What is participatory democracy index in Bhutan?

Participatory democracy index in Bhutan was 0.349 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Bhutan?

The highest recorded value was 0.378 in 2020.

What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Bhutan?

The lowest recorded value was 0.017 in 1907.

How does Bhutan rank for participatory democracy index?

Bhutan ranks 71st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Bhutan?

Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Bhutan data come from?

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

Participatory Democracy Index in Bhutan

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

Bhutan: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.349 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.349

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

71st

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.378

in 2020

All-time low

0.017

in 1907

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Participatory Democracy Index in Bhutan, 1900–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, participatory democracy index in Bhutan stood at 0.349.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Bhutan peaked at 0.378 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.017, in 1907.

Bhutan ranks 71st of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Participatory Democracy Index in Bhutan, year by year

Annual values for Participatory Democracy Index in Bhutan, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.018	—
1901	0.018	+0.0%
1902	0.018	+0.0%
1903	0.018	+0.0%
1904	0.018	+0.0%
1905	0.018	+0.0%
1906	0.018	+0.0%
1907	0.017	-5.6%
1908	0.017	+0.0%
1909	0.017	+0.0%
1910	0.017	+0.0%
1911	0.017	+0.0%
1912	0.017	+0.0%
1913	0.017	+0.0%
1914	0.017	+0.0%
1915	0.017	+0.0%
1916	0.017	+0.0%
1917	0.017	+0.0%
1918	0.017	+0.0%
1919	0.017	+0.0%
1920	0.017	+0.0%
1921	0.017	+0.0%
1922	0.017	+0.0%
1923	0.017	+0.0%
1924	0.017	+0.0%
1925	0.017	+0.0%
1926	0.017	+0.0%
1927	0.017	+0.0%
1928	0.017	+0.0%
1929	0.017	+0.0%
1930	0.017	+0.0%
1931	0.017	+0.0%
1932	0.017	+0.0%
1933	0.017	+0.0%
1934	0.017	+0.0%
1935	0.017	+0.0%
1936	0.017	+0.0%
1937	0.017	+0.0%
1938	0.017	+0.0%
1939	0.017	+0.0%
1940	0.017	+0.0%
1941	0.017	+0.0%
1942	0.017	+0.0%
1943	0.018	+5.9%
1944	0.018	+0.0%
1945	0.018	+0.0%
1946	0.018	+0.0%
1947	0.018	+0.0%
1948	0.018	+0.0%
1949	0.018	+0.0%
1950	0.019	+5.6%
1951	0.019	+0.0%
1952	0.02	+5.3%
1953	0.019	-5.0%
1954	0.019	+0.0%
1955	0.02	+5.3%
1956	0.02	+0.0%
1957	0.02	+0.0%
1958	0.02	+0.0%
1959	0.02	+0.0%
1960	0.02	+0.0%
1961	0.02	+0.0%
1962	0.02	+0.0%
1963	0.02	+0.0%
1964	0.02	+0.0%
1965	0.02	+0.0%
1966	0.019	-5.0%
1967	0.023	+21.1%
1968	0.023	+0.0%
1969	0.022	-4.3%
1970	0.022	+0.0%
1971	0.022	+0.0%
1972	0.022	+0.0%
1973	0.022	+0.0%
1974	0.022	+0.0%
1975	0.022	+0.0%
1976	0.022	+0.0%
1977	0.022	+0.0%
1978	0.022	+0.0%
1979	0.022	+0.0%
1980	0.026	+18.2%
1981	0.052	+100.0%
1982	0.052	+0.0%
1983	0.052	+0.0%
1984	0.052	+0.0%
1985	0.053	+1.9%
1986	0.053	+0.0%
1987	0.053	+0.0%
1988	0.05	-5.7%
1989	0.05	+0.0%
1990	0.054	+8.0%
1991	0.104	+92.6%
1992	0.105	+1.0%
1993	0.105	+0.0%
1994	0.105	+0.0%
1995	0.105	+0.0%
1996	0.105	+0.0%
1997	0.105	+0.0%
1998	0.104	-1.0%
1999	0.11	+5.8%
2000	0.124	+12.7%
2001	0.125	+0.8%
2002	0.125	+0.0%
2003	0.132	+5.6%
2004	0.133	+0.8%
2005	0.133	+0.0%
2006	0.134	+0.8%
2007	0.143	+6.7%
2008	0.308	+115.4%
2009	0.355	+15.3%
2010	0.364	+2.5%
2011	0.371	+1.9%
2012	0.368	-0.8%
2013	0.356	-3.3%
2014	0.352	-1.1%
2015	0.354	+0.6%
2016	0.353	-0.3%
2017	0.361	+2.3%
2018	0.365	+1.1%
2019	0.377	+3.3%
2020	0.378	+0.3%
2021	0.367	-2.9%
2022	0.352	-4.1%
2023	0.338	-4.0%
2024	0.349	+3.3%
2025	0.349	+0.0%

Bhutan compared with similar countries

Bhutan's 0.349 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2215, 1.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Bhutan's 0.349 is above the median for South Asia, which is 0.3325, 1.0× the median. (6 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.0177	0.017	0.018	10
1910s	0.017	0.017	0.017	10
1920s	0.017	0.017	0.017	10
1930s	0.017	0.017	0.017	10
1940s	0.0177	0.017	0.018	10
1950s	0.0196	0.019	0.02	10
1960s	0.0207	0.019	0.023	10
1970s	0.022	0.022	0.022	10
1980s	0.0493	0.026	0.053	10
1990s	0.1002	0.054	0.11	10
2000s	0.1712	0.124	0.355	10
2010s	0.3621	0.352	0.377	10
2020s	0.3555	0.338	0.378	6

Countries ranked near Bhutan

68 Malawi 0.366 compare
69 Ghana 0.361 compare
70 North Macedonia 0.354 compare
71 Namibia 0.349 compare
73 Zambia 0.348 compare
74 Barbados 0.347 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Bhutan

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 7,257 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % 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 0.0091 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 7,257 (2025)
Sovereign state gleditsch ward, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of -2.37 % change on previous year (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Bhutan →

Frequently asked questions

What is participatory democracy index in Bhutan?: Participatory democracy index in Bhutan was 0.349 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Bhutan?: The highest recorded value was 0.378 in 2020.
What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Bhutan?: The lowest recorded value was 0.017 in 1907.
How does Bhutan rank for participatory democracy index?: Bhutan ranks 71st out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Bhutan?: Over the last ten years it is down 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Bhutan data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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

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About this data

Indicator: Participatory Democracy Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,363 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, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.