What is varieties of democracy in Benin?

Varieties of democracy in Benin was 0.493 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in Benin?

The highest recorded value was 0.713 in 2017.

What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in Benin?

The lowest recorded value was 0.032 in 1900.

How does Benin rank for varieties of democracy?

Benin ranks 89th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in Benin?

Over the last ten years it is down 24.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Benin data come from?

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

Varieties of democracy in Benin

Name: Varieties of democracy in Benin
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Benin: Varieties of democracy was 0.493 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.493

Change on year

up 0.4%

World rank

89th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.713

in 2017

All-time low

0.032

in 1900

Years of data

126

1900–2025

Varieties of democracy in Benin, 1900–2025

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for varieties of democracy in Benin is 0.493, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and down 24.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, varieties of democracy in Benin peaked at 0.713 in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0.032, in 1900.

Benin ranks 89th 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.

Varieties of democracy in Benin, year by year

Annual values for Varieties of democracy in Benin, 1900 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1900	0.032	—
1901	0.032	+0.0%
1902	0.032	+0.0%
1903	0.032	+0.0%
1904	0.032	+0.0%
1905	0.032	+0.0%
1906	0.032	+0.0%
1907	0.032	+0.0%
1908	0.032	+0.0%
1909	0.032	+0.0%
1910	0.032	+0.0%
1911	0.032	+0.0%
1912	0.032	+0.0%
1913	0.032	+0.0%
1914	0.032	+0.0%
1915	0.032	+0.0%
1916	0.032	+0.0%
1917	0.032	+0.0%
1918	0.032	+0.0%
1919	0.032	+0.0%
1920	0.032	+0.0%
1921	0.032	+0.0%
1922	0.032	+0.0%
1923	0.032	+0.0%
1924	0.032	+0.0%
1925	0.033	+3.1%
1926	0.033	+0.0%
1927	0.033	+0.0%
1928	0.033	+0.0%
1929	0.033	+0.0%
1930	0.033	+0.0%
1931	0.033	+0.0%
1932	0.033	+0.0%
1933	0.033	+0.0%
1934	0.033	+0.0%
1935	0.033	+0.0%
1936	0.033	+0.0%
1937	0.033	+0.0%
1938	0.033	+0.0%
1939	0.033	+0.0%
1940	0.033	+0.0%
1941	0.033	+0.0%
1942	0.033	+0.0%
1943	0.033	+0.0%
1944	0.033	+0.0%
1945	0.038	+15.2%
1946	0.049	+28.9%
1947	0.049	+0.0%
1948	0.049	+0.0%
1949	0.049	+0.0%
1950	0.049	+0.0%
1951	0.049	+0.0%
1952	0.077	+57.1%
1953	0.084	+9.1%
1954	0.084	+0.0%
1955	0.084	+0.0%
1956	0.134	+59.5%
1957	0.133	-0.7%
1958	0.135	+1.5%
1959	0.151	+11.9%
1960	0.269	+78.1%
1961	0.331	+23.0%
1962	0.331	+0.0%
1963	0.331	+0.0%
1964	0.314	-5.1%
1965	0.31	-1.3%
1966	0.174	-43.9%
1967	0.174	+0.0%
1968	0.221	+27.0%
1969	0.257	+16.3%
1970	0.176	-31.5%
1971	0.17	-3.4%
1972	0.123	-27.6%
1973	0.093	-24.4%
1974	0.088	-5.4%
1975	0.085	-3.4%
1976	0.085	+0.0%
1977	0.085	+0.0%
1978	0.085	+0.0%
1979	0.087	+2.4%
1980	0.106	+21.8%
1981	0.106	+0.0%
1982	0.106	+0.0%
1983	0.106	+0.0%
1984	0.104	-1.9%
1985	0.101	-2.9%
1986	0.101	+0.0%
1987	0.102	+1.0%
1988	0.102	+0.0%
1989	0.102	+0.0%
1990	0.221	+116.7%
1991	0.462	+109.0%
1992	0.598	+29.4%
1993	0.598	+0.0%
1994	0.598	+0.0%
1995	0.624	+4.3%
1996	0.617	-1.1%
1997	0.618	+0.2%
1998	0.618	+0.0%
1999	0.613	-0.8%
2000	0.611	-0.3%
2001	0.609	-0.3%
2002	0.61	+0.2%
2003	0.603	-1.1%
2004	0.601	-0.3%
2005	0.622	+3.5%
2006	0.659	+5.9%
2007	0.645	-2.1%
2008	0.635	-1.6%
2009	0.633	-0.3%
2010	0.635	+0.3%
2011	0.599	-5.7%
2012	0.596	-0.5%
2013	0.603	+1.2%
2014	0.606	+0.5%
2015	0.652	+7.6%
2016	0.712	+9.2%
2017	0.713	+0.1%
2018	0.606	-15.0%
2019	0.452	-25.4%
2020	0.408	-9.7%
2021	0.39	-4.4%
2022	0.423	+8.5%
2023	0.487	+15.1%
2024	0.491	+0.8%
2025	0.493	+0.4%

Benin compared with similar countries

Benin's 0.493 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.3475, 1.4× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Benin's 0.493 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.317, 1.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1900s	0.032	0.032	0.032	10
1910s	0.032	0.032	0.032	10
1920s	0.0325	0.032	0.033	10
1930s	0.033	0.033	0.033	10
1940s	0.0399	0.033	0.049	10
1950s	0.098	0.049	0.151	10
1960s	0.2712	0.174	0.331	10
1970s	0.1077	0.085	0.176	10
1980s	0.1036	0.101	0.106	10
1990s	0.5567	0.221	0.624	10
2000s	0.6228	0.601	0.659	10
2010s	0.6174	0.452	0.713	10
2020s	0.4487	0.39	0.493	6

Countries ranked near Benin

86 Malaysia 0.504 compare
87 Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.498 compare
88 Zambia 0.497 compare
90 Albania 0.484 compare
91 Sierra Leone 0.471 compare
92 Mexico 0.469 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Benin

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 16,974 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,279 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0001 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 1,279 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0011 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 Benin →

Frequently asked questions

What is varieties of democracy in Benin?: Varieties of democracy in Benin was 0.493 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in Benin?: The highest recorded value was 0.713 in 2017.
What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in Benin?: The lowest recorded value was 0.032 in 1900.
How does Benin rank for varieties of democracy?: Benin ranks 89th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in Benin?: Over the last ten years it is down 24.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Benin data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Varieties of democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Varieties of democracy in Benin. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/varieties-democracy-vdem/benin/

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About this data

Indicator: Varieties of democracy
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,649 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which political leaders are elected under comprehensive suffrage in free and fair elections, and freedoms of association and expression are guaranteed.