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Overall DI Score 2023

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Democracy Dictatorship Index by Country 2024

Though it began as a biannual report in 2006, the Democracy Index from The Economic Intelligence Unit, part of the Economist Group, now appears annually. It reports on the state of democracy in 165 countries. The index uses 60 parameters to create a score for each nation that correlates to that country's level of democracy.

Country
Overall DI Score 2023
Norway9.81
New Zealand9.61
Iceland9.45
Sweden9.39
Finland9.3
Denmark9.28
Ireland9.19
Switzerland9.14
Netherlands9
Taiwan8.99

What the Democracy-Dictatorship Index Means

Scores for each country examined have a possible range from 0.00 to 10.00. The higher the score, the more likely that country has elements of a democratic government instead of an authoritarian one.

Countries fall into one of four categories based on their scores. These groups include full democracies for countries with scores of 8.01 or higher, flawed democracies for nations with scores between 6.01 and 8.00, hybrid regimes with scores between 4.01 and 6.00, and authoritarian regimes with any score below 4.00.

What Does the EIU Use to Calculate the Democracy Index?

To calculate each nation's Democracy Index, the EIU uses 60 separate pieces of information, which fall into five main categories. These categories are political culture, political participation, the electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, and the functioning of government.

Each metric within a category has a value between 0.00 and 10.00. These values average together to find the category score. The total Democracy Index score comes from averaging the five subscores from each of the categories.

Final Democracy Index scores reflect the level of democracy citizens have within that nation. Higher scores correlate to more democratic government operations in which citizens have more say in how the government operates.

Countries with the Highest Democracy-Dictatorship Indices

Full democracy countries have the highest scores globally. The most recent data from 2022 shows 24 countries operated with full democracies, indicated by scores greater than 8.00 on the Democracy Index. Norway topped the list with a total score of 9.81. Its high ranking comes from its perfect scores in three of the five categories – electoral process and pluralism, political culture, and political participation. This nation also placed first in 2021.

Nations at the Bottom of the Democracy-Dictatorship Index

Globally, 36.9% of the population lives in a government that falls into the bottom tier of the Democracy Index, an authoritarian regime. This group includes 59 countries. Among these countries, Afghanistan had the lowest score, 0.32, and Myanmar came in second-to-last with a score of 0.74. These two nations finished in the same places in 2021, as well, indicating no major changes in their governments since 2021.

  • The Democracy Index, which began in 2006, provides a snapshot of the state of democracy worldwide in more than 160 independent states and two territories.
  • This range covers almost the entire population of the world and the vast majority of the world’s states (microstates are excluded).
  • The Democracy Index is based upon on five categories: electoral process and pluralism, functioning of government, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties.
  • Higher scores are preferable.
  • Based on its scores on a range of indicators within the five categories, each country is then classified as one of four types of regime: “full democracy”, “flawed democracy”, “hybrid regime” or “authoritarian regime”.
  • 2023 data for Libya have not been released, but given the lack of massive reform since 2022, it can be concluded that Libya is still a dictatorship.

