Participatory Democracy Index in Tanzania
Tanzania: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.245 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.245
Change on year
down 7.9%
World rank
100th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.314
in 1996
All-time low
0.01
in 1915
Years of data
111
1915–2025
Participatory Democracy Index in Tanzania, 1915–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Tanzania recorded 0.245 for participatory democracy index in 2025.
That represents a change of down 7.9% on the previous year and down 14.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Tanzania peaked at 0.314 in 1996 and was at its lowest, 0.01, in 1915.
Tanzania ranks 100th 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 Tanzania, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1915 | 0.01 | — |
| 1916 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.01 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.011 | +10.0% |
| 1939 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.011 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 0.014 | +27.3% |
| 1954 | 0.018 | +28.6% |
| 1955 | 0.019 | +5.6% |
| 1956 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.019 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.024 | +26.3% |
| 1959 | 0.03 | +25.0% |
| 1960 | 0.039 | +30.0% |
| 1961 | 0.081 | +107.7% |
| 1962 | 0.086 | +6.2% |
| 1963 | 0.107 | +24.4% |
| 1964 | 0.106 | -0.9% |
| 1965 | 0.112 | +5.7% |
| 1966 | 0.109 | -2.7% |
| 1967 | 0.096 | -11.9% |
| 1968 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 0.096 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.097 | +1.0% |
| 1972 | 0.068 | -29.9% |
| 1973 | 0.068 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.068 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 0.068 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.068 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.069 | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 0.069 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.069 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.083 | +20.3% |
| 1981 | 0.083 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.11 | +32.5% |
| 1983 | 0.11 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.11 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.114 | +3.6% |
| 1986 | 0.129 | +13.2% |
| 1987 | 0.13 | +0.8% |
| 1988 | 0.13 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.129 | -0.8% |
| 1990 | 0.134 | +3.9% |
| 1991 | 0.144 | +7.5% |
| 1992 | 0.183 | +27.1% |
| 1993 | 0.187 | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 0.193 | +3.2% |
| 1995 | 0.23 | +19.2% |
| 1996 | 0.314 | +36.5% |
| 1997 | 0.314 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.314 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.314 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.306 | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 0.286 | -6.5% |
| 2002 | 0.286 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 0.286 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.286 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.281 | -1.7% |
| 2006 | 0.301 | +7.1% |
| 2007 | 0.3 | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 0.302 | +0.7% |
| 2009 | 0.301 | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 0.296 | -1.7% |
| 2011 | 0.302 | +2.0% |
| 2012 | 0.304 | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 0.302 | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 0.3 | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 0.288 | -4.0% |
| 2016 | 0.266 | -7.6% |
| 2017 | 0.261 | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 0.259 | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 0.256 | -1.2% |
| 2020 | 0.254 | -0.8% |
| 2021 | 0.253 | -0.4% |
| 2022 | 0.258 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | 0.259 | +0.4% |
| 2024 | 0.266 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | 0.245 | -7.9% |
Tanzania compared with similar countries
- Tanzania's 0.245 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2215, 1.1× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Tanzania's 0.245 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2095, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 5 |
| 1920s | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.0102 | 0.01 | 0.011 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.011 | 0.011 | 0.011 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0176 | 0.011 | 0.03 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.0928 | 0.039 | 0.112 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.074 | 0.068 | 0.097 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1128 | 0.083 | 0.13 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.2327 | 0.134 | 0.314 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2935 | 0.281 | 0.306 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2834 | 0.256 | 0.304 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2558 | 0.245 | 0.266 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Tanzania
More social development data for Tanzania
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 171,142 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,592 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 6 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 6 (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 1,592 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0024 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 Tanzania?
- Participatory democracy index in Tanzania was 0.245 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Tanzania?
- The highest recorded value was 0.314 in 1996.
- What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Tanzania?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.01 in 1915.
- How does Tanzania rank for participatory democracy index?
- Tanzania ranks 100th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Tanzania?
- Over the last ten years it is down 14.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Tanzania 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 — 111 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.