Key features of democracy in Belarus
Belarus: Key features of democracy was 0.163 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key features of democracy in Belarus, 1795–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for key features of democracy in Belarus is 0.163, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.9% on the previous year and down 34.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of democracy in Belarus peaked at 0.565 in 1992 and was at its lowest, 0.016, in 1848.
Belarus ranks 151st of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key features of democracy in Belarus, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1795 | 0.019 | — |
| 1796 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.018 | -5.3% |
| 1827 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.016 | -11.1% |
| 1849 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.026 | +62.5% |
| 1856 | 0.029 | +11.5% |
| 1857 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.029 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.035 | +20.7% |
| 1866 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.032 | -8.6% |
| 1874 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.032 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.035 | +9.4% |
| 1883 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.037 | +5.7% |
| 1894 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.037 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.033 | -10.8% |
| 1899 | 0.033 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.048 | +45.5% |
| 1901 | 0.047 | -2.1% |
| 1902 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.047 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.048 | +2.1% |
| 1905 | 0.067 | +39.6% |
| 1906 | 0.108 | +61.2% |
| 1907 | 0.109 | +0.9% |
| 1908 | 0.107 | -1.8% |
| 1909 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.108 | +0.9% |
| 1913 | 0.108 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.106 | -1.9% |
| 1915 | 0.105 | -0.9% |
| 1916 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.098 | -6.7% |
| 1918 | 0.126 | +28.6% |
| 1919 | 0.114 | -9.5% |
| 1920 | 0.114 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.111 | -2.6% |
| 1922 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.114 | +2.7% |
| 1924 | 0.114 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.112 | -1.8% |
| 1926 | 0.112 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.112 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.112 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.111 | -0.9% |
| 1930 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.111 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.116 | +4.5% |
| 1938 | 0.096 | -17.2% |
| 1939 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.093 | -3.1% |
| 1942 | 0.093 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.093 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.093 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.093 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.1 | +7.5% |
| 1947 | 0.1 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.099 | -1.0% |
| 1949 | 0.099 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.102 | +3.0% |
| 1951 | 0.103 | +1.0% |
| 1952 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.103 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.105 | +1.9% |
| 1955 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.106 | +1.0% |
| 1959 | 0.106 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.106 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.106 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.095 | -10.4% |
| 1963 | 0.092 | -3.2% |
| 1964 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.101 | +9.8% |
| 1971 | 0.109 | +7.9% |
| 1972 | 0.108 | -0.9% |
| 1973 | 0.108 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.107 | -0.9% |
| 1975 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.107 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.106 | -0.9% |
| 1985 | 0.109 | +2.8% |
| 1986 | 0.117 | +7.3% |
| 1987 | 0.144 | +23.1% |
| 1988 | 0.145 | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 0.176 | +21.4% |
| 1990 | 0.457 | +159.7% |
| 1991 | 0.489 | +7.0% |
| 1992 | 0.565 | +15.5% |
| 1993 | 0.559 | -1.1% |
| 1994 | 0.546 | -2.3% |
| 1995 | 0.501 | -8.2% |
| 1996 | 0.443 | -11.6% |
| 1997 | 0.369 | -16.7% |
| 1998 | 0.343 | -7.0% |
| 1999 | 0.332 | -3.2% |
| 2000 | 0.296 | -10.8% |
| 2001 | 0.247 | -16.6% |
| 2002 | 0.243 | -1.6% |
| 2003 | 0.241 | -0.8% |
| 2004 | 0.24 | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 0.233 | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 0.225 | -3.4% |
| 2007 | 0.222 | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 0.224 | +0.9% |
| 2009 | 0.227 | +1.3% |
| 2010 | 0.226 | -0.4% |
| 2011 | 0.216 | -4.4% |
| 2012 | 0.221 | +2.3% |
| 2013 | 0.242 | +9.5% |
| 2014 | 0.243 | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 0.247 | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 0.256 | +3.6% |
| 2017 | 0.254 | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 0.252 | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 0.259 | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 0.208 | -19.7% |
| 2021 | 0.172 | -17.3% |
| 2022 | 0.171 | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 0.157 | -8.2% |
| 2024 | 0.16 | +1.9% |
| 2025 | 0.163 | +1.9% |
Belarus compared with similar countries
- Belarus's 0.163 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.491, 33% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Belarus's 0.163 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.737, 22% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1790s | 0.019 | 0.019 | 0.019 | 5 |
| 1800s | 0.019 | 0.019 | 0.019 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.019 | 0.019 | 0.019 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.0186 | 0.018 | 0.019 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.018 | 0.018 | 0.018 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.0176 | 0.016 | 0.018 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.0222 | 0.016 | 0.029 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.032 | 0.029 | 0.035 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.0329 | 0.032 | 0.035 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.0344 | 0.032 | 0.035 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.0356 | 0.033 | 0.037 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.0735 | 0.047 | 0.109 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.1084 | 0.098 | 0.126 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.1123 | 0.111 | 0.114 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.1085 | 0.096 | 0.116 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0959 | 0.093 | 0.1 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.1043 | 0.102 | 0.106 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.0951 | 0.092 | 0.106 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1068 | 0.101 | 0.109 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1225 | 0.106 | 0.176 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4604 | 0.332 | 0.565 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2398 | 0.222 | 0.296 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2416 | 0.216 | 0.259 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1718 | 0.157 | 0.208 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Belarus
More social development data for Belarus
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 40,794 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 19,462 (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 0.0021 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 19,462 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0045 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 key features of democracy in Belarus?
- Key features of democracy in Belarus was 0.163 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of democracy recorded in Belarus?
- The highest recorded value was 0.565 in 1992.
- What is the lowest key features of democracy recorded in Belarus?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.016 in 1848.
- How does Belarus rank for key features of democracy?
- Belarus ranks 151st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of democracy rising or falling in Belarus?
- Over the last ten years it is down 34.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Belarus data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key features of democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 231 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.