166 Rows

Country
Overall DI Score 2023
Electoral Process & Pluralism 2023
Functioning of Govt 2023
Political Participation 2023
Political Culture 2023
Civil Liberties 2023
Change in Rank 2022-2023
Democracy Type 2023
Overall DI Score 2022
Electoral Process & Pluralism 2022
Functioning of Govt 2022
Political Participation 2022
Political Culture 2022
Civil Liberties 2022
Change in Rank 2021-2022
Democracy Type 2022
Norway9.81109.6410109.41Full Democracy9.81109.6410109.41Full Democracy
New Zealand9.61109.29108.7510Full Democracy9.61109.29108.7510Full Democracy
Iceland9.45109.298.899.389.71Full Democracy9.52109.648.899.389.712Full Democracy
Sweden9.399.589.648.33109.41Full Democracy9.399.589.648.33109.41Full Democracy
Finland9.3109.647.789.389.71Full Democracy9.29109.648.338.759.71-2Full Democracy
Denmark9.28109.298.339.389.41Full Democracy9.28109.298.339.389.41Full Democracy
Ireland9.19108.218.33109.411Full Democracy9.13108.218.33109.12-1Full Democracy
Switzerland9.149.589.298.339.389.12-1Full Democracy9.149.589.298.339.389.122Full Democracy
Netherlands99.588.938.338.759.41Full Democracy99.588.938.338.759.412Full Democracy
Taiwan8.99109.297.788.139.41Full Democracy8.99109.647.788.139.41-2Full Democracy
Luxembourg8.81108.936.678.759.712Full Democracy8.81108.936.678.759.711Full Democracy
Germany8.89.588.578.338.139.412Full Democracy8.89.588.578.338.139.411Full Democracy
Canada8.69108.218.897.58.82-1Full Democracy8.88108.578.898.138.82Full Democracy
Australia8.66108.577.227.5101Full Democracy8.71108.577.787.59.71-6Full Democracy
Uruguay8.66108.937.786.889.71-3Full Democracy8.91108.937.788.139.712Full Democracy
Japan8.49.178.936.678.139.12Full Democracy8.339.178.576.678.139.121Full Democracy
Costa Rica8.299.587.57.786.889.71Full Democracy8.299.587.57.786.889.713Full Democracy
United Kingdom8.289.587.58.336.889.12Full Democracy8.289.587.58.336.889.12Full Democracy
Austria8.289.587.58.896.888.532Full Democracy8.29.587.148.896.888.53Full Democracy
Greece8.14107.147.227.58.825Full Democracy7.97107.146.677.58.539Flawed Democracy
Mauritius8.149.177.866.118.758.821Full Democracy8.149.177.866.118.758.82-2Full Democracy
South Korea8.099.588.577.226.258.822Full Democracy8.039.588.577.226.258.53-8Full Democracy
France8.079.587.867.786.888.24-1Full Democracy8.079.587.867.786.888.24Full Democracy
Spain8.079.587.57.227.58.53-1Full Democracy8.079.587.57.227.58.532Full Democracy
Chile7.989.588.216.116.889.12-6Flawed Democracy8.229.588.216.677.59.126Full Democracy
Czech Republic7.979.586.437.227.59.12-1Flawed Democracy7.979.586.437.227.59.124Flawed Democracy
Estonia7.969.587.866.676.888.82Flawed Democracy7.969.587.866.676.888.82Flawed Democracy
Malta7.939.177.146.678.138.535Flawed Democracy7.79.177.145.568.138.53Flawed Democracy
United States7.859.176.438.896.258.531Flawed Democracy7.859.176.438.896.258.53-4Flawed Democracy
Israel7.89.587.59.446.885.59-1Flawed Democracy7.939.587.869.446.885.88-6Flawed Democracy
Portugal7.759.586.796.676.888.82-3Flawed Democracy7.959.587.56.676.889.12Flawed Democracy
Slovenia7.759.587.147.226.258.53Flawed Democracy7.759.587.147.226.258.534Flawed Democracy
Botswana7.739.176.796.677.58.53-1Flawed Democracy7.739.176.796.677.58.53-2Flawed Democracy
Italy7.699.586.797.227.57.35Flawed Democracy7.699.586.797.227.57.35-3Flawed Democracy
Cape Verde7.659.1776.676.888.53Flawed Democracy7.659.1776.676.888.53-3Flawed Democracy
Belgium7.649.588.2156.888.53Flawed Democracy7.649.588.2156.888.53Flawed Democracy
Latvia7.389.586.436.116.258.531Flawed Democracy7.379.586.076.116.258.82Flawed Democracy
