Democracy Index in Russia
Russia: Democracy Index was 4 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
4
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
107th
of 168 countries
All-time high
6
in 2000
All-time low
-10
in 1800
Years of data
219
1800–2018
Democracy Index in Russia, 1800–2018
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 Russia is 4, measured in 2018.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Russia peaked at 6 in 2000 and was at its lowest, -10, in 1800.
That places Russia 107th 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 Russia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | -10 | — |
| 1801 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1802 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1803 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1804 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1805 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1806 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1807 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1808 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1809 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1810 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1811 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1812 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1813 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1814 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1815 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1816 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1817 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1818 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1819 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1820 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1821 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1822 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1823 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1824 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1825 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1826 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1827 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1828 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1829 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1830 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1831 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1832 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1833 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1834 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1835 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1836 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1837 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1838 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1839 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1840 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1841 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1842 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1843 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1844 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1845 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1846 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1847 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1848 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1849 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1850 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1851 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1852 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1853 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1854 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1855 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1856 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1857 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1858 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1859 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1860 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1861 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1862 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1863 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1864 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1865 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1866 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1867 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1868 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1869 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1870 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1871 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1872 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1873 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1874 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1875 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1876 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1877 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1878 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1879 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1880 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1881 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1882 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1883 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1884 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1885 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1886 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1887 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1888 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1889 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1890 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1891 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1892 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1893 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1894 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1895 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1896 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1897 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1898 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1899 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1900 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1901 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1904 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1905 | -8 | -20.0% |
| 1906 | -6 | -25.0% |
| 1907 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1909 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1910 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1 | -83.3% |
| 1918 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1919 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1920 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1921 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1923 | -7 | +600.0% |
| 1924 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -8 | +14.3% |
| 1928 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -9 | +12.5% |
| 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 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -7 | -22.2% |
| 1954 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1955 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1956 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1957 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1958 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1959 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1960 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1961 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1962 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 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 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -6 | -14.3% |
| 1989 | -4 | -33.3% |
| 1990 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 5 | — |
| 1993 | 3 | -40.0% |
| 1994 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 6 | +100.0% |
| 2001 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4 | -33.3% |
| 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% |
Russia compared with similar countries
- Russia's 4 is below the median for high income countries, which is 10, 40% of the median. (50 countries reporting)
- Russia's 4 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 9, 44% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
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 | -8.2 | -10 | -6 | 10 |
| 1910s | -4.5 | -6 | -1 | 10 |
| 1920s | -5.5 | -8 | -1 | 10 |
| 1930s | -8.7 | -9 | -8 | 10 |
| 1940s | -9 | -9 | -9 | 10 |
| 1950s | -7.6 | -9 | -7 | 10 |
| 1960s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 10 |
| 1970s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 10 |
| 1980s | -6.6 | -7 | -4 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.6 | 0 | 5 | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.4 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Russia
More social development data for Russia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 11,811 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 99,360 (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 0.0007 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 99,360 (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 Russia?
- Democracy index in Russia 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 Russia?
- The highest recorded value was 6 in 2000.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Russia?
- The lowest recorded value was -10 in 1800.
- How does Russia rank for democracy index?
- Russia ranks 107th out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Russia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Russia 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).