Distribution of Democracy Index in North Korea
North Korea: Distribution of Democracy Index was 0 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Distribution of Democracy Index in North Korea, 1948–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for distribution of democracy index in North Korea is 0, measured in 2018. That is the lowest value across all 71 years on record.
Over the whole period, distribution of democracy index in North Korea peaked at 3 in 1948 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1994.
North Korea ranks 165th of 168 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Distribution of Democracy Index in North Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | 3 | — |
| 1949 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 2 | -33.3% |
| 1957 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 1 | -50.0% |
| 1967 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1995 | 0 | — |
| 1996 | 0 | — |
| 1997 | 0 | — |
| 1998 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 0 | — |
| 2000 | 0 | — |
| 2001 | 0 | — |
| 2002 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 0 | — |
| 2015 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 0 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | — |
North Korea compared with similar countries
- North Korea's 0 is below the median for low income countries, which is 11. (25 countries reporting)
- North Korea's 0 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 17.5. (20 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 1950s | 2.6 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.6 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
| 1970s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
Countries ranked near North Korea
- 162 Syria 1 compare
- 162 Uzbekistan 1 compare
- 162 Vatican 1
- 165 Bahrain 0 compare
- 165 Qatar 0
- 165 Saudi Arabia 0
More social development data for North Korea
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 263 (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 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 263 (2025)
- Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -7.07 % change on previous year (2025)
- Human Rights Index vs. Electoral Democracy Index 0.024 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is distribution of democracy index in North Korea?
- Distribution of democracy index in North Korea was 0 in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest distribution of democracy index recorded in North Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 3 in 1948.
- What is the lowest distribution of democracy index recorded in North Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1994.
- How does North Korea rank for distribution of democracy index?
- North Korea ranks 165th out of 168 countries with data for 2018.
- Where does this North Korea 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 — 71 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).