Cyprus7.389.175.366.676.888.82Flawed Democracy7.389.175.366.676.888.82Flawed Democracy
Lithuania7.319.586.436.115.638.82Flawed Democracy7.319.586.436.115.638.821Flawed Democracy
Malaysia7.299.587.57.226.255.88Flawed Democracy7.39.587.867.226.255.59-1Flawed Democracy
India7.187.187.867.226.255.885Flawed Democracy7.048.677.57.225.636.18Flawed Democracy
Poland7.189.586.076.676.257.355Flawed Democracy7.049.176.076.676.257.065Flawed Democracy
Trinidad and Tobago7.169.587.146.115.637.35-2Flawed Democracy7.169.587.146.115.637.35Flawed Democracy
Slovakia7.079.586.075.565.638.53-1Flawed Democracy7.079.586.075.565.638.532Flawed Democracy
Jamaica7.068.756.7956.258.53-3Flawed Democracy7.138.757.1456.258.53Flawed Democracy
Timor Leste7.069.585.935.566.887.35-1Flawed Democracy7.069.585.935.566.887.35-1Flawed Democracy
South Africa7.057.427.148.3357.35-2Flawed Democracy7.057.427.148.3357.35-1Flawed Democracy
Panama6.919.586.077.223.757.941Flawed Democracy6.919.586.077.223.757.94-1Flawed Democracy
Suriname6.889.586.076.1157.65-1Flawed Democracy6.959.586.436.1157.651Flawed Democracy
Hungary6.727.426.794.446.886.766Flawed Democracy6.648.336.794.446.886.76Flawed Democracy
Brazil6.689.585.366.1157.35Flawed Democracy6.789.5856.6757.65-4Flawed Democracy
Montenegro6.678.757.146.673.757.069Flawed Democracy6.457.426.797.223.757.0613Flawed Democracy
Philippines6.669.174.647.784.387.35-1Flawed Democracy6.739.1757.784.387.353Flawed Democracy
Argentina6.629.1757.223.757.94-4Flawed Democracy6.859.1757.784.387.94Flawed Democracy
Indonesia6.557.927.867.224.385.29-2Flawed Democracy6.717.927.867.224.386.18-2Flawed Democracy
Colombia6.559.176.076.113.757.65-2Flawed Democracy6.729.176.076.673.757.946Flawed Democracy
Namibia6.5275.366.675.637.941Flawed Democracy6.5275.366.675.637.94-3Flawed Democracy
Croatia6.59.176.076.114.386.761Flawed Democracy6.59.176.076.114.386.76-3Flawed Democracy
Mongolia6.488.755.716.115.636.187Flawed Democracy6.358.755.366.115.635.88-4Flawed Democracy
Romania6.459.176.435.563.757.351Flawed Democracy6.459.176.435.563.757.35Flawed Democracy
Dominican Republic6.449.175.367.223.137.354Flawed Democracy6.399.175.367.223.137.06-5Flawed Democracy
Bulgaria6.418.755.715.564.387.65-5Flawed Democracy6.539.175.366.114.387.65-4Flawed Democracy
Thailand6.3576.077.7855.88-8Flawed Democracy6.677.426.078.335.635.8817Flawed Democracy
Serbia6.337.836.076.673.757.354Flawed Democracy6.337.836.076.673.757.35-5Flawed Democracy
Ghana6.38.3356.675.635.88-2Flawed Democracy6.438.3356.676.255.88-7Flawed Democracy
Albania6.2876.0756.257.06-2Flawed Democracy6.4176.4356.257.354Flawed Democracy
Guyana6.267.336.076.1156.76Flawed Democracy6.346.926.076.6757.06-2Flawed Democracy
Moldova6.237.425.367.224.386.761Flawed Democracy6.237.425.367.224.386.76Flawed Democracy
Singapore6.185.337.144.447.56.471Flawed Democracy6.224.837.864.447.56.47-4Flawed Democracy
Sri Lanka6.176.584.647.226.256.18-10Flawed Democracy6.4775.717.226.256.187Flawed Democracy
Lesotho6.069.173.795.565.636.18Flawed Democracy6.199.174.145.565.636.47-7Flawed Democracy
Papua New Guinea6.036.926.073.895.637.652Flawed Democracy5.976.926.073.895.637.35-5Hybrid Regime
North Macedonia6.037.835.716.113.137.35Flawed Democracy6.17.836.076.113.137.351Flawed Democracy
Paraguay68.755.366.671.887.353Flawed Democracy5.898.755.366.111.887.35Hybrid Regime
Bangladesh5.877.426.075.565.634.71-2Hybrid Regime5.997.426.075.565.635.292Hybrid Regime
Malawi5.8574.295.566.256.18Hybrid Regime5.9174.295.566.256.472Hybrid Regime
Peru5.818.755.7153.136.47-2Hybrid Regime5.928.755.715.563.136.47-4Hybrid Regime
