Key features of democracy in Finland
Finland: Key features of democracy was 0.852 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key features of democracy in Finland, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key features of democracy in Finland stood at 0.852.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.0% on the previous year and down 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of democracy in Finland peaked at 0.891 in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.151, in 1863.
Finland ranks 12th of 176 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key features of democracy in Finland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.187 | — |
| 1790 | 0.187 | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 0.187 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 0.208 | +11.2% |
| 1793 | 0.188 | -9.6% |
| 1794 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.188 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.151 | -19.7% |
| 1864 | 0.237 | +57.0% |
| 1865 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1866 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.236 | -0.4% |
| 1883 | 0.236 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.236 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.237 | +0.4% |
| 1886 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.236 | -0.4% |
| 1889 | 0.236 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.236 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 0.237 | +0.4% |
| 1892 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.237 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.263 | +11.0% |
| 1895 | 0.263 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.263 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.263 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.263 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 0.264 | +0.4% |
| 1900 | 0.259 | -1.9% |
| 1901 | 0.259 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.26 | +0.4% |
| 1903 | 0.26 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.26 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.263 | +1.2% |
| 1906 | 0.274 | +4.2% |
| 1907 | 0.342 | +24.8% |
| 1908 | 0.339 | -0.9% |
| 1909 | 0.336 | -0.9% |
| 1910 | 0.336 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.336 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.336 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.336 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.326 | -3.0% |
| 1915 | 0.326 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.326 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.357 | +9.5% |
| 1918 | 0.538 | +50.7% |
| 1919 | 0.634 | +17.8% |
| 1920 | 0.656 | +3.5% |
| 1921 | 0.661 | +0.8% |
| 1922 | 0.657 | -0.6% |
| 1923 | 0.645 | -1.8% |
| 1924 | 0.642 | -0.5% |
| 1925 | 0.642 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.642 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.642 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.642 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.638 | -0.6% |
| 1930 | 0.577 | -9.6% |
| 1931 | 0.577 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.578 | +0.2% |
| 1933 | 0.588 | +1.7% |
| 1934 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.588 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.595 | +1.2% |
| 1937 | 0.602 | +1.2% |
| 1938 | 0.602 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.527 | -12.5% |
| 1940 | 0.502 | -4.7% |
| 1941 | 0.502 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.497 | -1.0% |
| 1943 | 0.497 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.497 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.675 | +35.8% |
| 1946 | 0.726 | +7.6% |
| 1947 | 0.713 | -1.8% |
| 1948 | 0.738 | +3.5% |
| 1949 | 0.803 | +8.8% |
| 1950 | 0.812 | +1.1% |
| 1951 | 0.812 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.813 | +0.1% |
| 1953 | 0.816 | +0.4% |
| 1954 | 0.817 | +0.1% |
| 1955 | 0.817 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.806 | -1.3% |
| 1957 | 0.806 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.81 | +0.5% |
| 1959 | 0.814 | +0.5% |
| 1960 | 0.814 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.814 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.805 | -1.1% |
| 1963 | 0.806 | +0.1% |
| 1964 | 0.806 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.811 | +0.6% |
| 1966 | 0.807 | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 0.815 | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 0.817 | +0.2% |
| 1969 | 0.812 | -0.6% |
| 1970 | 0.811 | -0.1% |
| 1971 | 0.811 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.809 | -0.2% |
| 1973 | 0.809 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.809 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.811 | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 0.818 | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 0.818 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.816 | -0.2% |
| 1979 | 0.816 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.818 | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 0.822 | +0.5% |
| 1982 | 0.837 | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 0.842 | +0.6% |
| 1984 | 0.843 | +0.1% |
| 1985 | 0.843 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.843 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.847 | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 0.847 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.847 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.859 | +1.4% |
| 1991 | 0.864 | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 0.864 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.871 | +0.8% |
| 1994 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.872 | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 0.873 | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 0.873 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.873 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.873 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.873 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.873 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.873 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.871 | -0.2% |
| 2004 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.871 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.88 | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 0.881 | +0.1% |
| 2008 | 0.881 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.881 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.881 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.884 | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 0.885 | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 0.891 | +0.7% |
| 2014 | 0.891 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.869 | -2.5% |
| 2016 | 0.869 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.873 | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 0.884 | +1.3% |
| 2019 | 0.881 | -0.3% |
| 2020 | 0.88 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 0.871 | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 0.869 | -0.2% |
| 2023 | 0.853 | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 0.827 | -3.0% |
| 2025 | 0.852 | +3.0% |
Finland compared with similar countries
- Finland's 0.852 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.786, 1.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Finland's 0.852 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.737, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.187 | 0.187 | 0.187 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.1898 | 0.187 | 0.208 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.188 | 0.188 | 0.188 | 9 |
| 1860s | 0.2247 | 0.151 | 0.237 | 7 |
| 1870s | 0.237 | 0.237 | 0.237 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.2365 | 0.236 | 0.237 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.2526 | 0.236 | 0.264 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.2852 | 0.259 | 0.342 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.3851 | 0.326 | 0.634 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.6467 | 0.638 | 0.661 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.5822 | 0.527 | 0.602 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.615 | 0.497 | 0.803 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.8123 | 0.806 | 0.817 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.8107 | 0.805 | 0.817 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.8128 | 0.809 | 0.818 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.8389 | 0.818 | 0.847 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.8693 | 0.859 | 0.873 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8755 | 0.871 | 0.881 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.8808 | 0.869 | 0.891 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.8587 | 0.827 | 0.88 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Finland
More social development data for Finland
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 102,544 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 5 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 5 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0182 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 Finland?
- Key features of democracy in Finland was 0.852 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of democracy recorded in Finland?
- The highest recorded value was 0.891 in 2013.
- What is the lowest key features of democracy recorded in Finland?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.151 in 1863.
- How does Finland rank for key features of democracy?
- Finland ranks 12th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of democracy rising or falling in Finland?
- Over the last ten years it is down 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Finland 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
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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.