Electoral Democracy Index in Eswatini
Eswatini: Electoral Democracy Index was 0.128 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Electoral Democracy Index in Eswatini, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, electoral democracy index in Eswatini stood at 0.128.
The figure is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 2.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, electoral democracy index in Eswatini peaked at 0.209 in 1970 and was at its lowest, 0.047, in 1909.
That places Eswatini 164th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Electoral Democracy Index in Eswatini, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.051 | — |
| 1901 | 0.051 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.052 | +2.0% |
| 1903 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.05 | -3.8% |
| 1909 | 0.047 | -6.0% |
| 1910 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.049 | +4.3% |
| 1922 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.049 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.054 | +10.2% |
| 1962 | 0.054 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.061 | +13.0% |
| 1964 | 0.143 | +134.4% |
| 1965 | 0.173 | +21.0% |
| 1966 | 0.182 | +5.2% |
| 1967 | 0.184 | +1.1% |
| 1968 | 0.203 | +10.3% |
| 1969 | 0.208 | +2.5% |
| 1970 | 0.209 | +0.5% |
| 1971 | 0.206 | -1.4% |
| 1972 | 0.204 | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 0.128 | -37.3% |
| 1974 | 0.09 | -29.7% |
| 1975 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.097 | +7.8% |
| 1979 | 0.131 | +35.1% |
| 1980 | 0.131 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.131 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.131 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.131 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.126 | -3.8% |
| 1985 | 0.126 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.126 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.126 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.122 | -3.2% |
| 1989 | 0.122 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.124 | +1.6% |
| 1991 | 0.124 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.124 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.122 | -1.6% |
| 1994 | 0.117 | -4.1% |
| 1995 | 0.117 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.115 | -1.7% |
| 1997 | 0.115 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.117 | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 0.123 | +5.1% |
| 2000 | 0.124 | +0.8% |
| 2001 | 0.125 | +0.8% |
| 2002 | 0.125 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.125 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.123 | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 0.128 | +4.1% |
| 2006 | 0.129 | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 0.129 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.127 | -1.6% |
| 2009 | 0.124 | -2.4% |
| 2010 | 0.125 | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 0.125 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.125 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.13 | +4.0% |
| 2014 | 0.131 | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 0.131 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.131 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.132 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 0.132 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 0.133 | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 0.132 | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 0.12 | -9.1% |
| 2022 | 0.117 | -2.5% |
| 2023 | 0.121 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 0.129 | +6.6% |
| 2025 | 0.128 | -0.8% |
Eswatini compared with similar countries
- Eswatini's 0.128 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.3475, 37% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Eswatini's 0.128 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.317, 40% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.0511 | 0.047 | 0.052 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.047 | 0.047 | 0.047 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.0488 | 0.047 | 0.049 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.049 | 0.049 | 0.049 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.049 | 0.049 | 0.049 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.049 | 0.049 | 0.049 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1311 | 0.049 | 0.208 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1335 | 0.09 | 0.209 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1272 | 0.122 | 0.131 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1198 | 0.115 | 0.124 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1259 | 0.123 | 0.129 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1295 | 0.125 | 0.133 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1245 | 0.117 | 0.132 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Eswatini
- 161 Burkina Faso 0.134 compare
- 162 South Sudan 0.133 compare
- 163 Sudan 0.13 compare
- 164 Syria 0.128 compare
- 166 Yemen 0.127 compare
- 167 United Arab Emirates 0.104 compare
More social development data for Eswatini
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,414 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 220 (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 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 220 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0011 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is electoral democracy index in Eswatini?
- Electoral democracy index in Eswatini was 0.128 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest electoral democracy index recorded in Eswatini?
- The highest recorded value was 0.209 in 1970.
- What is the lowest electoral democracy index recorded in Eswatini?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.047 in 1909.
- How does Eswatini rank for electoral democracy index?
- Eswatini ranks 164th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is electoral democracy index rising or falling in Eswatini?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Eswatini data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Electoral Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which political leaders are elected under comprehensive suffrage in free and fair elections, and freedoms of association and expression are guaranteed.