What is liberal democracy index in Malawi?

Liberal democracy index in Malawi was 0.462 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in Malawi?

The highest recorded value was 0.522 in 2021.

What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in Malawi?

The lowest recorded value was 0.029 in 1900.

How does Malawi rank for liberal democracy index?

Malawi ranks 70th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in Malawi?

Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Malawi 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 Malawi

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

Malawi: Liberal Democracy Index was 0.462 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.462

Change on year

down 2.1%

World rank

70th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.522

in 2021

All-time low

0.029

in 1900

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Liberal Democracy Index in Malawi, 1900–2025

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

Analysis

Malawi recorded 0.462 for liberal democracy index in 2025.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.1% on the previous year and up 4.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, liberal democracy index in Malawi peaked at 0.522 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 0.029, in 1900.

That places Malawi 70th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

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

Liberal Democracy Index in Malawi, year by year

Annual values for Liberal Democracy Index in Malawi, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.029	—
1901	0.029	+0.0%
1902	0.029	+0.0%
1903	0.029	+0.0%
1904	0.029	+0.0%
1905	0.029	+0.0%
1906	0.029	+0.0%
1907	0.039	+34.5%
1908	0.039	+0.0%
1909	0.039	+0.0%
1910	0.039	+0.0%
1911	0.039	+0.0%
1912	0.04	+2.6%
1913	0.04	+0.0%
1914	0.04	+0.0%
1915	0.04	+0.0%
1916	0.04	+0.0%
1917	0.04	+0.0%
1918	0.04	+0.0%
1919	0.04	+0.0%
1920	0.04	+0.0%
1921	0.04	+0.0%
1922	0.04	+0.0%
1923	0.04	+0.0%
1924	0.04	+0.0%
1925	0.04	+0.0%
1926	0.04	+0.0%
1927	0.04	+0.0%
1928	0.04	+0.0%
1929	0.04	+0.0%
1930	0.04	+0.0%
1931	0.04	+0.0%
1932	0.04	+0.0%
1933	0.04	+0.0%
1934	0.04	+0.0%
1935	0.04	+0.0%
1936	0.04	+0.0%
1937	0.04	+0.0%
1938	0.04	+0.0%
1939	0.04	+0.0%
1940	0.04	+0.0%
1941	0.04	+0.0%
1942	0.04	+0.0%
1943	0.04	+0.0%
1944	0.04	+0.0%
1945	0.04	+0.0%
1946	0.04	+0.0%
1947	0.04	+0.0%
1948	0.04	+0.0%
1949	0.04	+0.0%
1950	0.041	+2.5%
1951	0.041	+0.0%
1952	0.041	+0.0%
1953	0.041	+0.0%
1954	0.041	+0.0%
1955	0.041	+0.0%
1956	0.041	+0.0%
1957	0.041	+0.0%
1958	0.041	+0.0%
1959	0.041	+0.0%
1960	0.042	+2.4%
1961	0.06	+42.9%
1962	0.091	+51.7%
1963	0.11	+20.9%
1964	0.133	+20.9%
1965	0.098	-26.3%
1966	0.086	-12.2%
1967	0.086	+0.0%
1968	0.086	+0.0%
1969	0.088	+2.3%
1970	0.088	+0.0%
1971	0.086	-2.3%
1972	0.086	+0.0%
1973	0.086	+0.0%
1974	0.086	+0.0%
1975	0.086	+0.0%
1976	0.08	-7.0%
1977	0.076	-5.0%
1978	0.077	+1.3%
1979	0.077	+0.0%
1980	0.077	+0.0%
1981	0.077	+0.0%
1982	0.077	+0.0%
1983	0.077	+0.0%
1984	0.077	+0.0%
1985	0.077	+0.0%
1986	0.077	+0.0%
1987	0.077	+0.0%
1988	0.077	+0.0%
1989	0.077	+0.0%
1990	0.077	+0.0%
1991	0.078	+1.3%
1992	0.084	+7.7%
1993	0.11	+31.0%
1994	0.299	+171.8%
1995	0.432	+44.5%
1996	0.439	+1.6%
1997	0.439	+0.0%
1998	0.439	+0.0%
1999	0.401	-8.7%
2000	0.379	-5.5%
2001	0.386	+1.8%
2002	0.387	+0.3%
2003	0.387	+0.0%
2004	0.377	-2.6%
2005	0.367	-2.7%
2006	0.364	-0.8%
2007	0.365	+0.3%
2008	0.367	+0.5%
2009	0.4	+9.0%
2010	0.406	+1.5%
2011	0.41	+1.0%
2012	0.424	+3.4%
2013	0.439	+3.5%
2014	0.437	-0.5%
2015	0.444	+1.6%
2016	0.442	-0.5%
2017	0.457	+3.4%
2018	0.442	-3.3%
2019	0.413	-6.6%
2020	0.462	+11.9%
2021	0.522	+13.0%
2022	0.512	-1.9%
2023	0.479	-6.4%
2024	0.472	-1.5%
2025	0.462	-2.1%

Malawi compared with similar countries

Malawi's 0.462 is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.102, 4.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
Malawi's 0.462 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.17, 2.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.032	0.029	0.039	10
1910s	0.0398	0.039	0.04	10
1920s	0.04	0.04	0.04	10
1930s	0.04	0.04	0.04	10
1940s	0.04	0.04	0.04	10
1950s	0.041	0.041	0.041	10
1960s	0.088	0.042	0.133	10
1970s	0.0828	0.076	0.088	10
1980s	0.077	0.077	0.077	10
1990s	0.2798	0.077	0.439	10
2000s	0.3779	0.364	0.4	10
2010s	0.4314	0.406	0.457	10
2020s	0.4848	0.462	0.522	6

Countries ranked near Malawi

67 Bulgaria 0.499 compare
68 Senegal 0.484 compare
69 Romania 0.464 compare
71 Bhutan 0.457 compare
72 Moldova 0.449 compare
73 Kenya 0.446 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Malawi

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 35,241 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 551 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate -33.33 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (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 551 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0016 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 Malawi →

Frequently asked questions

What is liberal democracy index in Malawi?: Liberal democracy index in Malawi was 0.462 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in Malawi?: The highest recorded value was 0.522 in 2021.
What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in Malawi?: The lowest recorded value was 0.029 in 1900.
How does Malawi rank for liberal democracy index?: Malawi ranks 70th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in Malawi?: Over the last ten years it is up 4.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Malawi 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 Malawi. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/liberal-democracy-index/malawi/

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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.