Distribution of Democracy Index in Iran
Iran: Distribution of Democracy Index was 3 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Distribution of Democracy Index in Iran, 1800–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2018, distribution of democracy index in Iran stood at 3.
The figure is down 25.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of democracy index in Iran peaked at 14 in 1946 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1800.
That places Iran 149th out of 167 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1800s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1900s | 4 | 0 | 10 | 10 |
| 1910s | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
| 1920s | 5.1 | 3 | 10 | 10 |
| 1930s | 2.5 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 1940s | 10.3 | 2 | 14 | 10 |
| 1950s | 4.2 | 0 | 14 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.4 | 0 | 4 | 10 |
| 1980s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.7 | 4 | 13 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.4 | 3 | 13 | 10 |
| 2010s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More social development data for Iran
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 770,514 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 157,912 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.159 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.166 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.093 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.159 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.042 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.103 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is distribution of democracy index in Iran?
- Distribution of democracy index in Iran was 3 in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest distribution of democracy index recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 14 in 1946.
- What is the lowest distribution of democracy index recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1800.
- How does Iran rank for distribution of democracy index?
- Iran ranks 149th out of 167 countries with data for 2018.
- Is distribution of democracy index rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran data come from?
- The figures come from Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Distribution of Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 219 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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).