Direct Democracy Index in Zambia
Zambia: Direct Democracy Index was 0.065 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Direct Democracy Index in Zambia, 1911–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Zambia recorded 0.065 for direct democracy index in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 14.5% on the previous year and up 109.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, direct democracy index in Zambia peaked at 0.121 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1911.
Zambia ranks 73rd 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.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.002 | 0 | 0.02 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0299 | 0.02 | 0.031 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.031 | 0.031 | 0.031 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.067 | 0.031 | 0.121 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.0932 | 0.065 | 0.121 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Zambia
More social development data for Zambia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 83,225 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 346 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Key features of liberal democracy 0.375 (2025)
- Varieties of democracy 0.497 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.778 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.746 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.497 (2025)
- Liberal democracy 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is direct democracy index in Zambia?
- Direct democracy index in Zambia was 0.065 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest direct democracy index recorded in Zambia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.121 in 2016.
- What is the lowest direct democracy index recorded in Zambia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1911.
- How does Zambia rank for direct democracy index?
- Zambia ranks 73rd out of 175 countries with data for 2025.
- Is direct democracy index rising or falling in Zambia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 109.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Zambia 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.
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CSV · JSON — 115 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.