Democracy Index in Serbia
Serbia: 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 2006
All-time low
-10
in 1929
Years of data
187
1830–2018
Democracy Index in Serbia, 1830–2018
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 Serbia is 8, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 187 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Serbia peaked at 8 in 2006 and was at its lowest, -10, in 1929.
Serbia ranks 52nd of 168 countries on this measure, 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 Serbia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1830 | -7 | — |
| 1831 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1832 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1833 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1834 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1835 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1836 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1837 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1838 | 2 | -128.6% |
| 1839 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | -9 | -550.0% |
| 1859 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1860 | -4 | -55.6% |
| 1861 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1862 | 0 | — |
| 1863 | 0 | — |
| 1864 | 0 | — |
| 1865 | 0 | — |
| 1866 | 0 | — |
| 1867 | 0 | — |
| 1868 | -3 | — |
| 1869 | -5 | +66.7% |
| 1870 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1871 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1872 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1873 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1874 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1875 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1876 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1877 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1878 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1879 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1880 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1881 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1882 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1883 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1884 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1885 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1886 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1887 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1888 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1889 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1890 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1891 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1892 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1893 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1894 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1895 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1896 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1897 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1898 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1899 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1900 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1901 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1902 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1903 | 4 | -180.0% |
| 1904 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 5 | +25.0% |
| 1919 | 6 | +20.0% |
| 1920 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 1921 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1922 | 0 | — |
| 1923 | 0 | — |
| 1924 | 0 | — |
| 1925 | 0 | — |
| 1926 | 0 | — |
| 1927 | 0 | — |
| 1928 | 0 | — |
| 1929 | -10 | — |
| 1930 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1935 | -9 | -10.0% |
| 1936 | -9 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -5 | -44.4% |
| 1938 | -2 | -60.0% |
| 1939 | 2 | -200.0% |
| 1940 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1942 | 0 | — |
| 1943 | 0 | — |
| 1944 | -4 | — |
| 1945 | -7 | +75.0% |
| 1946 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1947 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1948 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1949 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1950 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1951 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1952 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1953 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 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 | -5 | -28.6% |
| 1981 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -7 | +40.0% |
| 1994 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -6 | -14.3% |
| 1998 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | 7 | -216.7% |
| 2001 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 6 | -14.3% |
| 2004 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 8 | +33.3% |
| 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% |
Serbia compared with similar countries
- Serbia's 8 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7, 1.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Serbia's 8 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 9, 89% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1830s | -5.2 | -7 | 2 | 10 |
| 1840s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1850s | -0.2 | -9 | 2 | 10 |
| 1860s | -1.2 | -5 | 0 | 10 |
| 1870s | -5 | -5 | -5 | 10 |
| 1880s | -5 | -5 | -5 | 10 |
| 1890s | -5 | -5 | -5 | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.3 | -5 | 4 | 10 |
| 1910s | 4.38 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| 1920s | -0.3 | -10 | 7 | 10 |
| 1930s | -7.3 | -10 | 2 | 10 |
| 1940s | -3.7 | -7 | 2 | 10 |
| 1950s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 10 |
| 1960s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 10 |
| 1970s | -7 | -7 | -7 | 10 |
| 1980s | -5 | -5 | -5 | 10 |
| 1990s | -6.1 | -7 | -5 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.1 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
| 2010s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Serbia
- 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 Lesotho 8 compare
- 52 Mexico 8 compare
- 52 Myanmar 8 compare
- 52 Philippines 8 compare
- 52 Solomon Islands 8 compare
- 52 South Korea 8 compare
- 52 United Kingdom 8 compare
More social development data for Serbia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 40,863 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 29,665 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (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 0.0045 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 29,665 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0062 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 Serbia?
- Democracy index in Serbia 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 Serbia?
- The highest recorded value was 8 in 2006.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Serbia?
- The lowest recorded value was -10 in 1929.
- How does Serbia rank for democracy index?
- Serbia ranks 52nd out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Serbia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Serbia 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 — 187 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).