Countries With the Lowest Liberal Democracy
Every country with a figure for liberal democracy, ranked from lowest to highest. The top three are Eritrea (0.009), Korea, Dem. People's Rep. (0.014) and Myanmar (0.015). The middle country of the 175 has 0.355.
What this measures
Liberal democracy index, in index (0-1). Source: V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg. For this measure, higher is better.
Electoral democracy plus limits on the head of government, independent courts and protected personal freedoms. It contains the electoral democracy index as a part, so the two are built from the same numbers and bound to match.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2025–2025. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Liberal democracy | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eritrea | 0.009 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 0.014 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 3 | Myanmar | 0.015 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 4 | Afghanistan | 0.018 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 5 | Nicaragua | 0.019 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 6 | Sudan | 0.034 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 7 | Turkmenistan | 0.034 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 8 | Belarus | 0.038 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 9 | China | 0.039 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 10 | Venezuela, RB | 0.042 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 11 | Tajikistan | 0.043 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 12 | Yemen, Rep. | 0.043 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 13 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.047 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 14 | Saudi Arabia | 0.047 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 15 | Cambodia | 0.051 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 16 | Azerbaijan | 0.053 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 17 | Syrian Arab Republic | 0.054 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 18 | Russian Federation | 0.056 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 19 | Cuba | 0.057 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 20 | Burundi | 0.06 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 21 | Bahrain | 0.062 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 22 | Chad | 0.062 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 23 | South Sudan | 0.064 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 24 | United Arab Emirates | 0.077 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 25 | Uzbekistan | 0.079 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 26 | Rwanda | 0.09 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 27 | El Salvador | 0.09 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 28 | Qatar | 0.091 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 29 | Guinea | 0.095 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 30 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.095 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 31 | Eswatini | 0.097 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 32 | Haiti | 0.098 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 33 | Libya | 0.098 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 34 | Ethiopia | 0.1 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 35 | Central African Republic | 0.102 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 36 | Viet Nam | 0.102 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 37 | Burkina Faso | 0.103 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 38 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 0.103 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 39 | Lao PDR | 0.11 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 40 | Turkiye | 0.11 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 41 | Cameroon | 0.114 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 42 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 0.115 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 43 | Congo, Rep. | 0.115 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 44 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 0.115 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 45 | Bangladesh | 0.116 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 46 | Djibouti | 0.118 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 47 | Algeria | 0.126 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 48 | Kuwait | 0.127 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 49 | Mauritania | 0.127 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 50 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 0.128 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 51 | Kazakhstan | 0.131 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 52 | Comoros | 0.132 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 53 | Oman | 0.14 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 54 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 0.142 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 55 | Zimbabwe | 0.147 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 56 | Mali | 0.15 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 57 | Togo | 0.157 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 58 | Angola | 0.163 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 59 | Uganda | 0.165 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 60 | Mozambique | 0.175 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 61 | Pakistan | 0.176 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 62 | Niger | 0.177 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 63 | Gabon | 0.178 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 64 | Kyrgyz Republic | 0.178 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 65 | Madagascar | 0.187 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 66 | Serbia | 0.208 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 67 | Iraq | 0.22 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 68 | Mexico | 0.221 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 69 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.228 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 70 | Ukraine | 0.24 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 71 | Morocco | 0.251 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 72 | India | 0.26 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 73 | Tunisia | 0.265 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 74 | Lebanon | 0.267 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 75 | Jordan | 0.274 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 76 | Georgia | 0.275 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 77 | Philippines | 0.291 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 78 | Indonesia | 0.296 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 79 | Tanzania | 0.297 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 80 | Nigeria | 0.311 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 81 | Thailand | 0.314 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 82 | Hungary | 0.315 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 83 | Benin | 0.323 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 84 | Guyana | 0.328 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 85 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.339 