What is liberal democracy index in Estonia?

Liberal democracy index in Estonia was 0.837 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in Estonia?

The highest recorded value was 0.863 in 2018.

What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in Estonia?

The lowest recorded value was 0.014 in 1789.

How does Estonia rank for liberal democracy index?

Estonia ranks 5th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in Estonia?

Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Estonia data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Liberal Democracy Index in Estonia

Name: Liberal Democracy Index in Estonia
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Estonia: Liberal Democracy Index was 0.837 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.837

Change on year

down 1.3%

World rank

5th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.863

in 2018

All-time low

0.014

in 1789

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Liberal Democracy Index in Estonia, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, liberal democracy index in Estonia stood at 0.837.

That represents a change of down 1.3% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, liberal democracy index in Estonia peaked at 0.863 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.014, in 1789.

Estonia ranks 5th of 176 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Liberal Democracy Index in Estonia, year by year

Annual values for Liberal Democracy Index in Estonia, 1789 to 2025.
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	0.203	+222.2%
1919	0.402	+98.0%
1920	0.528	+31.3%
1921	0.592	+12.1%
1922	0.584	-1.4%
1923	0.586	+0.3%
1924	0.574	-2.0%
1925	0.57	-0.7%
1926	0.601	+5.4%
1927	0.609	+1.3%
1928	0.609	+0.0%
1929	0.606	-0.5%
1930	0.601	-0.8%
1931	0.604	+0.5%
1932	0.583	-3.5%
1933	0.519	-11.0%
1934	0.277	-46.6%
1935	0.161	-41.9%
1936	0.161	+0.0%
1937	0.16	-0.6%
1938	0.221	+38.1%
1939	0.241	+9.0%
1940	0.014	-94.2%
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	0.681	+964.1%
1991	0.52	-23.6%
1992	0.384	-26.2%
1993	0.809	+110.7%
1994	0.797	-1.5%
1995	0.802	+0.6%
1996	0.804	+0.2%
1997	0.806	+0.2%
1998	0.805	-0.1%
1999	0.807	+0.2%
2000	0.808	+0.1%
2001	0.808	+0.0%
2002	0.811	+0.4%
2003	0.808	-0.4%
2004	0.811	+0.4%
2005	0.811	+0.0%
2006	0.811	+0.0%
2007	0.811	+0.0%
2008	0.811	+0.0%
2009	0.814	+0.4%
2010	0.829	+1.8%
2011	0.832	+0.4%
2012	0.832	+0.0%
2013	0.834	+0.2%
2014	0.838	+0.5%
2015	0.845	+0.8%
2016	0.859	+1.7%
2017	0.861	+0.2%
2018	0.863	+0.2%
2019	0.848	-1.7%
2020	0.842	-0.7%
2021	0.853	+1.3%
2022	0.853	+0.0%
2023	0.845	-0.9%
2024	0.848	+0.4%
2025	0.837	-1.3%

Estonia compared with similar countries

Estonia's 0.837 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.689, 1.2× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Estonia's 0.837 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.591, 1.4× 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	0.1173	0.063	0.402	10
1920s	0.5859	0.528	0.609	10
1930s	0.3528	0.16	0.604	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	0.7215	0.384	0.809	10
2000s	0.8104	0.808	0.814	10
2010s	0.8441	0.829	0.863	10
2020s	0.8463	0.837	0.853	6

Countries ranked near Estonia

2 Sweden 0.853 compare
3 Norway 0.847 compare
4 Switzerland 0.843 compare
6 Ireland 0.822 compare
7 Costa Rica 0.809 compare
8 Finland 0.808 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Estonia

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 41,299 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 86 (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 86 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0302 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Estonia →

Frequently asked questions

What is liberal democracy index in Estonia?: Liberal democracy index in Estonia was 0.837 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in Estonia?: The highest recorded value was 0.863 in 2018.
What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in Estonia?: The lowest recorded value was 0.014 in 1789.
How does Estonia rank for liberal democracy index?: Estonia ranks 5th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in Estonia?: Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Estonia data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Liberal Democracy Index in Estonia. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/liberal-democracy-index/estonia/

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About this data

Indicator: Liberal Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 28,671 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

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.