Direct Democracy Index in Congo
Congo: Direct Democracy Index was 0.104 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Direct Democracy Index in Congo, 1903–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Congo recorded 0.104 for direct democracy index in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 7.1% on the previous year and down 31.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, direct democracy index in Congo peaked at 0.259 in 2002 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1903.
That places Congo 58th out of 175 countries with data for 2025, putting it 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 Congo, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | 0.02 | — |
| 1962 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.2 | +900.0% |
| 1964 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.188 | -6.0% |
| 1969 | 0.176 | -6.4% |
| 1970 | 0.164 | -6.8% |
| 1971 | 0.152 | -7.3% |
| 1972 | 0.14 | -7.9% |
| 1973 | 0.2 | +42.9% |
| 1974 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.188 | -6.0% |
| 1979 | 0.2 | +6.4% |
| 1980 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.2 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.188 | -6.0% |
| 1985 | 0.176 | -6.4% |
| 1986 | 0.164 | -6.8% |
| 1987 | 0.152 | -7.3% |
| 1988 | 0.14 | -7.9% |
| 1989 | 0.128 | -8.6% |
| 1990 | 0.116 | -9.4% |
| 1991 | 0.104 | -10.3% |
| 1992 | 0.213 | +104.8% |
| 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 | 0.259 | +69.3% |
| 2003 | 0.247 | -4.6% |
| 2004 | 0.235 | -4.9% |
| 2005 | 0.223 | -5.1% |
| 2006 | 0.211 | -5.4% |
| 2007 | 0.191 | -9.5% |
| 2008 | 0.172 | -9.9% |
| 2009 | 0.152 | -11.6% |
| 2010 | 0.132 | -13.2% |
| 2011 | 0.112 | -15.2% |
| 2012 | 0.104 | -7.1% |
| 2013 | 0.096 | -7.7% |
| 2014 | 0.088 | -8.3% |
| 2015 | 0.151 | +71.6% |
| 2016 | 0.151 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.151 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.151 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.151 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.143 | -5.3% |
| 2021 | 0.136 | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 0.128 | -5.9% |
| 2023 | 0.12 | -6.3% |
| 2024 | 0.112 | -6.7% |
| 2025 | 0.104 | -7.1% |
Congo compared with similar countries
- Congo's 0.104 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.0275, 3.8× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Congo's 0.104 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.033, 3.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Direct Democracy Index in Congo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | +900.0% | 0.02 | 0.2 |
| 1992 | +104.8% | 0.104 | 0.213 |
| 2015 | +71.6% | 0.088 | 0.151 |
| 2002 | +69.3% | 0.153 | 0.259 |
| 1973 | +42.9% | 0.14 | 0.2 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| 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 | 0.1404 | 0 | 0.2 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1844 | 0.14 | 0.2 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1748 | 0.128 | 0.2 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1852 | 0.104 | 0.213 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2008 | 0.152 | 0.259 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1287 | 0.088 | 0.151 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1238 | 0.104 | 0.143 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Congo
More social development data for Congo
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 62,500 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13,134 (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 0.002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13,134 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0096 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 Congo?
- Direct democracy index in Congo was 0.104 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest direct democracy index recorded in Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 0.259 in 2002.
- What is the lowest direct democracy index recorded in Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1903.
- How does Congo rank for direct democracy index?
- Congo ranks 58th out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is direct democracy index rising or falling in Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 31.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Congo 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 — 123 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.