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 86 | Sierra Leone | 0.348 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 87 | Bolivia | 0.352 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 88 | Malaysia | 0.355 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 89 | Singapore | 0.36 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 90 | Armenia | 0.371 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 91 | North Macedonia | 0.374 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 92 | Zambia | 0.375 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 93 | Paraguay | 0.376 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 94 | Honduras | 0.38 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 95 | Albania | 0.382 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 96 | Papua New Guinea | 0.384 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 97 | Ecuador | 0.386 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 98 | Fiji | 0.398 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 99 | Maldives | 0.416 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 100 | Liberia | 0.417 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 101 | Mongolia | 0.424 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 102 | Kenya | 0.446 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 103 | Moldova | 0.449 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 104 | Bhutan | 0.457 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 105 | Kosovo | 0.457 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 106 | Malawi | 0.462 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 107 | Romania | 0.464 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 108 | Senegal | 0.484 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 109 | Bulgaria | 0.499 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 110 | Montenegro | 0.5 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 111 | Dominican Republic | 0.505 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 112 | Nepal | 0.505 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 113 | Peru | 0.506 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 114 | Lesotho | 0.512 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 115 | Namibia | 0.519 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 116 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.519 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 117 | Botswana | 0.52 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 118 | Gambia, The | 0.522 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 119 | Guatemala | 0.523 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 120 | Argentina | 0.524 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 121 | Solomon Islands | 0.539 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 122 | Timor-Leste | 0.549 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 123 | Colombia | 0.555 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 124 | Greece | 0.568 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 125 | United States | 0.571 | 2025 | North America |
| 126 | Slovak Republic | 0.573 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 127 | Panama | 0.575 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 128 | Israel | 0.588 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 129 | Slovenia | 0.589 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 130 | Croatia | 0.593 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 131 | Ghana | 0.606 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 132 | Sri Lanka | 0.613 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 133 | Malta | 0.621 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 134 | Vanuatu | 0.623 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 135 | Suriname | 0.626 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 136 | Cabo Verde | 0.631 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 137 | South Africa | 0.633 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 138 | Mauritius | 0.639 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 139 | Italy | 0.642 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 140 | Poland | 0.645 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 141 | Cyprus | 0.664 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 142 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.668 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 143 | Barbados | 0.679 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 144 | Jamaica | 0.679 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 145 | Seychelles | 0.68 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 146 | United Kingdom | 0.689 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 147 | Brazil | 0.704 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 148 | Taiwan | 0.704 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 149 | Lithuania | 0.712 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 150 | Portugal | 0.717 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 151 | Iceland | 0.72 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 152 | Japan | 0.734 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 153 | Canada | 0.736 | 2025 | North America |
| 154 | Korea, Rep. | 0.739 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 155 | Spain | 0.741 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 156 | Latvia | 0.751 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 157 | Austria | 0.757 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 158 | Netherlands | 0.774 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 159 | Luxembourg | 0.777 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 160 | Chile | 0.781 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 161 | Germany | 0.782 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 162 | New Zealand | 0.787 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 163 | Uruguay | 0.79 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 164 | Australia | 0.793 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 165 | Belgium | 0.794 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 166 | Czechia | 0.794 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 167 | France | 0.8 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 168 | Finland | 0.808 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 169 | Costa Rica | 0.809 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 170 | Ireland | 0.822 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 171 | Estonia | 0.837 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 172 | Switzerland | 0.843 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 173 | Norway | 0.847 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 174 | Sweden | 0.853 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 175 | Denmark | 0.884 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
More on liberal democracy
- Countries With the Highest Liberal Democracy
- Liberal democracy by country: trend over time and what it goes with
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- Countries With the Lowest Corruption Perceptions Index
- Countries With the Lowest Political Rights (FH)
- Countries With the Lowest Civil Liberties (FH)
- Countries With the Lowest Trust in Government
- Countries With the Lowest Pre-trial Detainee Shares
- Countries With the Lowest Refugees Originating
- Countries With the Lowest Electoral Democracy
- Countries With the Lowest Participatory 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.