Democracy Index in Lesotho
Lesotho: Democracy Index was 8 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Democracy Index in Lesotho, 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 Lesotho is 8, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Lesotho peaked at 8 in 2002 and was at its lowest, -10, in 1986.
That places Lesotho 52nd out of 167 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| 1970s | -6.4 | -7 | -5 | 10 |
| 1980s | -8.2 | -10 | -7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.2 | -7 | 6 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.6 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Lesotho
- 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 Guatemala 8 compare
- 52 Kyrgyzstan 8 compare
- 52 Latvia 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 Lesotho
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 478 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 27 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.512 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.661 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.728 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.873 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.661 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 2 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in Lesotho?
- Democracy index in Lesotho 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 Lesotho?
- The highest recorded value was 8 in 2002.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Lesotho?
- The lowest recorded value was -10 in 1986.
- How does Lesotho rank for democracy index?
- Lesotho ranks 52nd out of 167 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Lesotho?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Lesotho 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).