Key features of democracy in Democratic Republic of Congo
Democratic Republic of Congo: Key features of democracy was 0.306 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.306
Change on year
down 0.6%
World rank
113th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.36
in 2009
All-time low
0.006
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Key features of democracy in Democratic Republic of Congo, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key features of democracy in Democratic Republic of Congo stood at 0.306.
The figure is down 0.6% on the previous year and down 3.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of democracy in Democratic Republic of Congo peaked at 0.36 in 2009 and was at its lowest, 0.006, in 1900.
That places Democratic Republic of Congo 113th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key features of democracy in Democratic Republic of Congo, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.006 | — |
| 1901 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.006 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.009 | +50.0% |
| 1921 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.009 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.019 | +111.1% |
| 1956 | 0.018 | -5.3% |
| 1957 | 0.02 | +11.1% |
| 1958 | 0.029 | +45.0% |
| 1959 | 0.033 | +13.8% |
| 1960 | 0.217 | +557.6% |
| 1961 | 0.28 | +29.0% |
| 1962 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.28 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.2 | -28.6% |
| 1966 | 0.093 | -53.5% |
| 1967 | 0.105 | +12.9% |
| 1968 | 0.104 | -1.0% |
| 1969 | 0.104 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.101 | -2.9% |
| 1971 | 0.148 | +46.5% |
| 1972 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.147 | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.148 | +0.7% |
| 1979 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.149 | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.15 | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 0.151 | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 0.15 | -0.7% |
| 1985 | 0.149 | -0.7% |
| 1986 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.15 | +0.7% |
| 1988 | 0.152 | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 0.152 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.177 | +16.4% |
| 1991 | 0.198 | +11.9% |
| 1992 | 0.2 | +1.0% |
| 1993 | 0.168 | -16.0% |
| 1994 | 0.17 | +1.2% |
| 1995 | 0.17 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.17 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.126 | -25.9% |
| 1998 | 0.149 | +18.3% |
| 1999 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.15 | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 0.156 | +4.0% |
| 2002 | 0.163 | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 0.18 | +10.4% |
| 2004 | 0.187 | +3.9% |
| 2005 | 0.197 | +5.3% |
| 2006 | 0.251 | +27.4% |
| 2007 | 0.355 | +41.4% |
| 2008 | 0.357 | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 0.36 | +0.8% |
| 2010 | 0.352 | -2.2% |
| 2011 | 0.347 | -1.4% |
| 2012 | 0.321 | -7.5% |
| 2013 | 0.319 | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 0.318 | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 0.316 | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 0.305 | -3.5% |
| 2017 | 0.304 | -0.3% |
| 2018 | 0.306 | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 0.344 | +12.4% |
| 2020 | 0.347 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 0.342 | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 0.336 | -1.8% |
| 2023 | 0.333 | -0.9% |
| 2024 | 0.308 | -7.5% |
| 2025 | 0.306 | -0.6% |
Democratic Republic of Congo compared with similar countries
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 0.306 is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.227, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Democratic Republic of Congo's 0.306 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.317, 97% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.006 | 0.006 | 0.006 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.006 | 0.006 | 0.006 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.009 | 0.009 | 0.009 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.009 | 0.009 | 0.009 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.009 | 0.009 | 0.009 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0164 | 0.009 | 0.033 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1943 | 0.093 | 0.28 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1431 | 0.101 | 0.148 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1501 | 0.149 | 0.152 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1677 | 0.126 | 0.2 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2356 | 0.15 | 0.36 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3232 | 0.304 | 0.352 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3287 | 0.306 | 0.347 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Democratic Republic of Congo
- 110 Mauritania 0.328 compare
- 111 El Salvador 0.321 compare
- 112 Kyrgyzstan 0.313 compare
- 114 Gabon 0.302 compare
- 114 Pakistan 0.302 compare
- 116 Serbia 0.3 compare
More social development data for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 503,732 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.18 million (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 0.0104 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.18 million (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 Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Key features of democracy in Democratic Republic of Congo was 0.306 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of democracy recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The highest recorded value was 0.36 in 2009.
- What is the lowest key features of democracy recorded in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.006 in 1900.
- How does Democratic Republic of Congo rank for key features of democracy?
- Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 113th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of democracy rising or falling in Democratic Republic of Congo?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Democratic Republic of Congo 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.
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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.