What is participatory democracy index in Zimbabwe?

Participatory democracy index in Zimbabwe was 0.202 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Zimbabwe?

The highest recorded value was 0.248 in 2018.

What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Zimbabwe?

The lowest recorded value was 0.08 in 1978.

How does Zimbabwe rank for participatory democracy index?

Zimbabwe ranks 110th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Zimbabwe?

Over the last ten years it is down 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.

Where does this Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe

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

Zimbabwe: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.202 in 2025. ▲ Rising

Latest (2025)

0.202

Change on year

down 1.0%

World rank

110th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.248

in 2018

All-time low

0.08

in 1978

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Participatory Democracy Index in Zimbabwe, 1900–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, participatory democracy index in Zimbabwe stood at 0.202.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 14.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Zimbabwe peaked at 0.248 in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0.08, in 1978.

That places Zimbabwe 110th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 126 years of available data.

Participatory Democracy Index in Zimbabwe, year by year

Annual values for Participatory Democracy Index in Zimbabwe, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.109	—
1901	0.109	+0.0%
1902	0.109	+0.0%
1903	0.109	+0.0%
1904	0.109	+0.0%
1905	0.109	+0.0%
1906	0.109	+0.0%
1907	0.109	+0.0%
1908	0.11	+0.9%
1909	0.11	+0.0%
1910	0.11	+0.0%
1911	0.109	-0.9%
1912	0.109	+0.0%
1913	0.109	+0.0%
1914	0.109	+0.0%
1915	0.109	+0.0%
1916	0.109	+0.0%
1917	0.109	+0.0%
1918	0.109	+0.0%
1919	0.111	+1.8%
1920	0.112	+0.9%
1921	0.112	+0.0%
1922	0.112	+0.0%
1923	0.122	+8.9%
1924	0.137	+12.3%
1925	0.137	+0.0%
1926	0.137	+0.0%
1927	0.137	+0.0%
1928	0.137	+0.0%
1929	0.136	-0.7%
1930	0.136	+0.0%
1931	0.136	+0.0%
1932	0.136	+0.0%
1933	0.136	+0.0%
1934	0.136	+0.0%
1935	0.136	+0.0%
1936	0.136	+0.0%
1937	0.136	+0.0%
1938	0.136	+0.0%
1939	0.136	+0.0%
1940	0.136	+0.0%
1941	0.136	+0.0%
1942	0.136	+0.0%
1943	0.136	+0.0%
1944	0.136	+0.0%
1945	0.133	-2.2%
1946	0.133	+0.0%
1947	0.133	+0.0%
1948	0.133	+0.0%
1949	0.133	+0.0%
1950	0.133	+0.0%
1951	0.133	+0.0%
1952	0.133	+0.0%
1953	0.132	-0.8%
1954	0.132	+0.0%
1955	0.132	+0.0%
1956	0.132	+0.0%
1957	0.129	-2.3%
1958	0.128	-0.8%
1959	0.125	-2.3%
1960	0.126	+0.8%
1961	0.126	+0.0%
1962	0.126	+0.0%
1963	0.124	-1.6%
1964	0.11	-11.3%
1965	0.111	+0.9%
1966	0.109	-1.8%
1967	0.106	-2.8%
1968	0.106	+0.0%
1969	0.106	+0.0%
1970	0.106	+0.0%
1971	0.105	-0.9%
1972	0.105	+0.0%
1973	0.105	+0.0%
1974	0.105	+0.0%
1975	0.105	+0.0%
1976	0.105	+0.0%
1977	0.105	+0.0%
1978	0.08	-23.8%
1979	0.099	+23.8%
1980	0.186	+87.9%
1981	0.2	+7.5%
1982	0.199	-0.5%
1983	0.199	+0.0%
1984	0.197	-1.0%
1985	0.197	+0.0%
1986	0.196	-0.5%
1987	0.161	-17.9%
1988	0.194	+20.5%
1989	0.195	+0.5%
1990	0.193	-1.0%
1991	0.208	+7.8%
1992	0.208	+0.0%
1993	0.208	+0.0%
1994	0.208	+0.0%
1995	0.211	+1.4%
1996	0.212	+0.5%
1997	0.211	-0.5%
1998	0.207	-1.9%
1999	0.207	+0.0%
2000	0.232	+12.1%
2001	0.225	-3.0%
2002	0.225	+0.0%
2003	0.22	-2.2%
2004	0.216	-1.8%
2005	0.212	-1.9%
2006	0.208	-1.9%
2007	0.206	-1.0%
2008	0.203	-1.5%
2009	0.204	+0.5%
2010	0.208	+2.0%
2011	0.206	-1.0%
2012	0.204	-1.0%
2013	0.233	+14.2%
2014	0.237	+1.7%
2015	0.236	-0.4%
2016	0.233	-1.3%
2017	0.24	+3.0%
2018	0.248	+3.3%
2019	0.239	-3.6%
2020	0.228	-4.6%
2021	0.227	-0.4%
2022	0.221	-2.6%
2023	0.207	-6.3%
2024	0.204	-1.4%
2025	0.202	-1.0%

Zimbabwe compared with similar countries

Zimbabwe's 0.202 is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2215, 91% of the median. (46 countries reporting)
Zimbabwe's 0.202 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2095, 96% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.1092	0.109	0.11	10
1910s	0.1093	0.109	0.111	10
1920s	0.1279	0.112	0.137	10
1930s	0.136	0.136	0.136	10
1940s	0.1345	0.133	0.136	10
1950s	0.1309	0.125	0.133	10
1960s	0.115	0.106	0.126	10
1970s	0.102	0.08	0.106	10
1980s	0.1924	0.161	0.2	10
1990s	0.2073	0.193	0.212	10
2000s	0.2151	0.203	0.232	10
2010s	0.2284	0.204	0.248	10
2020s	0.2148	0.202	0.228	6

Countries ranked near Zimbabwe

107 Mauritania 0.221 compare
108 Madagascar 0.217 compare
108 Serbia 0.217 compare
111 Mozambique 0.201 compare
112 Comoros 0.2 compare
112 Democratic Republic of Congo 0.2 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Zimbabwe

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 8,570 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6,632 (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 0.0004 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 6,632 (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 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)

All data for Zimbabwe →

Frequently asked questions

What is participatory democracy index in Zimbabwe?: Participatory democracy index in Zimbabwe was 0.202 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Zimbabwe?: The highest recorded value was 0.248 in 2018.
What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Zimbabwe?: The lowest recorded value was 0.08 in 1978.
How does Zimbabwe rank for participatory democracy index?: Zimbabwe ranks 110th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Zimbabwe?: Over the last ten years it is down 14.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this Zimbabwe 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 Zimbabwe. 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/zimbabwe/

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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.