Democracy Index in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Democracy Index was 8 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Democracy Index in United Kingdom, 1800–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020); Population based on various sources (2023) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 8 for democracy index in 2018.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 20.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy index in United Kingdom peaked at 10 in 1922 and was at its lowest, -2, in 1800.
United Kingdom ranks 52nd of 167 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | -2 | -2 | -2 | 10 |
| 1810s | -2 | -2 | -2 | 10 |
| 1820s | -2 | -2 | -2 | 10 |
| 1830s | -0.5 | -2 | 3 | 10 |
| 1840s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 1850s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 1860s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 1870s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 1880s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 1890s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 1900s | 7.9 | 7 | 8 | 10 |
| 1910s | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 |
| 1920s | 9.6 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
| 1930s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1940s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1950s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1960s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1970s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1980s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1990s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 2000s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.33 | 8 | 10 | 9 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
- 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 Serbia 8 compare
- 52 Solomon Islands 8 compare
- 52 South Korea 8 compare
More social development data for United Kingdom
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 581,072 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 517 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.689 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.772 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.833 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.859 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.772 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 2 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy index in United Kingdom?
- Democracy index in United Kingdom 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 Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 10 in 1922.
- What is the lowest democracy index recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was -2 in 1800.
- How does United Kingdom rank for democracy index?
- United Kingdom ranks 52nd out of 167 countries with data for 2018.
- Is democracy index rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is down 20.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United Kingdom 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).