Varieties of democracy in Eswatini

Eswatini: Varieties of democracy was 0.128 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
0.128
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
164th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.209
in 1970
All-time low
0.047
in 1909
Years of data
126
1900–2025

Varieties of democracy in Eswatini, 1900–2025

0.050.10.150.2190019622025

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

Analysis

In 2025, varieties of democracy in Eswatini stood at 0.128.

That represents a change of down 0.8% on the previous year and down 2.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, varieties of democracy in Eswatini peaked at 0.209 in 1970 and was at its lowest, 0.047, in 1909.

That places Eswatini 164th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1900s 0.0511 0.047 0.052 10
1910s 0.047 0.047 0.047 10
1920s 0.0488 0.047 0.049 10
1930s 0.049 0.049 0.049 10
1940s 0.049 0.049 0.049 10
1950s 0.049 0.049 0.049 10
1960s 0.1311 0.049 0.208 10
1970s 0.1335 0.09 0.209 10
1980s 0.1272 0.122 0.131 10
1990s 0.1198 0.115 0.124 10
2000s 0.1259 0.123 0.129 10
2010s 0.1295 0.125 0.133 10
2020s 0.1245 0.117 0.132 6

Countries ranked near Eswatini

  1. 161 Burkina Faso 0.134 compare
  2. 162 South Sudan 0.133 compare
  3. 163 Sudan 0.13 compare
  4. 164 Syria 0.128 compare
  5. 166 Yemen 0.127 compare
  6. 167 United Arab Emirates 0.104 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Eswatini

All data for Eswatini →

Frequently asked questions

What is varieties of democracy in Eswatini?
Varieties of democracy in Eswatini was 0.128 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in Eswatini?
The highest recorded value was 0.209 in 1970.
What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in Eswatini?
The lowest recorded value was 0.047 in 1909.
How does Eswatini rank for varieties of democracy?
Eswatini ranks 164th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in Eswatini?
Over the last ten years it is down 2.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Eswatini 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.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

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

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.