Key features of liberal democracy in Vietnam
Vietnam: Key features of liberal democracy was 0.102 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Key features of liberal democracy in Vietnam, 1976–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for key features of liberal democracy in Vietnam is 0.102, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 6.4% on the previous year and down 11.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, key features of liberal democracy in Vietnam peaked at 0.117 in 2016 and was at its lowest, 0.058, in 1978.
Vietnam ranks 139th of 176 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Key features of liberal democracy in Vietnam, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 0.071 | — |
| 1977 | 0.071 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.058 | -18.3% |
| 1979 | 0.06 | +3.4% |
| 1980 | 0.06 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.059 | -1.7% |
| 1982 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.059 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.065 | +10.2% |
| 1987 | 0.069 | +6.2% |
| 1988 | 0.069 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.069 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 0.073 | +5.8% |
| 1991 | 0.075 | +2.7% |
| 1992 | 0.077 | +2.7% |
| 1993 | 0.076 | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 0.08 | +5.3% |
| 1995 | 0.08 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.082 | +2.5% |
| 1997 | 0.082 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.083 | +1.2% |
| 1999 | 0.089 | +7.2% |
| 2000 | 0.092 | +3.4% |
| 2001 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.092 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.091 | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 0.103 | +13.2% |
| 2006 | 0.104 | +1.0% |
| 2007 | 0.105 | +1.0% |
| 2008 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.105 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.104 | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 0.105 | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 0.113 | +7.6% |
| 2014 | 0.115 | +1.8% |
| 2015 | 0.115 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.117 | +1.7% |
| 2017 | 0.115 | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 0.113 | -1.7% |
| 2019 | 0.117 | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 0.106 | -9.4% |
| 2021 | 0.109 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | 0.106 | -2.8% |
| 2023 | 0.111 | +4.7% |
| 2024 | 0.109 | -1.8% |
| 2025 | 0.102 | -6.4% |
Vietnam compared with similar countries
- Vietnam's 0.102 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.347, 29% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Vietnam's 0.102 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.3575, 29% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.065 | 0.058 | 0.071 | 4 |
| 1980s | 0.0627 | 0.059 | 0.069 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0797 | 0.073 | 0.089 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0981 | 0.091 | 0.105 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1119 | 0.104 | 0.117 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1072 | 0.102 | 0.111 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vietnam
- 137 Burkina Faso 0.103 compare
- 137 Iran 0.103 compare
- 139 Central African Republic 0.102 compare
- 141 Ethiopia 0.1 compare
- 142 Palestine 0.099
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 liberal democracy in Vietnam?
- Key features of liberal democracy in Vietnam was 0.102 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Vietnam?
- The highest recorded value was 0.117 in 2016.
- What is the lowest key features of liberal democracy recorded in Vietnam?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.058 in 1978.
- How does Vietnam rank for key features of liberal democracy?
- Vietnam ranks 139th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is key features of liberal democracy rising or falling in Vietnam?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 liberal democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.