Direct Democracy Index in Burundi
Burundi: Direct Democracy Index was 0.128 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Direct Democracy Index in Burundi, 1916–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Burundi recorded 0.128 for direct democracy index in 2025.
The figure is down 5.9% on the previous year and down 9.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, direct democracy index in Burundi peaked at 0.223 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1916.
Burundi ranks 49th 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 Burundi, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 0.1 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0.1 | — |
| 1992 | 0.213 | +113.0% |
| 1993 | 0.213 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.213 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.213 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.213 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.201 | -5.6% |
| 1998 | 0.189 | -6.0% |
| 1999 | 0.177 | -6.3% |
| 2000 | 0.165 | -6.8% |
| 2001 | 0.153 | -7.3% |
| 2002 | 0.141 | -7.8% |
| 2003 | 0.129 | -8.5% |
| 2004 | 0.117 | -9.3% |
| 2005 | 0.213 | +82.1% |
| 2006 | 0.213 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.213 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.213 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.213 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.201 | -5.6% |
| 2011 | 0.189 | -6.0% |
| 2012 | 0.177 | -6.3% |
| 2013 | 0.165 | -6.8% |
| 2014 | 0.153 | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 0.141 | -7.8% |
| 2016 | 0.129 | -8.5% |
| 2017 | 0.117 | -9.3% |
| 2018 | 0.223 | +90.6% |
| 2019 | 0.211 | -5.4% |
| 2020 | 0.199 | -5.7% |
| 2021 | 0.187 | -6.0% |
| 2022 | 0.175 | -6.4% |
| 2023 | 0.155 | -11.4% |
| 2024 | 0.136 | -12.3% |
| 2025 | 0.128 | -5.9% |
Burundi compared with similar countries
- Burundi's 0.128 is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.033, 3.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Burundi's 0.128 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.033, 3.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Direct Democracy Index in Burundi 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | +113.0% | 0.1 | 0.213 |
| 2018 | +90.6% | 0.117 | 0.223 |
| 1982 | -100.0% | 0.1 | 0 |
| 2005 | +82.1% | 0.117 | 0.213 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 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 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1732 | 0 | 0.213 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.177 | 0.117 | 0.213 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1706 | 0.117 | 0.223 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1633 | 0.128 | 0.199 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Burundi
More social development data for Burundi
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 110,800 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 318,291 (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 0.0221 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 318,291 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0077 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 Burundi?
- Direct democracy index in Burundi was 0.128 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest direct democracy index recorded in Burundi?
- The highest recorded value was 0.223 in 2018.
- What is the lowest direct democracy index recorded in Burundi?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1916.
- How does Burundi rank for direct democracy index?
- Burundi ranks 49th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is direct democracy index rising or falling in Burundi?
- Over the last ten years it is down 9.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Burundi 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 — 110 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.