Key features of democracy in Myanmar
Myanmar: Key features of democracy was 0.08 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key features of democracy in Myanmar, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Myanmar recorded 0.08 for key features of democracy in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 78.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of democracy in Myanmar peaked at 0.426 in 1953 and was at its lowest, 0.02, in 1790.
Myanmar ranks 169th 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 Myanmar, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.021 | — |
| 1790 | 0.02 | -4.8% |
| 1791 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1793 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1802 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1823 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1834 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.031 | +55.0% |
| 1838 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 0.035 | +12.9% |
| 1863 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 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 | 0.057 | +62.9% |
| 1874 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.057 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 0.09 | +57.9% |
| 1887 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.089 | -1.1% |
| 1901 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.089 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.09 | +1.1% |
| 1921 | 0.095 | +5.6% |
| 1922 | 0.137 | +44.2% |
| 1923 | 0.197 | +43.8% |
| 1924 | 0.197 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.197 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.197 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.197 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.197 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.196 | -0.5% |
| 1930 | 0.196 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.196 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.196 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.199 | +1.5% |
| 1934 | 0.199 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.204 | +2.5% |
| 1936 | 0.208 | +2.0% |
| 1937 | 0.223 | +7.2% |
| 1938 | 0.223 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.223 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.223 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.215 | -3.6% |
| 1942 | 0.114 | -47.0% |
| 1943 | 0.092 | -19.3% |
| 1944 | 0.095 | +3.3% |
| 1945 | 0.13 | +36.8% |
| 1946 | 0.166 | +27.7% |
| 1947 | 0.194 | +16.9% |
| 1948 | 0.221 | +13.9% |
| 1949 | 0.225 | +1.8% |
| 1950 | 0.223 | -0.9% |
| 1951 | 0.255 | +14.3% |
| 1952 | 0.39 | +52.9% |
| 1953 | 0.426 | +9.2% |
| 1954 | 0.426 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.426 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.425 | -0.2% |
| 1957 | 0.424 | -0.2% |
| 1958 | 0.407 | -4.0% |
| 1959 | 0.407 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.419 | +2.9% |
| 1961 | 0.426 | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 0.131 | -69.2% |
| 1963 | 0.077 | -41.2% |
| 1964 | 0.07 | -9.1% |
| 1965 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.073 | +4.3% |
| 1975 | 0.074 | +1.4% |
| 1976 | 0.136 | +83.8% |
| 1977 | 0.136 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.136 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.136 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.137 | +0.7% |
| 1981 | 0.137 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.138 | +0.7% |
| 1983 | 0.138 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.138 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.138 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.138 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.138 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.126 | -8.7% |
| 1989 | 0.09 | -28.6% |
| 1990 | 0.115 | +27.8% |
| 1991 | 0.096 | -16.5% |
| 1992 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.097 | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 0.119 | +22.7% |
| 2011 | 0.223 | +87.4% |
| 2012 | 0.306 | +37.2% |
| 2013 | 0.355 | +16.0% |
| 2014 | 0.357 | +0.6% |
| 2015 | 0.37 | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 0.402 | +8.6% |
| 2017 | 0.402 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.397 | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 0.421 | +6.0% |
| 2020 | 0.426 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 0.102 | -76.1% |
| 2022 | 0.087 | -14.7% |
| 2023 | 0.077 | -11.5% |
| 2024 | 0.08 | +3.9% |
| 2025 | 0.08 | +0.0% |
Myanmar compared with similar countries
- Myanmar's 0.08 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.3475, 23% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Myanmar's 0.08 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.4645, 17% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.021 | 0.021 | 0.021 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.0233 | 0.02 | 0.031 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.031 | 0.031 | 0.031 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.031 | 0.031 | 0.031 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.0342 | 0.031 | 0.035 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.0504 | 0.035 | 0.057 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.0702 | 0.057 | 0.09 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.09 | 0.09 | 0.09 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.089 | 0.089 | 0.089 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.089 | 0.089 | 0.089 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.17 | 0.09 | 0.197 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.2067 | 0.196 | 0.223 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.1675 | 0.092 | 0.225 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.3809 | 0.223 | 0.426 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1473 | 0.07 | 0.426 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0971 | 0.07 | 0.136 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1318 | 0.09 | 0.138 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0979 | 0.096 | 0.115 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0961 | 0.096 | 0.097 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3352 | 0.119 | 0.421 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.142 | 0.077 | 0.426 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Myanmar
- 166 Yemen 0.127 compare
- 167 United Arab Emirates 0.104 compare
- 168 North Korea 0.083 compare
- 169 Palestine 0.08 compare
- 171 China 0.072 compare
- 172 Afghanistan 0.069 compare
- 172 Eritrea 0.069 compare
More social development data for Myanmar
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.52 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 0.0278 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1.52 million (2025)
- Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 15.27 % change on previous year (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 Myanmar?
- Key features of democracy in Myanmar was 0.08 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of democracy recorded in Myanmar?
- The highest recorded value was 0.426 in 1953.
- What is the lowest key features of democracy recorded in Myanmar?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.02 in 1790.
- How does Myanmar rank for key features of democracy?
- Myanmar ranks 169th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of democracy rising or falling in Myanmar?
- Over the last ten years it is down 78.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Myanmar 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.