Zambia5.87.923.6456.885.59Hybrid Regime5.87.923.6456.885.591Hybrid Regime
Liberia5.577.832.716.115.635.597Hybrid Regime5.437.422.716.115.635.294Hybrid Regime
Fiji5.556.5855.565.6353Hybrid Regime5.556.5855.565.6351Hybrid Regime
Bhutan5.548.755.933.3354.713Hybrid Regime5.548.755.933.3354.71-3Hybrid Regime
Tunisia5.516.174.646.115.6353Hybrid Regime5.516.174.646.115.635-10Hybrid Regime
Senegal5.486.585.713.895.635.59-4Hybrid Regime5.726.585.714.446.255.599Hybrid Regime
Armenia5.427.924.646.113.135.29-2Hybrid Regime5.637.925.716.113.135.297Hybrid Regime
Ecuador5.418.7555.561.885.88-4Hybrid Regime5.698.7556.671.886.18Hybrid Regime
Tanzania5.354.835.3656.884.716Hybrid Regime5.14.83556.254.411Hybrid Regime
Madagascar5.266.583.576.115.634.41-7Hybrid Regime5.77.923.576.675.634.713Hybrid Regime
Hong Kong5.242.753.6456.887.94Hybrid Regime5.282.753.295.566.887.94-3Hybrid Regime
Georgia5.273.576.113.755.591Hybrid Regime5.273.576.113.755.591Hybrid Regime
Mexico5.146.924.646.671.885.59-1Hybrid Regime5.256.924.647.221.885.59-3Hybrid Regime
Ukraine5.065.583.077.2254.41-4Hybrid Regime5.426.52.717.226.254.41-1Hybrid Regime
Kenya5.053.55.366.675.634.122Hybrid Regime5.053.55.366.675.634.12Hybrid Regime
Morocco5.045.254.645.565.634.122Hybrid Regime5.045.254.645.565.634.12Hybrid Regime
Bosnia and Herzegovina57453.135.883Hybrid Regime57453.135.88-2Hybrid Regime
Honduras4.988.753.934.442.55.29-4Hybrid Regime5.158.753.9352.55.591Hybrid Regime
El Salvador4.716.673.215.563.135-3Hybrid Regime5.068.333.575.563.134.71-14Hybrid Regime
Benin4.682.585.714.446.254.417Hybrid Regime4.281.675.713.336.254.412Hybrid Regime
Nepal4.64.835.3652.55.293Hybrid Regime4.494.835.364.442.55.29Hybrid Regime
Uganda4.493.423.573.896.884.71Hybrid Regime4.553.423.573.896.8851Hybrid Regime
Guatemala4.475.673.9351.885.88-2Hybrid Regime4.686.923.933.892.56.181Hybrid Regime
Gambia4.474.424.293.895.634.122Hybrid Regime4.474.424.293.895.634.12-1Hybrid Regime
Turkey4.333.556.1152.061Hybrid Regime4.353.555.565.632.06Hybrid Regime
Sierra Leone4.324.832.863.8955-7Hybrid Regime5.036.582.864.446.2551Hybrid Regime
Nigeria4.235.173.933.893.754.411Hybrid Regime4.235.173.933.893.754.412Hybrid Regime
Ivory Coast4.224.332.864.445.633.821Hybrid Regime4.224.332.864.445.633.82-1Hybrid Regime
Bolivia4.24.334.295.561.255.59-6Hybrid Regime4.514.754.296.671.255.59-2Hybrid Regime
Angola4.184.53.215.5652.652Hybrid Regime3.964.53.214.4452.6513Authoritarian
Mauritania4.143.53.576.113.134.41Hybrid Regime4.033.53.575.563.134.41Hybrid Regime
Pakistan4.132.584.292.782.54.12-11Authoritarian4.135.6752.782.54.71-3Hybrid Regime
Kyrgyzstan3.74.331.863.893.135.297Authoritarian3.624.331.54.443.134.71-1Authoritarian
Algeria3.663.082.53.8953.823Authoritarian3.663.082.53.8953.82Authoritarian
Qatar3.651.54.293.335.633.533Authoritarian3.651.54.293.335.633.53Authoritarian
Lebanon3.563.080.796.673.134.123Authoritarian3.643.50.796.673.134.12-4Authoritarian
Mozambique3.512.581.43553.534Authoritarian3.512.581.43553.53-1Authoritarian
Kuwait3.53.173.932.784.383.24-3Authoritarian3.833.173.934.444.383.24-1Authoritarian
Palestine3.471.580.148.333.753.53-5Authoritarian3.862.920.148.334.383.53-1Authoritarian
Ethiopia3.370.423.216.115.631.476Authoritarian3.170.422.866.1151.471Authoritarian
Rwanda3.31.424.642.7852.659Authoritarian3.11.424.292.784.382.651Authoritarian
Oman3.120.083.932.7853.826Authoritarian3.120.083.932.7853.825Authoritarian
Kazakhstan3.080.53.2153.752.947Authoritarian3.080.53.2153.752.941Authoritarian
Cambodia3.053.21552.06Authoritarian3.183.2155.632.0613Authoritarian
Zimbabwe3.042.54.4453.2410Authoritarian2.922.53.8953.241Authoritarian
