Direct Democracy Index in Bahrain
Bahrain: Direct Democracy Index was 0.02 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Direct Democracy Index in Bahrain, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for direct democracy index in Bahrain is 0.02, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 75.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, direct democracy index in Bahrain peaked at 0.2 in 2002 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1900.
Bahrain ranks 104th of 175 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.
Direct Democracy Index in Bahrain, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0 | — |
| 1901 | 0 | — |
| 1902 | 0 | — |
| 1903 | 0 | — |
| 1904 | 0 | — |
| 1905 | 0 | — |
| 1906 | 0 | — |
| 1907 | 0 | — |
| 1908 | 0 | — |
| 1909 | 0 | — |
| 1910 | 0 | — |
| 1911 | 0 | — |
| 1912 | 0 | — |
| 1913 | 0 | — |
| 1914 | 0 | — |
| 1915 | 0 | — |
| 1916 | 0 | — |
| 1917 | 0 | — |
| 1918 | 0 | — |
| 1919 | 0 | — |
| 1920 | 0 | — |
| 1921 | 0 | — |
| 1922 | 0 | — |
| 1923 | 0 | — |
| 1924 | 0 | — |
| 1925 | 0 | — |
| 1926 | 0 | — |
| 1927 | 0 | — |
| 1928 | 0 | — |
| 1929 | 0 | — |
| 1930 | 0 | — |
| 1931 | 0 | — |
| 1932 | 0 | — |
| 1933 | 0 | — |
| 1934 | 0 | — |
| 1935 | 0 | — |
| 1936 | 0 | — |
| 1937 | 0 | — |
| 1938 | 0 | — |
| 1939 | 0 | — |
| 1940 | 0 | — |
| 1941 | 0 | — |
| 1942 | 0 | — |
| 1943 | 0 | — |
| 1944 | 0 | — |
| 1945 | 0 | — |
| 1946 | 0 | — |
| 1947 | 0 | — |
| 1948 | 0 | — |
| 1949 | 0 | — |
| 1950 | 0 | — |
| 1951 | 0 | — |
| 1952 | 0 | — |
| 1953 | 0 | — |
| 1954 | 0 | — |
| 1955 | 0 | — |
| 1956 | 0 | — |
| 1957 | 0 | — |
| 1958 | 0 | — |
| 1959 | 0 | — |
| 1960 | 0 | — |
| 1961 | 0 | — |
| 1962 | 0 | — |
| 1963 | 0 | — |
| 1964 | 0 | — |
| 1965 | 0 | — |
| 1966 | 0 | — |
| 1967 | 0 | — |
| 1968 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | — |
| 1972 | 0 | — |
| 1973 | 0 | — |
| 1974 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 0 | — |
| 1993 | 0 | — |
| 1994 | 0 | — |
| 1995 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 0 | — |
| 1998 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 0.1 | — |
| 2002 | 0.2 | +100.0% |
| 2003 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.188 | -6.0% |
| 2007 | 0.176 | -6.4% |
| 2008 | 0.164 | -6.8% |
| 2009 | 0.152 | -7.3% |
| 2010 | 0.14 | -7.9% |
| 2011 | 0.128 | -8.6% |
| 2012 | 0.116 | -9.4% |
| 2013 | 0.104 | -10.3% |
| 2014 | 0.092 | -11.5% |
| 2015 | 0.08 | -13.0% |
| 2016 | 0.068 | -15.0% |
| 2017 | 0.056 | -17.6% |
| 2018 | 0.044 | -21.4% |
| 2019 | 0.032 | -27.3% |
| 2020 | 0.02 | -37.5% |
| 2021 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
Bahrain compared with similar countries
- Bahrain's 0.02 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.033, 61% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Bahrain's 0.02 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.02, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Direct Democracy Index in Bahrain changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | +100.0% | 0.1 | 0.2 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.158 | 0 | 0.2 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.086 | 0.032 | 0.14 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Bahrain
- 101 Gambia 0.026 compare
- 102 Ghana 0.024 compare
- 103 Myanmar 0.021 compare
- 104 Afghanistan 0.02 compare
- 104 Bhutan 0.02 compare
- 104 Brazil 0.02 compare
- 104 Cameroon 0.02 compare
- 104 Guinea-Bissau 0.02 compare
- 104 Japan 0.02 compare
- 104 Nepal 0.02 compare
- 104 Pakistan 0.02 compare
- 104 Sao Tome and Principe 0.02 compare
- 104 South Africa 0.02 compare
- 104 South Sudan 0.02 compare
- 104 Suriname 0.02 compare
- 104 Vietnam 0.02 compare
More social development data for Bahrain
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 240 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 267 (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 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 267 (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 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is direct democracy index in Bahrain?
- Direct democracy index in Bahrain was 0.02 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest direct democracy index recorded in Bahrain?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2 in 2002.
- What is the lowest direct democracy index recorded in Bahrain?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1900.
- How does Bahrain rank for direct democracy index?
- Bahrain ranks 104th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is direct democracy index rising or falling in Bahrain?
- Over the last ten years it is down 75.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Bahrain data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Direct Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measures the extent of how easy it is for citizens to vote on specific issues themselves in popular initiatives, referendums, and plebiscites.