What is varieties of democracy in South Sudan?

Varieties of democracy in South Sudan was 0.133 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in South Sudan?

The highest recorded value was 0.371 in 1987.

What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in South Sudan?

The lowest recorded value was 0.031 in 1821.

How does South Sudan rank for varieties of democracy?

South Sudan ranks 162nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in South Sudan?

Over the last ten years it is down 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this South Sudan 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 South Sudan

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

South Sudan: Varieties of democracy was 0.133 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.133

Change on year

down 13.6%

World rank

162nd

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.371

in 1987

All-time low

0.031

in 1821

Years of data

190

1821–2025

Varieties of democracy in South Sudan, 1821–2025

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

Analysis

In 2025, varieties of democracy in South Sudan stood at 0.133.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 13.6% on the previous year and down 19.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, varieties of democracy in South Sudan peaked at 0.371 in 1987 and was at its lowest, 0.031, in 1821.

That places South Sudan 162nd 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.

Varieties of democracy in South Sudan, year by year

Annual values for Varieties of democracy in South Sudan, 1821 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1821	0.031	—
1822	0.031	+0.0%
1823	0.031	+0.0%
1824	0.031	+0.0%
1825	0.031	+0.0%
1826	0.031	+0.0%
1827	0.031	+0.0%
1828	0.031	+0.0%
1829	0.031	+0.0%
1830	0.031	+0.0%
1831	0.031	+0.0%
1832	0.031	+0.0%
1833	0.031	+0.0%
1834	0.031	+0.0%
1835	0.031	+0.0%
1836	0.031	+0.0%
1837	0.031	+0.0%
1838	0.031	+0.0%
1839	0.031	+0.0%
1840	0.031	+0.0%
1841	0.031	+0.0%
1842	0.031	+0.0%
1843	0.031	+0.0%
1844	0.031	+0.0%
1845	0.031	+0.0%
1846	0.031	+0.0%
1847	0.031	+0.0%
1848	0.031	+0.0%
1849	0.031	+0.0%
1850	0.031	+0.0%
1851	0.031	+0.0%
1852	0.031	+0.0%
1853	0.031	+0.0%
1854	0.031	+0.0%
1855	0.031	+0.0%
1856	0.031	+0.0%
1857	0.031	+0.0%
1858	0.031	+0.0%
1859	0.031	+0.0%
1860	0.031	+0.0%
1861	0.031	+0.0%
1862	0.031	+0.0%
1863	0.035	+12.9%
1864	0.035	+0.0%
1865	0.035	+0.0%
1866	0.037	+5.7%
1867	0.037	+0.0%
1868	0.037	+0.0%
1869	0.037	+0.0%
1870	0.037	+0.0%
1871	0.037	+0.0%
1872	0.037	+0.0%
1873	0.037	+0.0%
1874	0.037	+0.0%
1875	0.037	+0.0%
1876	0.037	+0.0%
1877	0.037	+0.0%
1878	0.042	+13.5%
1879	0.067	+59.5%
1880	0.067	+0.0%
1881	0.069	+3.0%
1882	0.069	+0.0%
1883	0.147	+113.0%
1884	0.147	+0.0%
1900	0.054	-63.3%
1901	0.054	+0.0%
1902	0.054	+0.0%
1903	0.054	+0.0%
1904	0.054	+0.0%
1905	0.054	+0.0%
1906	0.054	+0.0%
1907	0.054	+0.0%
1908	0.054	+0.0%
1909	0.054	+0.0%
1910	0.054	+0.0%
1911	0.054	+0.0%
1912	0.054	+0.0%
1913	0.054	+0.0%
1914	0.054	+0.0%
1915	0.054	+0.0%
1916	0.054	+0.0%
1917	0.054	+0.0%
1918	0.054	+0.0%
1919	0.054	+0.0%
1920	0.055	+1.9%
1921	0.056	+1.8%
1922	0.056	+0.0%
1923	0.056	+0.0%
1924	0.056	+0.0%
1925	0.056	+0.0%
1926	0.056	+0.0%
1927	0.056	+0.0%
1928	0.056	+0.0%
1929	0.056	+0.0%
1930	0.057	+1.8%
1931	0.057	+0.0%
1932	0.057	+0.0%
1933	0.057	+0.0%
1934	0.057	+0.0%
1935	0.057	+0.0%
1936	0.057	+0.0%
1937	0.057	+0.0%
1938	0.057	+0.0%
1939	0.057	+0.0%
1940	0.057	+0.0%
1941	0.057	+0.0%
1942	0.057	+0.0%
1943	0.057	+0.0%
1944	0.058	+1.8%
1945	0.059	+1.7%
1946	0.059	+0.0%
1947	0.059	+0.0%
1948	0.061	+3.4%
1949	0.106	+73.8%
1950	0.107	+0.9%
1951	0.107	+0.0%
1952	0.107	+0.0%
1953	0.166	+55.1%
1954	0.228	+37.3%
1955	0.243	+6.6%
1956	0.288	+18.5%
1957	0.286	-0.7%
1958	0.259	-9.4%
1959	0.079	-69.5%
1960	0.072	-8.9%
1961	0.072	+0.0%
1962	0.072	+0.0%
1963	0.071	-1.4%
1964	0.105	+47.9%
1965	0.209	+99.0%
1966	0.206	-1.4%
1967	0.206	+0.0%
1968	0.228	+10.7%
1969	0.099	-56.6%
1970	0.1	+1.0%
1971	0.11	+10.0%
1972	0.145	+31.8%
1973	0.146	+0.7%
1974	0.152	+4.1%
1975	0.161	+5.9%
1976	0.161	+0.0%
1977	0.161	+0.0%
1978	0.177	+9.9%
1979	0.181	+2.3%
1980	0.172	-5.0%
1981	0.184	+7.0%
1982	0.163	-11.4%
1983	0.183	+12.3%
1984	0.197	+7.7%
1985	0.209	+6.1%
1986	0.331	+58.4%
1987	0.371	+12.1%
1988	0.371	+0.0%
1989	0.169	-54.4%
1990	0.086	-49.1%
1991	0.086	+0.0%
1992	0.088	+2.3%
1993	0.088	+0.0%
1994	0.088	+0.0%
1995	0.088	+0.0%
1996	0.136	+54.5%
1997	0.151	+11.0%
1998	0.151	+0.0%
1999	0.149	-1.3%
2000	0.131	-12.1%
2001	0.172	+31.3%
2002	0.173	+0.6%
2003	0.173	+0.0%
2004	0.179	+3.5%
2005	0.198	+10.6%
2006	0.199	+0.5%
2007	0.198	-0.5%
2008	0.201	+1.5%
2009	0.202	+0.5%
2010	0.213	+5.4%
2011	0.194	-8.9%
2012	0.194	+0.0%
2013	0.169	-12.9%
2014	0.164	-3.0%
2015	0.166	+1.2%
2016	0.158	-4.8%
2017	0.157	-0.6%
2018	0.153	-2.5%
2019	0.16	+4.6%
2020	0.169	+5.6%
2021	0.137	-18.9%
2022	0.13	-5.1%
2023	0.167	+28.5%
2024	0.154	-7.8%
2025	0.133	-13.6%

