Democracy Index in Turkey
Turkey: Democracy Index was -4 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2018)
-4
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
139th
of 168 countries
All-time high
9
in 1961
All-time low
-10
in 1800
Years of data
215
1800–2018
Democracy Index in Turkey, 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 Turkey is -4, measured in 2018.
The figure is down 157.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in Turkey peaked at 9 in 1961 and was at its lowest, -10, in 1800.
Turkey ranks 139th of 168 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Democracy Index in Turkey, 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 | -4 | -60.0% |
| 1877 | -10 | +150.0% |
| 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 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1906 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1907 | -10 | -0.0% |
| 1908 | -4 | -60.0% |
| 1909 | -1 | -75.0% |
| 1910 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1911 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1912 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1913 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1914 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1915 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1916 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1917 | -1 | -0.0% |
| 1922 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1923 | -6 | — |
| 1924 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1925 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1926 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1927 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1928 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1929 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1930 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1931 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1932 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1933 | -6 | -0.0% |
| 1934 | -7 | +16.7% |
| 1935 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1936 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1937 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1938 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1939 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1940 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1941 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1942 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1943 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1944 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1945 | -7 | -0.0% |
| 1946 | 7 | -200.0% |
| 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 | 4 | -42.9% |
| 1955 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 7 | +75.0% |
| 1961 | 9 | +28.6% |
| 1962 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 8 | -11.1% |
| 1966 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | -2 | -125.0% |
| 1972 | -2 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | 9 | -550.0% |
| 1974 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | -5 | -155.6% |
| 1981 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -5 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | 7 | -240.0% |
| 1984 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 9 | +28.6% |
| 1990 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 8 | -11.1% |
| 1994 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 8 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 7 | -12.5% |
| 1998 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 9 | +28.6% |
| 2012 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 9 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 3 | -66.7% |
| 2015 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | -4 | -233.3% |
| 2017 | -4 | -0.0% |
| 2018 | -4 | -0.0% |
Turkey compared with similar countries
- Turkey's -4 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 7. (47 countries reporting)
- Turkey's -4 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 9. (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 | -9.4 | -10 | -4 | 10 |
| 1880s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1890s | -10 | -10 | -10 | 10 |
| 1900s | -8.5 | -10 | -1 | 10 |
| 1910s | -1 | -1 | -1 | 8 |
| 1920s | -5.25 | -6 | 0 | 8 |
| 1930s | -6.6 | -7 | -6 | 10 |
| 1940s | -1.4 | -7 | 7 | 10 |
| 1950s | 5.2 | 4 | 7 | 10 |
| 1960s | 8.3 | 7 | 9 | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.7 | -2 | 9 | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.6 | -5 | 9 | 10 |
| 1990s | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3.11 | -4 | 9 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Turkey
More social development data for Turkey
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.39 million (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 149,405 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 5 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0017 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 149,405 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0278 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 Turkey?
- Democracy index in Turkey 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 Turkey?
- The highest recorded value was 9 in 1961.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in Turkey?
- The lowest recorded value was -10 in 1800.
- How does Turkey rank for democracy index?
- Turkey ranks 139th out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in Turkey?
- Over the last ten years it is down 157.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Turkey 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 — 215 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).