Participatory Democracy Index in Ghana
Ghana: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.361 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.361
Change on year
up 13.5%
World rank
69th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.397
in 2012
All-time low
0.033
in 1915
Years of data
124
1902–2025
Participatory Democracy Index in Ghana, 1902–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for participatory democracy index in Ghana is 0.361, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of up 13.5% on the previous year and down 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Ghana peaked at 0.397 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0.033, in 1915.
Ghana ranks 69th 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 Ghana, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1902 | 0.035 | — |
| 1903 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.033 | -5.7% |
| 1916 | 0.033 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.033 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.033 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.033 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.033 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.033 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.033 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.033 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.033 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.035 | +6.1% |
| 1926 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.035 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.04 | +14.3% |
| 1945 | 0.046 | +15.0% |
| 1946 | 0.047 | +2.2% |
| 1947 | 0.056 | +19.1% |
| 1948 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.056 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.11 | +96.4% |
| 1952 | 0.113 | +2.7% |
| 1953 | 0.113 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.114 | +0.9% |
| 1955 | 0.113 | -0.9% |
| 1956 | 0.113 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.167 | +47.8% |
| 1958 | 0.149 | -10.8% |
| 1959 | 0.147 | -1.3% |
| 1960 | 0.145 | -1.4% |
| 1961 | 0.132 | -9.0% |
| 1962 | 0.127 | -3.8% |
| 1963 | 0.126 | -0.8% |
| 1964 | 0.124 | -1.6% |
| 1965 | 0.112 | -9.7% |
| 1966 | 0.074 | -33.9% |
| 1967 | 0.09 | +21.6% |
| 1968 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.118 | +31.1% |
| 1970 | 0.159 | +34.7% |
| 1971 | 0.174 | +9.4% |
| 1972 | 0.088 | -49.4% |
| 1973 | 0.07 | -20.5% |
| 1974 | 0.069 | -1.4% |
| 1975 | 0.068 | -1.4% |
| 1976 | 0.067 | -1.5% |
| 1977 | 0.066 | -1.5% |
| 1978 | 0.088 | +33.3% |
| 1979 | 0.148 | +68.2% |
| 1980 | 0.246 | +66.2% |
| 1981 | 0.134 | -45.5% |
| 1982 | 0.085 | -36.6% |
| 1983 | 0.08 | -5.9% |
| 1984 | 0.079 | -1.3% |
| 1985 | 0.078 | -1.3% |
| 1986 | 0.077 | -1.3% |
| 1987 | 0.076 | -1.3% |
| 1988 | 0.096 | +26.3% |
| 1989 | 0.091 | -5.2% |
| 1990 | 0.095 | +4.4% |
| 1991 | 0.096 | +1.1% |
| 1992 | 0.124 | +29.2% |
| 1993 | 0.24 | +93.5% |
| 1994 | 0.256 | +6.7% |
| 1995 | 0.262 | +2.3% |
| 1996 | 0.272 | +3.8% |
| 1997 | 0.319 | +17.3% |
| 1998 | 0.317 | -0.6% |
| 1999 | 0.316 | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 0.349 | +10.4% |
| 2001 | 0.382 | +9.5% |
| 2002 | 0.385 | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 0.389 | +1.0% |
| 2004 | 0.388 | -0.3% |
| 2005 | 0.386 | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 0.385 | -0.3% |
| 2007 | 0.385 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.381 | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 0.394 | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 0.395 | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 0.391 | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 0.397 | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 0.376 | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 0.372 | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 0.368 | -1.1% |
| 2016 | 0.363 | -1.4% |
| 2017 | 0.381 | +5.0% |
| 2018 | 0.378 | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 0.352 | -6.9% |
| 2020 | 0.349 | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 0.322 | -7.7% |
| 2022 | 0.32 | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 0.319 | -0.3% |
| 2024 | 0.318 | -0.3% |
| 2025 | 0.361 | +13.5% |
Ghana compared with similar countries
- Ghana's 0.361 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2215, 1.6× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Ghana's 0.361 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2095, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Participatory Democracy Index in Ghana changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1951 | +96.4% | 0.056 | 0.11 |
| 1993 | +93.5% | 0.124 | 0.24 |
| 1979 | +68.2% | 0.088 | 0.148 |
| 1980 | +66.2% | 0.148 | 0.246 |
| 1972 | -49.4% | 0.174 | 0.088 |
| 1957 | +47.8% | 0.113 | 0.167 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.035 | 0.035 | 0.035 | 8 |
| 1910s | 0.034 | 0.033 | 0.035 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.034 | 0.033 | 0.035 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.035 | 0.035 | 0.035 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0441 | 0.035 | 0.056 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.1195 | 0.056 | 0.167 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1138 | 0.074 | 0.145 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0997 | 0.066 | 0.174 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1042 | 0.076 | 0.246 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2297 | 0.095 | 0.319 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3824 | 0.349 | 0.394 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3773 | 0.352 | 0.397 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3315 | 0.318 | 0.361 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Ghana
More social development data for Ghana
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 21,050 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 16,030 (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 0.0005 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 16,030 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0006 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 participatory democracy index in Ghana?
- Participatory democracy index in Ghana was 0.361 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Ghana?
- The highest recorded value was 0.397 in 2012.
- What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Ghana?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.033 in 1915.
- How does Ghana rank for participatory democracy index?
- Ghana ranks 69th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Ghana?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Ghana 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 124 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, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.