Distribution of Democracy Index by country
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 0 to 20 (fully democratic).
Countries reporting
166
Highest
20
Australia
Lowest
0
North Korea
Median
17
Years covered
219
1800–2018
Data points
18,366
What the numbers show
Distribution of Democracy Index is currently reported for 166 countries. The highest value is 20 in Australia; the lowest is 0 in North Korea.
The median across all reporting countries is 17, and the mean is 14.13.
Over the past decade 41 countries rose and 21 fell. The largest increase was in Myanmar (up 350.0%), and the largest decrease in Bahrain (down 100.0%).
Distribution of Democracy Index: full country ranking
| # | Country | Latest | Year | 10-year change | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Austria | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Canada | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Switzerland | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Chile | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Cape Verde | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Costa Rica | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Cyprus | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Germany | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Denmark | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Spain | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Finland | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | France | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Greece | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Hungary | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Ireland | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Italy | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Japan | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Lithuania | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Luxembourg | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Mongolia | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Mauritius | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Netherlands | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Norway | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | New Zealand | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 1 | Poland | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Portugal | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Slovakia | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Slovenia | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Sweden | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 1 | Uruguay | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 1 | Taiwan | 20 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Albania | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Argentina | 19 | 2018 | up 5.6% | volatile |
| 33 | Bulgaria | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Czechia | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Estonia | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Croatia | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Indonesia | 19 | 2018 | up 5.6% | volatile |
| 33 | India | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Jamaica | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 33 | Kenya | 19 | 2018 | up 11.8% | volatile |
| 33 | Moldova | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | North Macedonia | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Montenegro | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Panama | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Peru | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | Paraguay | 19 | 2018 | up 5.6% | volatile |
| 33 | Romania | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 33 | Trinidad and Tobago | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 33 | South Africa | 19 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Belgium | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Brazil | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Botswana | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | United Kingdom | 18 | 2018 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 52 | Ghana | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Guatemala | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Kyrgyzstan | 18 | 2018 | up 38.5% | volatile |
| 52 | South Korea | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Lesotho | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Latvia | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Mexico | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | Myanmar | 18 | 2018 | up 350.0% | volatile |
| 52 | Philippines | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 52 | Solomon Islands | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 52 | El Salvador | 18 | 2018 | up 5.9% | volatile |
| 52 | Serbia | 18 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 52 | East Timor | 18 | 2018 | up 5.9% | rising |
| 52 | United States | 18 | 2018 | down 10.0% | rising |
| 70 | Armenia | 17 | 2018 | up 13.3% | volatile |
| 70 | Benin | 17 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 70 | Bolivia | 17 | 2018 | down 5.6% | rising |
| 70 | Bhutan | 17 | 2018 | up 30.8% | volatile |
| 70 | Colombia | 17 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 70 | Dominican Republic | 17 | 2018 | down 5.6% | volatile |
| 70 | Georgia | 17 | 2018 | up 6.2% | volatile |
| 70 | Guyana | 17 | 2018 | up 6.2% | rising |
