Key features of democracy in Turkmenistan
Turkmenistan: Key features of democracy was 0.148 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Key features of democracy in Turkmenistan, 1896–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for key features of democracy in Turkmenistan is 0.148, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.7% on the previous year and up 3.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of democracy in Turkmenistan peaked at 0.176 in 1989 and was at its lowest, 0.033, in 1898.
Turkmenistan ranks 156th of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 129 years of available data.
Key features of democracy in Turkmenistan, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1896 | 0.037 | — |
| 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% |
| 1991 | 0.174 | -1.1% |
| 1992 | 0.161 | -7.5% |
| 1993 | 0.15 | -6.8% |
| 1994 | 0.149 | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 0.147 | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.143 | -2.7% |
| 1998 | 0.143 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.143 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.07 | -51.0% |
| 2001 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.07 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.069 | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 0.07 | +1.4% |
| 2005 | 0.079 | +12.9% |
| 2006 | 0.078 | -1.3% |
| 2007 | 0.133 | +70.5% |
| 2008 | 0.141 | +6.0% |
| 2009 | 0.143 | +1.4% |
| 2010 | 0.144 | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.145 | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 0.144 | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 0.143 | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 0.143 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.143 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.147 | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 0.149 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 0.15 | +0.7% |
| 2021 | 0.15 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.148 | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 0.149 | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 0.148 | -0.7% |
Turkmenistan compared with similar countries
- Turkmenistan's 0.148 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.491, 30% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Turkmenistan's 0.148 is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.737, 20% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 0.035 | 0.033 | 0.037 | 4 |
| 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 | 0.1508 | 0.143 | 0.174 | 9 |
| 2000s | 0.0923 | 0.069 | 0.143 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1451 | 0.143 | 0.149 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1488 | 0.148 | 0.15 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Turkmenistan
More social development data for Turkmenistan
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 9 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,864 (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 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,864 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is key features of democracy in Turkmenistan?
- Key features of democracy in Turkmenistan was 0.148 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of democracy recorded in Turkmenistan?
- The highest recorded value was 0.176 in 1989.
- What is the lowest key features of democracy recorded in Turkmenistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.033 in 1898.
- How does Turkmenistan rank for key features of democracy?
- Turkmenistan ranks 156th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of democracy rising or falling in Turkmenistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 3.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Turkmenistan 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.