What is varieties of democracy in Sweden?

Varieties of democracy in Sweden was 0.889 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in Sweden?

The highest recorded value was 0.917 in 2012.

What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in Sweden?

The lowest recorded value was 0.187 in 1789.

How does Sweden rank for varieties of democracy?

Sweden ranks 3rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in Sweden?

Over the last ten years it is down 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Sweden 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 Sweden

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

Sweden: Varieties of democracy was 0.889 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.889

Change on year

up 0.9%

World rank

3rd

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.917

in 2012

All-time low

0.187

in 1789

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Varieties of democracy in Sweden, 1789–2025

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

Analysis

The most recent figure for varieties of democracy in Sweden is 0.889, measured in 2025.

The figure is up 0.9% on the previous year and down 2.8% over ten years.

Over the whole period, varieties of democracy in Sweden peaked at 0.917 in 2012 and was at its lowest, 0.187, in 1789.

Sweden ranks 3rd of 176 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

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

Varieties of democracy in Sweden, year by year

Annual values for Varieties of democracy in Sweden, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.187	—
1790	0.187	+0.0%
1791	0.187	+0.0%
1792	0.208	+11.2%
1793	0.188	-9.6%
1794	0.188	+0.0%
1795	0.188	+0.0%
1796	0.188	+0.0%
1797	0.188	+0.0%
1798	0.188	+0.0%
1799	0.188	+0.0%
1800	0.188	+0.0%
1801	0.188	+0.0%
1802	0.188	+0.0%
1803	0.188	+0.0%
1804	0.188	+0.0%
1805	0.188	+0.0%
1806	0.188	+0.0%
1807	0.188	+0.0%
1808	0.188	+0.0%
1809	0.26	+38.3%
1810	0.269	+3.5%
1811	0.269	+0.0%
1812	0.267	-0.7%
1813	0.256	-4.1%
1814	0.256	+0.0%
1815	0.258	+0.8%
1816	0.258	+0.0%
1817	0.259	+0.4%
1818	0.259	+0.0%
1819	0.259	+0.0%
1820	0.272	+5.0%
1821	0.272	+0.0%
1822	0.272	+0.0%
1823	0.27	-0.7%
1824	0.27	+0.0%
1825	0.27	+0.0%
1826	0.27	+0.0%
1827	0.27	+0.0%
1828	0.271	+0.4%
1829	0.271	+0.0%
1830	0.276	+1.8%
1831	0.276	+0.0%
1832	0.276	+0.0%
1833	0.276	+0.0%
1834	0.274	-0.7%
1835	0.274	+0.0%
1836	0.274	+0.0%
1837	0.274	+0.0%
1838	0.274	+0.0%
1839	0.274	+0.0%
1840	0.305	+11.3%
1841	0.305	+0.0%
1842	0.305	+0.0%
1843	0.305	+0.0%
1844	0.305	+0.0%
1845	0.308	+1.0%
1846	0.308	+0.0%
1847	0.308	+0.0%
1848	0.308	+0.0%
1849	0.308	+0.0%
1850	0.308	+0.0%
1851	0.308	+0.0%
1852	0.308	+0.0%
1853	0.308	+0.0%
1854	0.308	+0.0%
1855	0.308	+0.0%
1856	0.307	-0.3%
1857	0.307	+0.0%
1858	0.307	+0.0%
1859	0.309	+0.7%
1860	0.309	+0.0%
1861	0.309	+0.0%
1862	0.308	-0.3%
1863	0.308	+0.0%
1864	0.308	+0.0%
1865	0.307	-0.3%
1866	0.311	+1.3%
1867	0.311	+0.0%
1868	0.311	+0.0%
1869	0.313	+0.6%
1870	0.313	+0.0%
1871	0.313	+0.0%
1872	0.314	+0.3%
1873	0.314	+0.0%
1874	0.314	+0.0%
1875	0.313	-0.3%
1876	0.313	+0.0%
1877	0.313	+0.0%
1878	0.313	+0.0%
1879	0.313	+0.0%
1880	0.313	+0.0%
1881	0.314	+0.3%
1882	0.314	+0.0%
1883	0.314	+0.0%
1884	0.313	-0.3%
1885	0.313	+0.0%
1886	0.313	+0.0%
1887	0.313	+0.0%
1888	0.314	+0.3%
1889	0.314	+0.0%
1890	0.314	+0.0%
1891	0.314	+0.0%
1892	0.314	+0.0%
1893	0.315	+0.3%
1894	0.315	+0.0%
1895	0.315	+0.0%
1896	0.315	+0.0%
1897	0.315	+0.0%
1898	0.315	+0.0%
1899	0.315	+0.0%
1900	0.316	+0.3%
1901	0.316	+0.0%
1902	0.314	-0.6%
1903	0.31	-1.3%
1904	0.31	+0.0%
1905	0.31	+0.0%
1906	0.31	+0.0%
1907	0.311	+0.3%
1908	0.31	-0.3%
1909	0.322	+3.9%
1910	0.324	+0.6%
1911	0.327	+0.9%
1912	0.332	+1.5%
1913	0.331	-0.3%
1914	0.326	-1.5%
1915	0.325	-0.3%
1916	0.325	+0.0%
1917	0.428	+31.7%
1918	0.48	+12.1%
1919	0.484	+0.8%
1920	0.487	+0.6%
1921	0.499	+2.5%
1922	0.701	+40.5%
1923	0.701	+0.0%
1924	0.704	+0.4%
1925	0.704	+0.0%
1926	0.704	+0.0%
1927	0.704	+0.0%
1928	0.704	+0.0%
1929	0.702	-0.3%
1930	0.702	+0.0%
1931	0.7	-0.3%
1932	0.704	+0.6%
1933	0.711	+1.0%
1934	0.711	+0.0%
1935	0.711	+0.0%
1936	0.694	-2.4%
1937	0.692	-0.3%
1938	0.69	-0.3%
1939	0.685	-0.7%
1940	0.673	-1.8%
1941	0.675	+0.3%
1942	0.675	+0.0%
1943	0.675	+0.0%
1944	0.675	+0.0%
1945	0.691	+2.4%
1946	0.759	+9.8%
1947	0.759	+0.0%
1948	0.759	+0.0%
1949	0.766	+0.9%
1950	0.77	+0.5%
1951	0.77	+0.0%
1952	0.771	+0.1%
1953	0.773	+0.3%
1954	0.773	+0.0%
1955	0.773	+0.0%
1956	0.773	+0.0%
1957	0.772	-0.1%
1958	0.772	+0.0%
1959	0.772	+0.0%
1960	0.776	+0.5%
1961	0.776	+0.0%
1962	0.776	+0.0%
1963	0.776	+0.0%
1964	0.776	+0.0%
1965	0.776	+0.0%
1966	0.775	-0.1%
1967	0.775	+0.0%
1968	0.775	+0.0%
1969	0.775	+0.0%
1970	0.775	+0.0%
1971	0.895	+15.5%
1972	0.895	+0.0%
1973	0.895	+0.0%
1974	0.899	+0.4%
1975	0.905	+0.7%
1976	0.906	+0.1%
1977	0.907	+0.1%
1978	0.907	+0.0%
1979	0.907	+0.0%
1980	0.907	+0.0%
1981	0.907	+0.0%
1982	0.907	+0.0%
1983	0.907	+0.0%
1984	0.907	+0.0%
1985	0.908	+0.1%
1986	0.907	-0.1%
1987	0.907	+0.0%
1988	0.908	+0.1%
1989	0.909	+0.1%
1990	0.913	+0.4%
1991	0.912	-0.1%
1992	0.911	-0.1%
1993	0.911	+0.0%
1994	0.911	+0.0%
1995	0.912	+0.1%
1996	0.912	+0.0%
1997	0.912	+0.0%
1998	0.912	+0.0%
1999	0.909	-0.3%
2000	0.909	+0.0%
2001	0.909	+0.0%
2002	0.91	+0.1%
2003	0.911	+0.1%
2004	0.911	+0.0%
2005	0.911	+0.0%
2006	0.912	+0.1%
2007	0.914	+0.2%
2008	0.914	+0.0%
2009	0.914	+0.0%
2010	0.914	+0.0%
2011	0.914	+0.0%
2012	0.917	+0.3%
2013	0.916	-0.1%
2014	0.915	-0.1%
2015	0.915	+0.0%
2016	0.914	-0.1%
2017	0.914	+0.0%
2018	0.908	-0.7%
2019	0.899	-1.0%
2020	0.901	+0.2%
2021	0.9	-0.1%
2022	0.892	-0.9%
2023	0.883	-1.0%
2024	0.881	-0.2%
2025	0.889	+0.9%

