Participatory Democracy Index in Vietnam
Vietnam: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.164 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Participatory Democracy Index in Vietnam, 1976–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, participatory democracy index in Vietnam stood at 0.164.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 10.1% on the previous year and down 1.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Vietnam peaked at 0.187 in 2019 and was at its lowest, 0.147, in 1982.
Vietnam ranks 119th of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Participatory Democracy Index in Vietnam, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 0.166 | — |
| 1977 | 0.167 | +0.6% |
| 1978 | 0.148 | -11.4% |
| 1979 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.148 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.147 | -0.7% |
| 1983 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.147 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.15 | +2.0% |
| 1987 | 0.171 | +14.0% |
| 1988 | 0.171 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.17 | -0.6% |
| 1990 | 0.169 | -0.6% |
| 1991 | 0.168 | -0.6% |
| 1992 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 0.167 | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 0.167 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.167 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.168 | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.171 | +1.8% |
| 2001 | 0.171 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.167 | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 0.167 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 0.167 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.167 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.167 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.166 | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 0.168 | +1.2% |
| 2009 | 0.168 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.171 | +1.8% |
| 2011 | 0.171 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.168 | -1.8% |
| 2013 | 0.166 | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 0.164 | -1.2% |
| 2015 | 0.167 | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 0.167 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 0.166 | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 0.17 | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 0.187 | +10.0% |
| 2020 | 0.181 | -3.2% |
| 2021 | 0.169 | -6.6% |
| 2022 | 0.159 | -5.9% |
| 2023 | 0.164 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 0.149 | -9.1% |
| 2025 | 0.164 | +10.1% |
Vietnam compared with similar countries
- Vietnam's 0.164 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.294, 56% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
- Vietnam's 0.164 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.2725, 60% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.1573 | 0.148 | 0.167 | 4 |
| 1980s | 0.1546 | 0.147 | 0.171 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1678 | 0.167 | 0.169 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.1679 | 0.166 | 0.171 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.1697 | 0.164 | 0.187 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1643 | 0.149 | 0.181 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Vietnam
More social development data for Vietnam
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20,636 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 7 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 7 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 20,636 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is participatory democracy index in Vietnam?
- Participatory democracy index in Vietnam was 0.164 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Vietnam?
- The highest recorded value was 0.187 in 2019.
- What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Vietnam?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.147 in 1982.
- How does Vietnam rank for participatory democracy index?
- Vietnam ranks 119th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Vietnam?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Vietnam 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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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.