Democracy Index in Tanzania
Tanzania: Democracy Index was 3 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Democracy Index in Tanzania, 1961–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Tanzania recorded 3 for democracy index in 2018. That is the highest value across all 58 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 400.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Tanzania peaked at 3 in 2015 and was at its lowest, -6, in 1961.
Tanzania ranks 113th 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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | -6 | — |
| 1962 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1963 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1964 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1965 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1966 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1967 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1968 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1969 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1970 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1971 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1972 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -5 | -16.7% |
| 1993 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -1 | -80.0% |
| 1996 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2008 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2009 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2010 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2012 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2013 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2014 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 3 | -400.0% |
| 2016 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 3 | +0.0% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 3 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 5, 60% of the median. (43 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 3 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.5, 67% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 9 |
| 1970s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1980s | -6 | -6 | -6 | 10 |
| 1990s | -3.2 | -6 | -1 | 10 |
| 2000s | -1 | -1 | -1 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7778 | -1 | 3 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More social development data for Tanzania
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 171,142 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,592 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,592 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0024 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 Tanzania?
- Democracy index in Tanzania was 3 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 Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 3 in 2015.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was -6 in 1961.
- How does Tanzania rank for democracy index?
- Tanzania ranks 113th out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is up 400.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tanzania 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 — 58 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).