 | -550.0% |
| 1932 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | 5 | -155.6% |
| 1945 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 2 | -60.0% |
| 1951 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | -6 | -400.0% |
| 1955 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -5 | -16.7% |
| 1959 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | 3 | -160.0% |
| 1967 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1971 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | -3 | -400.0% |
| 1975 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -3 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -5 | +66.7% |
| 1979 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -7 | +40.0% |
| 1983 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -6 | -14.3% |
| 1985 | -1 | -83.3% |
| 1986 | 3 | -400.0% |
| 1987 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 8 | +166.7% |
| 1997 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 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% |
Guatemala compared with similar countries
- Guatemala's 8 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Guatemala's 8 is above the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 8, 1.0× the median. (24 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | -3 | -3 | -3 | 1 |
| 1840s | -3 | -3 | -3 | 10 |
| 1850s | -2.2 | -3 | -1 | 10 |
| 1860s | -3 | -3 | -3 | 10 |
| 1870s | -2.3 | -5 | 2 | 10 |
| 1880s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1890s | 1 | -3 | 2 | 10 |
| 1900s | -9 | -9 | -9 | 10 |
| 1910s | -9 | -9 | -9 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.9 | -9 | 2 | 10 |
| 1930s | -7.9 | -9 | 2 | 10 |
| 1940s | -0.6 | -9 | 5 | 10 |
| 1950s | -2.6 | -6 | 2 | 10 |
| 1960s | -1.8 | -5 | 3 | 10 |
| 1970s | -1.8 | -5 | 1 | 10 |
| 1980s | -1.9 | -7 | 3 | 10 |
| 1990s | 5 | 3 | 8 | 10 |
| 2000s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Guatemala
- 52 Belgium 8 compare
- 52 Botswana 8 compare
- 52 Brazil 8 compare
- 52 East Timor 8 compare
- 52 El Salvador 8 compare
- 52 Ghana 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 Guatemala
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,586 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 34,994 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0019 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 34,994 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in Guatemala?
- Democracy index in Guatemala 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 Guatemala?
- The highest recorded value was 8 in 1996.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Guatemala?
- The lowest recorded value was -9 in 1900.
- How does Guatemala rank for democracy index?
- Guatemala ranks 52nd out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Guatemala?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Guatemala 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 — 180 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).