Democracy Index in Iran
Iran: Democracy Index was -7 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Democracy Index in Iran, 1800–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2018, democracy index in Iran stood at -7.
That represents a change of down 16.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Iran peaked at 4 in 1946 and was at its lowest, -10, in 1800.
That places Iran 149th out of 167 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1810s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1820s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1830s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1840s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1850s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1860s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1870s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1880s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1890s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1900s | -6 | -10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1920s | -4.9 | -7 | 0 | 10 |
| 1930s | -7.5 | -8 | -7 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.3 | -8 | 4 | 10 |
| 1950s | -5.8 | -10 | 4 | 10 |
| 1960s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1970s | -9.6 | -10 | -6 | 10 |
| 1980s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1990s | -3.3 | -6 | 3 | 10 |
| 2000s | -2.6 | -7 | 3 | 10 |
| 2010s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More social development data for Iran
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 770,514 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 157,912 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.103 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.159 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.166 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.093 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.159 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in Iran?
- Democracy index in Iran 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 Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 4 in 1946.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was -10 in 1800.
- How does Iran rank for democracy index?
- Iran ranks 149th out of 167 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 16.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran 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 — 219 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).