Countries With the Lowest Participatory Democracy
Every country with a figure for participatory democracy, ranked from lowest to highest. The top three are Eritrea (0.008), Saudi Arabia (0.026) and United Arab Emirates (0.031). The middle country of the 175 has 0.298.
What this measures
Participatory democracy index, in index (0-1). Source: V-Dem Institute, University of Gothenburg. For this measure, higher is better.
Electoral democracy plus direct participation: people's involvement in civic groups, referendums, and elected local and regional government.
The full ranking
Each country’s latest figure, from 2025–2025. The year beside each value says when it was measured.
| Rank | Country | Participatory democracy | Year | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eritrea | 0.008 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 2 | Saudi Arabia | 0.026 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 3 | United Arab Emirates | 0.031 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 4 | Turkmenistan | 0.033 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 5 | Qatar | 0.034 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 6 | China | 0.036 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 7 | Equatorial Guinea | 0.041 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 8 | Myanmar | 0.041 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 9 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 0.042 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 10 | Azerbaijan | 0.043 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 11 | Korea, Dem. People's Rep. | 0.044 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 12 | South Sudan | 0.047 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 13 | Hong Kong SAR, China | 0.049 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 14 | Afghanistan | 0.051 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 15 | Sudan | 0.051 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 16 | Kuwait | 0.053 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 17 | Bahrain | 0.054 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 18 | Belarus | 0.054 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 19 | Cuba | 0.054 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 20 | Syrian Arab Republic | 0.058 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 21 | Tajikistan | 0.059 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 22 | Cambodia | 0.06 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 23 | Yemen, Rep. | 0.072 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 24 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 0.076 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 25 | Uzbekistan | 0.082 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 26 | Libya | 0.087 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 27 | Cameroon | 0.093 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 28 | Algeria | 0.095 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 29 | Somalia, Fed. Rep. | 0.095 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 30 | Nicaragua | 0.098 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 31 | Bangladesh | 0.099 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 32 | Angola | 0.103 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 33 | Burkina Faso | 0.104 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 34 | Kazakhstan | 0.107 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 35 | Eswatini | 0.11 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 36 | Lao PDR | 0.118 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 37 | Haiti | 0.119 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 38 | Guinea | 0.12 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 39 | Oman | 0.12 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 40 | Singapore | 0.121 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 41 | Russian Federation | 0.124 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 42 | Ethiopia | 0.128 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 43 | Guinea-Bissau | 0.128 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 44 | Chad | 0.129 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 45 | Central African Republic | 0.13 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 46 | Rwanda | 0.13 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 47 | Jordan | 0.132 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 48 | Burundi | 0.142 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 49 | Djibouti | 0.142 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 50 | Venezuela, RB | 0.148 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 51 | Morocco | 0.151 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 52 | Uganda | 0.156 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 53 | El Salvador | 0.159 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 54 | Kyrgyz Republic | 0.163 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 55 | Mali | 0.164 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 56 | Viet Nam | 0.164 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 57 | Turkiye | 0.165 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 58 | Thailand | 0.186 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 59 | Congo, Rep. | 0.188 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 60 | Niger | 0.189 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 61 | Pakistan | 0.192 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 62 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 0.2 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 63 | Comoros | 0.2 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 64 | Mozambique | 0.201 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 65 | Zimbabwe | 0.202 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 66 | Madagascar | 0.217 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 67 | Serbia | 0.217 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 68 | Mauritania | 0.221 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 69 | Lebanon | 0.222 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 70 | Iraq | 0.224 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 71 | Togo | 0.233 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 72 | Georgia | 0.236 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 73 | Gabon | 0.24 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 74 | Tunisia | 0.242 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 75 | Tanzania | 0.245 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 76 | India | 0.246 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 77 | Ukraine | 0.252 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 78 | Philippines | 0.261 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 79 | Cote d'Ivoire | 0.262 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 80 | Fiji | 0.265 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 81 | Hungary | 0.268 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 82 | Benin | 0.28 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 83 | Papua New Guinea | 0.28 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 