Jordan3.042.673.213.892.52.94Authoritarian3.172.673.213.893.132.94-4Authoritarian
Comoros3.041.252.214.443.753.53-2Authoritarian3.22.082.214.443.753.536Authoritarian
United Arab Emirates3.014.292.785.632.358Authoritarian2.94.292.225.632.351Authoritarian
Togo2.990.922.143.335.632.944Authoritarian2.990.922.143.335.632.946Authoritarian
Egypt2.931.333.213.3351.764Authoritarian2.931.333.213.3351.766Authoritarian
Iraq2.885.256.111.881.18-4Authoritarian3.135.256.113.131.18-8Authoritarian
Haiti2.812.786.2556Authoritarian2.812.786.255-16Authoritarian
Azerbaijan2.80.52.53.3352.654Authoritarian2.870.52.863.3352.657Authoritarian
Republic of the Congo2.792.54.443.753.245Authoritarian
Eswatini2.780.921.642.785.632.94-3Authoritarian3.010.922.52.785.633.24-1Authoritarian
Burkina Faso2.732.53.893.753.53-6Authoritarian3.082.554.383.53-16Authoritarian
Djibouti2.71.643.895.632.353Authoritarian2.741.294.445.632.352Authoritarian
Cuba2.653.213.333.752.944Authoritarian2.653.213.333.752.943Authoritarian
Vietnam2.623.932.783.752.652Authoritarian2.733.933.333.752.65-7Authoritarian
Mali2.5854.383.53-18Authoritarian3.231.175.565.633.82Authoritarian
Cameroon2.560.332.143.894.382.062Authoritarian2.560.332.143.894.382.063Authoritarian
Bahrain2.520.422.713.334.381.763Authoritarian2.520.422.713.334.381.762Authoritarian
Guinea Bissau2.4542.783.132.35Authoritarian2.5643.333.132.35-2Authoritarian
Niger2.370.331.142.223.754.4113Authoritarian3.732.921.53.895.634.7113Hybrid Regime
Venezuela2.311.0753.132.355Authoritarian2.231.075.561.882.654Authoritarian
Nicaragua2.262.142.783.752.65Authoritarian2.52.143.334.382.65-3Authoritarian
Russia2.220.922.142.223.752.062Authoritarian2.280.922.142.223.752.35-22Authoritarian
Guinea2.210.830.433.334.382.06Authoritarian2.320.830.433.334.382.652Authoritarian
Gabon2.180.831.142.223.752.94-28Authoritarian3.42.171.864.4453.533Authoritarian
Burundi2.133.8951.761Authoritarian2.133.8951.761Authoritarian
China2.123.573.333.130.598Authoritarian1.943.212.783.130.59-8Authoritarian
Uzbekistan2.120.081.862.7850.881Authoritarian2.120.081.862.7850.881Authoritarian
Saudi Arabia2.083.572.223.131.47Authoritarian2.083.572.223.131.472Authoritarian
Belarus1.990.793.334.381.472Authoritarian1.990.793.334.381.47-7Authoritarian
Eritrea1.972.140.566.880.29Authoritarian2.032.140.566.880.591Authoritarian
Iran1.962.53.332.51.471Authoritarian1.962.53.332.51.47Authoritarian
Yemen1.953.8950.881Authoritarian1.953.8950.88-1Authoritarian
Tajikistan1.942.212.224.380.881Authoritarian1.942.212.224.380.881Authoritarian
Equatorial Guinea1.920.433.334.381.472Authoritarian1.920.433.334.381.47Authoritarian
Sudan1.760.072.225.630.88-14Authoritarian2.471.434.4451.471Authoritarian
Laos1.712.861.673.750.29Authoritarian1.772.861.673.750.59Authoritarian
DR Congo1.681.170.432.783.130.882Authoritarian1.481.172.223.130.882Authoritarian
Chad1.672.223.752.35-1Authoritarian1.672.223.752.35Authoritarian
Syria1.432.784.38Authoritarian1.432.784.38-1Authoritarian
Central African Republic1.181.671.882.35Authoritarian1.350.831.671.882.35-2Authoritarian
North Korea1.082.51.671.25Authoritarian1.082.51.671.25Authoritarian
Myanmar0.851.113.13Authoritarian0.740.563.13Authoritarian
Afghanistan0.260.071.25Authoritarian0.320.071.250.29Authoritarian
LibyaAuthoritarian2.063.893.752.653Authoritarian

What is the index of democracy and dictatorship?

The Democracy-Dictatorship Index, the DD, is a binary measurement that ranks a country's position on the democracy-dictatorship spectrum.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources