Key features of democracy in Vietnam
Vietnam: Key features of democracy was 0.146 in 2025. ▬ Flat
Key features of democracy in Vietnam, 1976–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Vietnam recorded 0.146 for key features of democracy in 2025.
The figure is down 8.2% on the previous year and down 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of democracy in Vietnam peaked at 0.212 in 1976 and was at its lowest, 0.144, in 1982.
Vietnam ranks 157th of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
Key features of democracy in Vietnam, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 0.212 | — |
| 1977 | 0.212 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.149 | -29.7% |
| 1979 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.146 | -2.0% |
| 1982 | 0.144 | -1.4% |
| 1983 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.144 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.154 | +6.9% |
| 1987 | 0.163 | +5.8% |
| 1988 | 0.165 | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 0.161 | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 0.154 | -4.3% |
| 1991 | 0.155 | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 0.153 | -1.3% |
| 1993 | 0.15 | -2.0% |
| 1994 | 0.15 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.15 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.153 | +2.0% |
| 1997 | 0.153 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.153 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.153 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.152 | -0.7% |
| 2001 | 0.152 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.148 | -2.6% |
| 2003 | 0.146 | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 0.147 | +0.7% |
| 2005 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.148 | +0.7% |
| 2007 | 0.149 | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.148 | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 0.149 | +0.7% |
| 2011 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.149 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.147 | -1.3% |
| 2014 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.148 | +0.7% |
| 2016 | 0.15 | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 0.15 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 0.161 | +7.3% |
| 2019 | 0.211 | +31.1% |
| 2020 | 0.211 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 0.169 | -19.9% |
| 2022 | 0.152 | -10.1% |
| 2023 | 0.148 | -2.6% |
| 2024 | 0.159 | +7.4% |
| 2025 | 0.146 | -8.2% |
Vietnam compared with similar countries
- Vietnam's 0.146 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.491, 30% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Vietnam's 0.146 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.4645, 31% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Key features of democracy in Vietnam changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | +31.1% | 0.161 | 0.211 |
| 1978 | -29.7% | 0.212 | 0.149 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1805 | 0.149 | 0.212 | 4 |
| 1980s | 0.1514 | 0.144 | 0.165 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1524 | 0.15 | 0.155 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1486 | 0.146 | 0.152 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1561 | 0.147 | 0.211 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1642 | 0.146 | 0.211 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vietnam
More social development data for Vietnam
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20,636 (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 20,636 (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 Vietnam?
- Key features of democracy in Vietnam was 0.146 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of democracy recorded in Vietnam?
- The highest recorded value was 0.212 in 1976.
- What is the lowest key features of democracy recorded in Vietnam?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.144 in 1982.
- How does Vietnam rank for key features of democracy?
- Vietnam ranks 157th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of democracy rising or falling in Vietnam?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this Vietnam 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.