Countries With the Highest Civil Society Participation
Every country with a figure for civil society participation, ranked from highest to lowest. The top three are Germany (0.979), Norway (0.973) and Switzerland (0.971). The middle country of the 175 has 0.694.
What this measures
Civil society participation index, in index (0-1). Source: V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg. For this measure, higher is better.
How far governments consult civic groups, and how widely people take part in them. A part of the participatory democracy index.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2025–2025. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Civil society participation | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany | 0.979 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 2 | Norway | 0.973 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 3 | Switzerland | 0.971 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 4 | Denmark | 0.971 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 5 | United States | 0.963 | 2025 | North America |
| 6 | Ireland | 0.954 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 7 | Luxembourg | 0.954 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 8 | Finland | 0.948 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 9 | Belgium | 0.947 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 10 | Sweden | 0.939 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 11 | Canada | 0.938 | 2025 | North America |
| 12 | Malawi | 0.931 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 13 | Taiwan | 0.929 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 14 | Australia | 0.928 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 15 | Zambia | 0.918 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 16 | Slovenia | 0.907 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 17 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.907 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 18 | Sierra Leone | 0.902 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 19 | Liberia | 0.899 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 20 | Barbados | 0.896 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 21 | Ghana | 0.893 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 22 | Latvia | 0.892 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 23 | Spain | 0.891 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 24 | Estonia | 0.89 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 25 | United Kingdom | 0.889 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 26 | Austria | 0.884 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 27 | Costa Rica | 0.883 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 28 | Italy | 0.882 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 29 | Iceland | 0.874 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 30 | Senegal | 0.874 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 31 | France | 0.866 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 32 | Brazil | 0.865 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 33 | Bulgaria | 0.858 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 34 | Nepal | 0.858 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 35 | Seychelles | 0.858 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 36 | Botswana | 0.856 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 37 | Mauritius | 0.854 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 38 | Fiji | 0.846 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 39 | Bolivia | 0.845 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 40 | Uruguay | 0.845 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 41 | Lithuania | 0.831 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 42 | Suriname | 0.829 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 43 | Cyprus | 0.827 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 44 | Netherlands | 0.826 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 45 | Dominican Republic | 0.823 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 46 | Malta | 0.82 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 47 | Niger | 0.82 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 48 | Vanuatu | 0.82 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 49 | Lebanon | 0.811 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 50 | Sri Lanka | 0.805 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 51 | Korea, Rep. | 0.804 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 52 | Israel | 0.803 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 53 | Gambia, The | 0.8 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 54 | Tanzania | 0.793 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 55 | Colombia | 0.787 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 56 | Moldova | 0.787 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 57 | Nigeria | 0.786 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 58 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.78 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 59 | Czechia | 0.777 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 60 | Jamaica | 0.777 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 61 | South Africa | 0.776 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 62 | Chile | 0.775 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 63 | Guyana | 0.768 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 64 | Guatemala | 0.761 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 65 | Zimbabwe | 0.757 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 66 | Malaysia | 0.755 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 67 | Honduras | 0.754 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 68 | Timor-Leste | 0.754 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 69 | Greece | 0.752 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 70 | Lesotho | 0.742 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 71 | Poland | 0.729 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 72 | Solomon Islands | 0.727 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 73 | Ukraine | 0.726 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 74 | Kenya | 0.718 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 75 | Gabon | 0.714 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 76 | Indonesia | 0.711 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 77 | Portugal | 0.711 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 78 | Montenegro | 0.708 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 79 | Argentina | 0.707 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 80 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.707 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 81 | Peru | 0.706 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 82 | Mozambique | 0.705 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 83 | Mali | 0.7 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 84 | Uganda | 0.698 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 85 | Iraq | 0.697 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 86 | Bangladesh | 0.696 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 87 | Bhutan | 0.694 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 88 | Croatia | 0.694 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 89 | India | 0.694 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 90 | Ecuador | 0.69 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 91 | Madagascar | 0.686 