Democracy Index in United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates: Democracy Index was -8 in 2018. ▬ Flat
Democracy Index in United Arab Emirates, 1971–2018
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 United Arab Emirates is -8, measured in 2018. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in United Arab Emirates peaked at -8 in 1971 and was at its lowest, -8, in 1971.
That places United Arab Emirates 159th out of 168 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
Democracy Index in United Arab Emirates, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | -8 | — |
| 1972 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1973 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1974 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1975 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1976 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1977 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1978 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1979 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1980 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1981 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1982 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1983 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1984 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1985 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1986 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1987 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1988 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1989 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1990 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1991 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1992 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1993 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1994 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1995 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1996 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1997 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1998 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 1999 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 2000 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 2002 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 2004 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 2006 | -8 | -0.0% |
| 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% |
United Arab Emirates compared with similar countries
- United Arab Emirates's -8 is below the median for high income countries, which is 10. (50 countries reporting)
- United Arab Emirates's -8 is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is -3, 2.7× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -8 | -8 | -8 | 9 |
| 1980s | -8 | -8 | -8 | 10 |
| 1990s | -8 | -8 | -8 | 10 |
| 2000s | -8 | -8 | -8 | 10 |
| 2010s | -8 | -8 | -8 | 9 |
Countries ranked near United Arab Emirates
- 159 Oman -8 compare
- 159 Turkmenistan -8 compare
- 162 Syria -9 compare
- 162 Uzbekistan -9 compare
- 162 Vatican -9
More social development data for United Arab Emirates
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,377 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 252 (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 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 252 (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 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in United Arab Emirates?
- Democracy index in United Arab Emirates 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 United Arab Emirates?
- The highest recorded value was -8 in 1971.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in United Arab Emirates?
- The lowest recorded value was -8 in 1971.
- How does United Arab Emirates rank for democracy index?
- United Arab Emirates ranks 159th out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in United Arab Emirates?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United Arab Emirates 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 — 48 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).