| 70 | Honduras | 17 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 70 | Liberia | 17 | 2018 | up 6.2% | volatile |
| 70 | Malaysia | 17 | 2018 | up 6.2% | falling |
| 70 | Nigeria | 17 | 2018 | up 21.4% | volatile |
| 70 | Nepal | 17 | 2018 | up 6.2% | volatile |
| 70 | Pakistan | 17 | 2018 | up 13.3% | volatile |
| 70 | Senegal | 17 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 70 | Sierra Leone | 17 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 70 | Tunisia | 17 | 2018 | up 183.3% | volatile |
| 87 | Burkina Faso | 16 | 2018 | up 60.0% | volatile |
| 87 | Central African Republic | 16 | 2018 | up 77.8% | volatile |
| 87 | Guinea-Bissau | 16 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 87 | Iraq | 16 | 2018 | up 23.1% | volatile |
| 87 | Israel | 16 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 87 | Lebanon | 16 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 87 | Sri Lanka | 16 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 87 | Madagascar | 16 | 2018 | down 5.9% | rising |
| 87 | Malawi | 16 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 87 | Namibia | 16 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 87 | Nicaragua | 16 | 2018 | down 15.8% | volatile |
| 87 | Zambia | 16 | 2018 | down 5.9% | volatile |
| 99 | Ecuador | 15 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 99 | Haiti | 15 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 99 | Mali | 15 | 2018 | down 11.8% | volatile |
| 99 | Mozambique | 15 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 99 | Niger | 15 | 2018 | down 6.2% | volatile |
| 99 | Papua New Guinea | 15 | 2018 | up 7.1% | rising |
| 99 | Somalia | 15 | 2018 | up 50.0% | volatile |
| 99 | Suriname | 15 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 107 | Cote d'Ivoire | 14 | 2018 | up 40.0% | volatile |
| 107 | Guinea | 14 | 2018 | up 55.6% | volatile |
| 107 | Gambia | 14 | 2018 | up 180.0% | volatile |
| 107 | Russia | 14 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 107 | Ukraine | 14 | 2018 | down 17.6% | volatile |
| 107 | Zimbabwe | 14 | 2018 | up 133.3% | rising |
| 113 | Djibouti | 13 | 2018 | up 8.3% | volatile |
| 113 | Gabon | 13 | 2018 | up 116.7% | volatile |
| 113 | Tanzania | 13 | 2018 | up 44.4% | rising |
| 116 | Algeria | 12 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 116 | Fiji | 12 | 2018 | up 100.0% | falling |
| 118 | Ethiopia | 11 | 2018 | up 57.1% | falling |
| 119 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 10 | 1994 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 119 | Libya | 10 | 2018 | up 233.3% | volatile |
| 119 | South Sudan | 10 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 119 | Yemen | 10 | 2018 | up 25.0% | rising |
| 119 | USSR | 10 | 1991 | up 233.3% | volatile |
| 124 | Afghanistan | 9 | 2018 | — | volatile |
| 124 | Burundi | 9 | 2018 | down 43.8% | volatile |
| 124 | Chad | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 124 | Uganda | 9 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 128 | Angola | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 128 | Mauritania | 8 | 2018 | up 60.0% | rising |
| 128 | Singapore | 8 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 128 | Togo | 8 | 2018 | up 33.3% | rising |
| 132 | Democratic Republic of Congo | 7 | 2018 | down 53.3% | volatile |
| 132 | Comoros | 7 | 2018 | down 63.2% | volatile |
| 132 | Jordan | 7 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 132 | Rwanda | 7 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 132 | Thailand | 7 | 2018 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 132 | Tajikistan | 7 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 132 | Venezuela | 7 | 2018 | down 53.3% | volatile |
| 139 | Congo | 6 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 139 | Egypt | 6 | 2018 | down 14.3% | volatile |
| 139 | Cambodia | 6 | 2018 | down 50.0% | volatile |
| 139 | Morocco | 6 | 2018 | up 50.0% | falling |
| 139 | Sudan | 6 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 139 | Turkey | 6 | 2018 | down 64.7% | volatile |
| 145 | Cameroon | 5 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 145 | Cuba | 5 | 2018 | up 66.7% | volatile |
| 147 | Bangladesh | 4 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 147 | Equatorial Guinea | 4 | 2018 | unchanged | rising |
| 147 | Kazakhstan | 4 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 150 | Azerbaijan | 3 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 150 | Belarus | 3 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 150 | China | 3 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 150 | Eritrea | 3 | 2018 | unchanged | falling |
| 150 | Iran | 3 | 2018 | down 25.0% | volatile |
| 150 | Kuwait | 3 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 150 | Laos | 3 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 150 | Eswatini | 3 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 150 | Vietnam | 3 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 159 | United Arab Emirates | 2 | 2018 | unchanged | flat |
| 159 | Oman | 2 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 159 | Turkmenistan | 2 | 2018 | up 100.0% | volatile |
| 162 | Syria | 1 | 2018 | down 75.0% | volatile |
| 162 | Uzbekistan | 1 | 2018 | unchanged | volatile |
| 162 | Vatican | 1 | 1870 | unchanged | flat |
| 165 | Bahrain | 0 | 2018 | down 100.0% | volatile |
| 165 | North Korea | 0 | 2018 | — | volatile |
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 0 to 20 (fully democratic).