Key features of liberal democracy in Latvia
Latvia: Key features of liberal democracy was 0.751 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Key features of liberal democracy in Latvia, 1789–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, key features of liberal democracy in Latvia stood at 0.751.
The figure is down 1.1% on the previous year and down 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of liberal democracy in Latvia peaked at 0.762 in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.014, in 1789.
That places Latvia 20th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Key features of liberal democracy in Latvia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0.014 | — |
| 1790 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1791 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1792 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1793 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1794 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1795 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1796 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1797 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1798 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1799 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1800 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1801 | 0.015 | +7.1% |
| 1802 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1803 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1804 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1805 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1806 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1807 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1808 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1809 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1810 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1811 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1812 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1813 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1814 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1815 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1816 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1817 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1818 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1819 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1820 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1821 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1822 | 0.014 | -6.7% |
| 1823 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1824 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1825 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1826 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1827 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1828 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1829 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1830 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1831 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1832 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1833 | 0.015 | +7.1% |
| 1834 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1835 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1836 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1837 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1838 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1839 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1840 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1841 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1842 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1843 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1844 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 0.016 | +6.7% |
| 1849 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 0.027 | +68.8% |
| 1856 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 0.031 | +14.8% |
| 1862 | 0.031 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 0.032 | +3.2% |
| 1864 | 0.068 | +112.5% |
| 1865 | 0.081 | +19.1% |
| 1866 | 0.091 | +12.3% |
| 1867 | 0.092 | +1.1% |
| 1868 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 0.093 | +1.1% |
| 1871 | 0.093 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 0.093 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 0.093 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 0.096 | +3.2% |
| 1875 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 0.055 | -42.7% |
| 1879 | 0.055 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 0.055 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 0.039 | -29.1% |
| 1882 | 0.039 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 0.039 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 0.039 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 0.04 | +2.6% |
| 1886 | 0.04 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 0.04 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 0.04 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 0.04 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 0.04 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 0.04 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 0.04 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 0.04 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 0.046 | +15.0% |
| 1895 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 0.046 | +0.0% |
| 1897 | 0.045 | -2.2% |
| 1898 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 0.045 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 0.038 | -15.6% |
| 1901 | 0.039 | +2.6% |
| 1902 | 0.039 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.039 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.039 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.038 | -2.6% |
| 1906 | 0.06 | +57.9% |
| 1907 | 0.063 | +5.0% |
| 1908 | 0.071 | +12.7% |
| 1909 | 0.073 | +2.8% |
| 1910 | 0.072 | -1.4% |
| 1911 | 0.074 | +2.8% |
| 1912 | 0.074 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.074 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.072 | -2.7% |
| 1915 | 0.07 | -2.8% |
| 1916 | 0.069 | -1.4% |
| 1917 | 0.063 | -8.7% |
| 1918 | 0.028 | -55.6% |
| 1919 | 0.022 | -21.4% |
| 1920 | 0.253 | +1050.0% |
| 1921 | 0.254 | +0.4% |
| 1922 | 0.305 | +20.1% |
| 1923 | 0.608 | +99.3% |
| 1924 | 0.613 | +0.8% |
| 1925 | 0.612 | -0.2% |
| 1926 | 0.611 | -0.2% |
| 1927 | 0.611 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.61 | -0.2% |
| 1929 | 0.604 | -1.0% |
| 1930 | 0.604 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.604 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.605 | +0.2% |
| 1933 | 0.605 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.247 | -59.2% |
| 1935 | 0.142 | -42.5% |
| 1936 | 0.141 | -0.7% |
| 1937 | 0.141 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.141 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.141 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.014 | -90.1% |
| 1941 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.014 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.015 | +7.1% |
| 1947 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.021 | +40.0% |
| 1955 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.022 | +4.8% |
| 1957 | 0.024 | +9.1% |
| 1958 | 0.024 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.024 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.024 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.024 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 0.023 | -4.2% |
| 1963 | 0.023 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.023 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.023 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 0.023 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 0.023 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 0.023 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.023 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.024 | +4.3% |
| 1971 | 0.025 | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.025 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.024 | -4.0% |
| 1978 | 0.024 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.025 | +4.2% |
| 1980 | 0.028 | +12.0% |
| 1981 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.028 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.027 | -3.6% |
| 1984 | 0.027 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.029 | +7.4% |
| 1986 | 0.037 | +27.6% |
| 1987 | 0.041 | +10.8% |
| 1988 | 0.043 | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 0.064 | +48.8% |
| 1990 | 0.452 | +606.2% |
| 1991 | 0.495 | +9.5% |
| 1992 | 0.561 | +13.3% |
| 1993 | 0.629 | +12.1% |
| 1994 | 0.68 | +8.1% |
| 1995 | 0.67 | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 0.674 | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 0.694 | +3.0% |
| 1998 | 0.696 | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 0.701 | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 0.702 | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 0.702 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.705 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | 0.714 | +1.3% |
| 2004 | 0.715 | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 0.71 | -0.7% |
| 2006 | 0.703 | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 0.685 | -2.6% |
| 2008 | 0.686 | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 0.694 | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 0.704 | +1.4% |
| 2011 | 0.723 | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 0.728 | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 0.743 | +2.1% |
| 2014 | 0.748 | +0.7% |
| 2015 | 0.754 | +0.8% |
| 2016 | 0.748 | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 0.744 | -0.5% |
| 2018 | 0.745 | +0.1% |
| 2019 | 0.741 | -0.5% |
| 2020 | 0.737 | -0.5% |
| 2021 | 0.74 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | 0.74 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.762 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 0.759 | -0.4% |
| 2025 | 0.751 | -1.1% |
Latvia compared with similar countries
- Latvia's 0.751 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.689, 1.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
- Latvia's 0.751 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.591, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0.014 | 0.014 | 0.014 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.014 | 0.014 | 0.014 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0.0149 | 0.014 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0.015 | 0.015 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0.0142 | 0.014 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0.0147 | 0.014 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1840s | 0.0152 | 0.015 | 0.016 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0.0215 | 0.016 | 0.027 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0.0637 | 0.027 | 0.092 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0.0866 | 0.055 | 0.096 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0.0411 | 0.039 | 0.055 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0.0433 | 0.04 | 0.046 | 10 |
| 1900s | 0.0499 | 0.038 | 0.073 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.0618 | 0.022 | 0.074 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.5081 | 0.253 | 0.613 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.3371 | 0.141 | 0.605 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0144 | 0.014 | 0.015 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0196 | 0.015 | 0.024 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.0232 | 0.023 | 0.024 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0247 | 0.024 | 0.025 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0352 | 0.027 | 0.064 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6252 | 0.452 | 0.701 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.7016 | 0.685 | 0.715 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.7378 | 0.704 | 0.754 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.7482 | 0.737 | 0.762 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Latvia
- 17 Luxembourg 0.777 compare
- 18 Netherlands 0.774 compare
- 19 Austria 0.757 compare
- 21 Spain 0.741 compare
- 22 South Korea 0.739 compare
- 23 Canada 0.736 compare
More social development data for Latvia
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 32,454 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 189 (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 0.0001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 189 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0176 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 liberal democracy in Latvia?
- Key features of liberal democracy in Latvia was 0.751 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Latvia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.762 in 2023.
- What is the lowest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Latvia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.014 in 1789.
- How does Latvia rank for key features of liberal democracy?
- Latvia ranks 20th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of liberal democracy rising or falling in Latvia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Latvia data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Key features of liberal democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, individual and minority rights, equality before the law, and executive constraints.