What is key features of democracy in Malaysia?

Key features of democracy in Malaysia was 0.504 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest key features of democracy recorded in Malaysia?

The highest recorded value was 0.513 in 2024.

What is the lowest key features of democracy recorded in Malaysia?

The lowest recorded value was 0.035 in 1942.

How does Malaysia rank for key features of democracy?

Malaysia ranks 86th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is key features of democracy rising or falling in Malaysia?

Over the last ten years it is up 55.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Malaysia 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.

Key features of democracy in Malaysia

Name: Key features of democracy in Malaysia
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Malaysia: Key features of democracy was 0.504 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.504

Change on year

down 1.8%

World rank

86th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.513

in 2024

All-time low

0.035

in 1942

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Key features of democracy in Malaysia, 1900–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for key features of democracy in Malaysia is 0.504, measured in 2025.

The figure is down 1.8% on the previous year and up 55.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, key features of democracy in Malaysia peaked at 0.513 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.035, in 1942.

That places Malaysia 86th 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 Malaysia, year by year

Annual values for Key features of democracy in Malaysia, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.046	—
1901	0.046	+0.0%
1902	0.046	+0.0%
1903	0.046	+0.0%
1904	0.046	+0.0%
1905	0.046	+0.0%
1906	0.046	+0.0%
1907	0.046	+0.0%
1908	0.046	+0.0%
1909	0.046	+0.0%
1910	0.046	+0.0%
1911	0.046	+0.0%
1912	0.046	+0.0%
1913	0.046	+0.0%
1914	0.046	+0.0%
1915	0.046	+0.0%
1916	0.046	+0.0%
1917	0.046	+0.0%
1918	0.046	+0.0%
1919	0.046	+0.0%
1920	0.046	+0.0%
1921	0.046	+0.0%
1922	0.046	+0.0%
1923	0.046	+0.0%
1924	0.046	+0.0%
1925	0.046	+0.0%
1926	0.046	+0.0%
1927	0.046	+0.0%
1928	0.046	+0.0%
1929	0.046	+0.0%
1930	0.046	+0.0%
1931	0.046	+0.0%
1932	0.046	+0.0%
1933	0.046	+0.0%
1934	0.046	+0.0%
1935	0.046	+0.0%
1936	0.046	+0.0%
1937	0.046	+0.0%
1938	0.046	+0.0%
1939	0.046	+0.0%
1940	0.044	-4.3%
1941	0.044	+0.0%
1942	0.035	-20.5%
1943	0.035	+0.0%
1944	0.035	+0.0%
1945	0.035	+0.0%
1946	0.067	+91.4%
1947	0.067	+0.0%
1948	0.069	+3.0%
1949	0.069	+0.0%
1950	0.069	+0.0%
1951	0.069	+0.0%
1952	0.069	+0.0%
1953	0.069	+0.0%
1954	0.069	+0.0%
1955	0.21	+204.3%
1956	0.303	+44.3%
1957	0.308	+1.7%
1958	0.315	+2.3%
1959	0.313	-0.6%
1960	0.311	-0.6%
1961	0.311	+0.0%
1962	0.309	-0.6%
1963	0.309	+0.0%
1964	0.303	-1.9%
1965	0.3	-1.0%
1966	0.298	-0.7%
1967	0.3	+0.7%
1968	0.295	-1.7%
1969	0.209	-29.2%
1970	0.146	-30.1%
1971	0.146	+0.0%
1972	0.208	+42.5%
1973	0.208	+0.0%
1974	0.233	+12.0%
1975	0.275	+18.0%
1976	0.275	+0.0%
1977	0.275	+0.0%
1978	0.276	+0.4%
1979	0.276	+0.0%
1980	0.278	+0.7%
1981	0.274	-1.4%
1982	0.273	-0.4%
1983	0.272	-0.4%
1984	0.272	+0.0%
1985	0.272	+0.0%
1986	0.27	-0.7%
1987	0.26	-3.7%
1988	0.257	-1.2%
1989	0.257	+0.0%
1990	0.26	+1.2%
1991	0.259	-0.4%
1992	0.259	+0.0%
1993	0.259	+0.0%
1994	0.259	+0.0%
1995	0.258	-0.4%
1996	0.257	-0.4%
1997	0.257	+0.0%
1998	0.257	+0.0%
1999	0.266	+3.5%
2000	0.277	+4.1%
2001	0.281	+1.4%
2002	0.281	+0.0%
2003	0.286	+1.8%
2004	0.309	+8.0%
2005	0.311	+0.6%
2006	0.312	+0.3%
2007	0.314	+0.6%
2008	0.328	+4.5%
2009	0.331	+0.9%
2010	0.329	-0.6%
2011	0.327	-0.6%
2012	0.327	+0.0%
2013	0.321	-1.8%
2014	0.323	+0.6%
2015	0.325	+0.6%
2016	0.328	+0.9%
2017	0.333	+1.5%
2018	0.444	+33.3%
2019	0.47	+5.9%
2020	0.425	-9.6%
2021	0.432	+1.6%
2022	0.459	+6.3%
2023	0.508	+10.7%
2024	0.513	+1.0%
2025	0.504	-1.8%

Malaysia compared with similar countries

Malaysia's 0.504 is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.491, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Malaysia's 0.504 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.4645, 1.1× the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.046	0.046	0.046	10
1910s	0.046	0.046	0.046	10
1920s	0.046	0.046	0.046	10
1930s	0.046	0.046	0.046	10
1940s	0.05	0.035	0.069	10
1950s	0.1794	0.069	0.315	10
1960s	0.2945	0.209	0.311	10
1970s	0.2318	0.146	0.276	10
1980s	0.2685	0.257	0.278	10
1990s	0.2591	0.257	0.266	10
2000s	0.303	0.277	0.331	10
2010s	0.3527	0.321	0.47	10
2020s	0.4735	0.425	0.513	6

Countries ranked near Malaysia

83 Honduras 0.511 compare
84 Fiji 0.507 compare
85 Nigeria 0.505 compare
87 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.498 compare
88 Zambia 0.497 compare
89 Benin 0.493 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Malaysia

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 150,164 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,477 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2,477 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0042 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Malaysia →

Frequently asked questions

What is key features of democracy in Malaysia?: Key features of democracy in Malaysia was 0.504 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest key features of democracy recorded in Malaysia?: The highest recorded value was 0.513 in 2024.
What is the lowest key features of democracy recorded in Malaysia?: The lowest recorded value was 0.035 in 1942.
How does Malaysia rank for key features of democracy?: Malaysia ranks 86th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is key features of democracy rising or falling in Malaysia?: Over the last ten years it is up 55.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malaysia 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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Key features of democracy in Malaysia. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 24 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/key-features-of-democracy/malaysia/

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About this data

Indicator: Key features of democracy
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,649 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

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.