South Sudan compared with similar countries

South Sudan's 0.133 is below the median for low income countries, which is 0.227, 59% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
South Sudan's 0.133 is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.317, 42% of the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1820s	0.031	0.031	0.031	9
1830s	0.031	0.031	0.031	10
1840s	0.031	0.031	0.031	10
1850s	0.031	0.031	0.031	10
1860s	0.0346	0.031	0.037	10
1870s	0.0405	0.037	0.067	10
1880s	0.0998	0.067	0.147	5
1900s	0.054	0.054	0.054	10
1910s	0.054	0.054	0.054	10
1920s	0.0559	0.055	0.056	10
1930s	0.057	0.057	0.057	10
1940s	0.063	0.057	0.106	10
1950s	0.187	0.079	0.288	10
1960s	0.134	0.071	0.228	10
1970s	0.1494	0.1	0.181	10
1980s	0.235	0.163	0.371	10
1990s	0.1111	0.086	0.151	10
2000s	0.1826	0.131	0.202	10
2010s	0.1728	0.153	0.213	10
2020s	0.1483	0.13	0.169	6

Countries ranked near South Sudan

159 Kuwait 0.138 compare
160 Laos 0.135 compare
161 Burkina Faso 0.134 compare
163 Sudan 0.13 compare
164 Eswatini 0.128 compare
164 Syria 0.128 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for South Sudan

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 601,818 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.39 million (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 0.1958 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 2.39 million (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0494 units per person (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2015)

All data for South Sudan →

Frequently asked questions

What is varieties of democracy in South Sudan?: Varieties of democracy in South Sudan was 0.133 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in South Sudan?: The highest recorded value was 0.371 in 1987.
What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in South Sudan?: The lowest recorded value was 0.031 in 1821.
How does South Sudan rank for varieties of democracy?: South Sudan ranks 162nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in South Sudan?: Over the last ten years it is down 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Sudan 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 South Sudan. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 11 October 2026, from https://social-development.statizoid.com/stat/varieties-democracy-vdem/south-sudan/

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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: 09 October 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.