Distribution of Democracy Index in Syria
Syria: Distribution of Democracy Index was 1 in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Distribution of Democracy Index in Syria, 1944–2018
Source: Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2018, distribution of democracy index in Syria stood at 1. That is the lowest value across all 72 years on record.
That represents a change of down 75.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, distribution of democracy index in Syria peaked at 17 in 1955 and was at its lowest, 1, in 1970.
Syria ranks 161st of 167 countries on this measure, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 13.83 | 11 | 15 | 6 |
| 1950s | 10.5 | 4 | 17 | 8 |
| 1960s | 3.67 | 2 | 12 | 9 |
| 1970s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.67 | 1 | 4 | 9 |
Countries ranked near Syria
- 158 Oman 2 compare
- 158 Turkmenistan 2 compare
- 158 United Arab Emirates 2 compare
- 161 Uzbekistan 1 compare
- 161 Vatican 1 compare
- 164 Bahrain 0 compare
- 164 North Korea 0 compare
- 164 Qatar 0 compare
- 164 Saudi Arabia 0 compare
More social development data for Syria
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of asy 9,885 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of ori 4.87 million (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Key features of democracy 0.128 (2025)
- Freedom of Expression Index 0.358 (2025)
- Freedom of Association Index 0.159 (2025)
- Electoral Democracy Index 0.128 (2025)
- Participatory Democracy Index 0.058 (2025)
- Liberal Democracy Index 0.054 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is distribution of democracy index in Syria?
- Distribution of democracy index in Syria was 1 in 2018, according to Polity 5 (2020) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest distribution of democracy index recorded in Syria?
- The highest recorded value was 17 in 1955.
- What is the lowest distribution of democracy index recorded in Syria?
- The lowest recorded value was 1 in 1970.
- How does Syria rank for distribution of democracy index?
- Syria ranks 161st out of 167 countries with data for 2018.
- Is distribution of democracy index rising or falling in Syria?
- Over the last ten years it is down 75.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Syria 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 — 72 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).