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 92 | Cabo Verde | 0.683 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 93 | Japan | 0.683 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 94 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 0.68 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 95 | Mongolia | 0.677 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 96 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.675 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 97 | Namibia | 0.667 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 98 | Philippines | 0.666 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 99 | Viet Nam | 0.666 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 100 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.662 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 101 | Maldives | 0.662 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 102 | Slovak Republic | 0.662 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 103 | Armenia | 0.656 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 104 | New Zealand | 0.656 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 105 | Romania | 0.656 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 106 | Morocco | 0.651 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 107 | Pakistan | 0.651 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 108 | Jordan | 0.646 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 109 | Thailand | 0.641 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 110 | Burkina Faso | 0.636 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 111 | Benin | 0.632 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 112 | Panama | 0.632 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 113 | Libya | 0.631 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 114 | Togo | 0.631 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 115 | Mauritania | 0.63 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 116 | Ethiopia | 0.629 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 117 | Papua New Guinea | 0.604 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 118 | Albania | 0.595 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 119 | Congo, Rep. | 0.566 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 120 | Kosovo | 0.555 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 121 | Georgia | 0.552 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 122 | Comoros | 0.545 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 123 | North Macedonia | 0.541 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 124 | Guinea | 0.531 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 125 | Serbia | 0.525 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 126 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 0.515 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 127 | Mexico | 0.49 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 128 | Paraguay | 0.484 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 129 | Haiti | 0.478 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 130 | Tunisia | 0.478 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 131 | Kuwait | 0.473 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 132 | Cameroon | 0.467 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 133 | Djibouti | 0.439 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 134 | Hungary | 0.434 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 135 | Angola | 0.433 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 136 | Kazakhstan | 0.418 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 137 | Singapore | 0.412 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 138 | El Salvador | 0.407 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 139 | Rwanda | 0.402 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 140 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 0.4 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 141 | Chad | 0.392 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 142 | Eswatini | 0.383 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 143 | Venezuela, RB | 0.38 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 144 | Kyrgyz Republic | 0.374 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 145 | Turkiye | 0.355 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 146 | Syrian Arab Republic | 0.347 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 147 | Uzbekistan | 0.344 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 148 | Central African Republic | 0.337 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 149 | Oman | 0.318 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 150 | Burundi | 0.314 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 151 | Algeria | 0.302 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 152 | United Arab Emirates | 0.273 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 153 | Cambodia | 0.268 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 154 | Yemen, Rep. | 0.264 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 155 | Sudan | 0.256 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 156 | Saudi Arabia | 0.25 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 157 | Bahrain | 0.245 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 158 | South Sudan | 0.233 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 159 | Lao PDR | 0.229 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 160 | China | 0.219 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 161 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 0.212 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 162 | Russian Federation | 0.202 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 163 | Qatar | 0.181 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 164 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 0.154 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 165 | Tajikistan | 0.153 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 166 | Myanmar | 0.128 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 167 | Nicaragua | 0.114 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 168 | Belarus | 0.112 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 169 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.099 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 170 | Cuba | 0.094 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 171 | Azerbaijan | 0.079 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 172 | Turkmenistan | 0.065 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 173 | Afghanistan | 0.043 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 174 | Eritrea | 0.033 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 175 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 0.028 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
More on civil society participation
- Countries With the Lowest Civil Society Participation
- Civil society participation by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- Countries With the Highest Corruption Perceptions Index
- Countries With the Highest Political Rights (FH)
- Countries With the Highest Civil Liberties (FH)
- Countries With the Highest Trust in Government
- Countries With the Highest Pre-trial Detainee Shares
- Countries With the Highest Refugees Originating
- Countries With the Highest Electoral Democracy
- Countries With the Highest Liberal Democracy
A ranking describes countries, not the people in them, and a high or low place does not by itself say why. All country rankings.