84 | Mongolia | 0.281 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 85 | Guyana | 0.283 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 86 | Albania | 0.29 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 87 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0.298 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 88 | Indonesia | 0.298 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 89 | Malaysia | 0.303 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 90 | Sierra Leone | 0.307 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 91 | Maldives | 0.316 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 92 | Armenia | 0.319 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 93 | Honduras | 0.32 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 94 | Liberia | 0.321 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 95 | Nigeria | 0.323 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 96 | Vanuatu | 0.323 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 97 | Kenya | 0.335 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 98 | Mexico | 0.337 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 99 | Seychelles | 0.341 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 100 | Paraguay | 0.342 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 101 | Kosovo | 0.346 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 102 | Barbados | 0.347 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 103 | Zambia | 0.348 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 104 | Bhutan | 0.349 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 105 | Namibia | 0.349 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 106 | North Macedonia | 0.354 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 107 | Ghana | 0.361 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 108 | Malawi | 0.366 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 109 | Botswana | 0.369 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 110 | Moldova | 0.389 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 111 | Sao Tome and Principe | 0.391 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 112 | Bulgaria | 0.397 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 113 | Senegal | 0.402 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 114 | Montenegro | 0.403 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 115 | Lesotho | 0.404 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 116 | Gambia, The | 0.406 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 117 | Bolivia | 0.414 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 118 | Romania | 0.416 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 119 | Guatemala | 0.421 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 120 | Argentina | 0.429 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 121 | Solomon Islands | 0.429 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 122 | Nepal | 0.435 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 123 | Panama | 0.441 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 124 | Peru | 0.448 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 125 | Israel | 0.455 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 126 | Cabo Verde | 0.458 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 127 | Croatia | 0.459 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 128 | Ecuador | 0.462 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 129 | Timor-Leste | 0.462 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 130 | Colombia | 0.467 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 131 | South Africa | 0.47 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 132 | Dominican Republic | 0.475 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 133 | Mauritius | 0.481 | 2025 | Sub-Saharan Africa |
| 134 | Cyprus | 0.49 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 135 | Greece | 0.493 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 136 | Trinidad and Tobago | 0.505 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 137 | Slovenia | 0.506 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 138 | Slovak Republic | 0.508 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 139 | Suriname | 0.509 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 140 | United States | 0.51 | 2025 | North America |
| 141 | Poland | 0.519 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 142 | Sri Lanka | 0.52 | 2025 | South Asia |
| 143 | Jamaica | 0.524 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 144 | Japan | 0.526 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 145 | Brazil | 0.528 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 146 | Malta | 0.529 | 2025 | Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan |
| 147 | Portugal | 0.529 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 148 | United Kingdom | 0.533 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 149 | Korea, Rep. | 0.551 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 150 | Netherlands | 0.553 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 151 | Luxembourg | 0.556 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 152 | Lithuania | 0.56 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 153 | Czechia | 0.562 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 154 | Iceland | 0.565 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 155 | Italy | 0.569 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 156 | Spain | 0.572 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 157 | Chile | 0.574 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 158 | New Zealand | 0.581 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 159 | Austria | 0.582 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 160 | Canada | 0.589 | 2025 | North America |
| 161 | Germany | 0.593 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 162 | Latvia | 0.595 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 163 | Finland | 0.597 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 164 | France | 0.597 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 165 | Costa Rica | 0.606 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 166 | Ireland | 0.619 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 167 | Estonia | 0.621 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 168 | Belgium | 0.633 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 169 | Sweden | 0.635 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 170 | Norway | 0.638 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 171 | Australia | 0.648 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 172 | Taiwan | 0.652 | 2025 | East Asia & Pacific |
| 173 | Denmark | 0.7 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
| 174 | Uruguay | 0.716 | 2025 | Latin America & Caribbean |
| 175 | Switzerland | 0.785 | 2025 | Europe & Central Asia |
More on participatory democracy
- Countries With the Highest Participatory Democracy
- Participatory democracy by country: trend over time and what it goes with
Related rankings
- 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 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.