Sweden compared with similar countries

Sweden's 0.889 is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.786, 1.1× the median. (55 countries reporting)
Sweden's 0.889 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 0.737, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.187	0.187	0.187	1
1790s	0.1898	0.187	0.208	10
1800s	0.1952	0.188	0.26	10
1810s	0.261	0.256	0.269	10
1820s	0.2708	0.27	0.272	10
1830s	0.2748	0.274	0.276	10
1840s	0.3065	0.305	0.308	10
1850s	0.3078	0.307	0.309	10
1860s	0.3095	0.307	0.313	10
1870s	0.3133	0.313	0.314	10
1880s	0.3135	0.313	0.314	10
1890s	0.3147	0.314	0.315	10
1900s	0.3129	0.31	0.322	10
1910s	0.3682	0.324	0.484	10
1920s	0.661	0.487	0.704	10
1930s	0.7	0.685	0.711	10
1940s	0.7107	0.673	0.766	10
1950s	0.7719	0.77	0.773	10
1960s	0.7756	0.775	0.776	10
1970s	0.8891	0.775	0.907	10
1980s	0.9074	0.907	0.909	10
1990s	0.9115	0.909	0.913	10
2000s	0.9115	0.909	0.914	10
2010s	0.9126	0.899	0.917	10
2020s	0.891	0.881	0.901	6

Countries ranked near Sweden

1 Denmark 0.913 compare
2 Norway 0.89 compare
3 Belgium 0.889 compare
5 Estonia 0.887 compare
5 Ireland 0.887 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More social development data for Sweden

Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 144,116 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 128 (2025)
Political Rights Rating 1 (2025)
Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 1 (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 128 (2025)
Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0136 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 Sweden →

Frequently asked questions

What is varieties of democracy in Sweden?: Varieties of democracy in Sweden was 0.889 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest varieties of democracy recorded in Sweden?: The highest recorded value was 0.917 in 2012.
What is the lowest varieties of democracy recorded in Sweden?: The lowest recorded value was 0.187 in 1789.
How does Sweden rank for varieties of democracy?: Sweden ranks 3rd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is varieties of democracy rising or falling in Sweden?: Over the last ten years it is down 2.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Sweden 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 Sweden. 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/sweden/

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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.