Mapped: The World’s Most and Least Democratic Countries

How Democratic Are Countries Around the World?

Key Takeaways:

• Authoritarian regimes outnumber full democracies by more than two to one, with 61 versus 26 countries.

• Norway ranks as the world’s most democratic country, while Canada climbed into the global top 10.

• The U.S. fell six places to 34th globally, reaching its lowest Democracy Index score on record.

After eight consecutive years of decline, global democracy scores edged upward in 2025, but the modest improvement masks significant changes across individual countries.

The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index evaluates 167 countries and territories based on elections, government functioning, political participation, political culture, and civil liberties. The latest results reveal where democratic institutions are strengthening and where they remain under pressure.

Which Countries Are the Most Democratic?

The following table ranks countries by their 2025 Democracy Index scores, according to the EIU.

RankCountryScore (2025)EIU category

1 Norway9.81Full democracy

2 New Zealand9.62Full democracy

3 Denmark9.42Full democracy

4 Iceland9.38Full democracy

5 Finland9.37Full democracy

6 Sweden9.35Full democracy

7 Ireland9.33Full democracy

8 Switzerland9.32Full democracy

9 Canada9.08Full democracy

10 Luxembourg9.08Full democracy

11 Netherlands8.93Full democracy

12 Uruguay8.92Full democracy

13 Australia8.85Full democracy

14 Japan8.85Full democracy

15 Taiwan8.78Full democracy

16 Germany8.73Full democracy

17 Austria8.42Full democracy

18 United Kingdom8.34Full democracy

19 Costa Rica8.29Full democracy

20 Portugal8.28Full democracy

21 Mauritius8.23Full democracy

22 Spain8.20Full democracy

23 Czechia8.15Full democracy

24 Estonia8.07Full democracy

25 Greece8.07Full democracy

26 France8.05Full democracy

27 Chile7.97Flawed democracy

28 Malta7.93Flawed democracy

29 Slovenia7.82Flawed democracy

30 Israel7.80Flawed democracy

31 Belgium7.77Flawed democracy

32 South Korea7.75Flawed democracy

33 Latvia7.73Flawed democracy

34 Poland7.65Flawed democracy

35 United States7.65Flawed democracy

36 Botswana7.63Flawed democracy

37 Cape Verde7.58Flawed democracy

38 Italy7.58Flawed democracy

39 Lithuania7.55Flawed democracy

40 Cyprus7.45Flawed democracy

41 South Africa7.16Flawed democracy

42 Malaysia7.11Flawed democracy

43 Trinidad and Tobago7.09Flawed democracy

44 Panama7.04Flawed democracy

45 Suriname7.03Flawed democracy

46 Timor-Leste6.97Flawed democracy

47 India6.96Flawed democracy

48 Slovakia6.94Flawed democracy

49 Argentina6.89Flawed democracy

50 Brazil6.76Flawed democracy

51 Dominican Republic6.75Flawed democracy

52 Jamaica6.74Flawed democracy

53 Montenegro6.73Flawed democracy

54 Thailand6.59Flawed democracy

55 Hungary6.58Flawed democracy

56 Sri Lanka6.57Flawed democracy

57 Croatia6.50Flawed democracy

58 Mongolia6.50Flawed democracy

59 Namibia6.48Flawed democracy

60 Indonesia6.37Flawed democracy

61 Bulgaria6.34Flawed democracy

62 Philippines6.31Flawed democracy

63 Serbia6.30Flawed democracy

64 North Macedonia6.28Flawed democracy

65 Ghana6.24Flawed democracy

66 Lesotho6.23Flawed democracy

67 Albania6.20Flawed democracy

68 Singapore6.18Flawed democracy

69 Romania6.11Flawed democracy

70 Malawi6.10Flawed democracy

71 Guyana6.09Flawed democracy

72 Senegal6.05Flawed democracy

73 Colombia6.04Flawed democracy

74 Paraguay6.04Flawed democracy

75 Papua New Guinea5.90Hybrid regime

76 Peru5.88Hybrid regime

77 Moldova5.86Hybrid regime

78 Zambia5.82Hybrid regime

79 Bhutan5.65Hybrid regime

80 Liberia5.57Hybrid regime

81 Mexico5.40Hybrid regime

82 Fiji5.39Hybrid regime

83 Bolivia5.38Hybrid regime

84 Armenia5.35Hybrid regime

85 Bosnia and Herzegovina5.23Hybrid regime

86 Ecuador5.20Hybrid regime

87 Tanzania5.13Hybrid regime

88 Madagascar5.06Hybrid regime

89 Kenya5.05Hybrid regime

90 Hong Kong5.03Hybrid regime

91 Morocco4.97Hybrid regime

92 Honduras4.87Hybrid regime

93 Ukraine4.79Hybrid regime

94 Guatemala4.65Hybrid regime

95 Tunisia4.65Hybrid regime

96 El Salvador4.57Hybrid regime

97 Gambia4.47Hybrid regime

98 Sierra Leone4.44Hybrid regime

99 Georgia4.36Hybrid regime

100 Uganda4.31Hybrid regime

101 Bangladesh4.27Hybrid regime

102 Benin4.26Hybrid regime

103 Turkey4.26Hybrid regime

104 Ivory Coast4.24Hybrid regime

105 Nigeria4.10Hybrid regime

106 Nepal4.01Hybrid regime

107 Angola3.94Authoritarian

108 Mauritania3.84Authoritarian

109 Lebanon3.81Authoritarian

110 Algeria3.55Authoritarian

111 Gabon3.49Authoritarian

112 Palestine3.44Authoritarian

113 Mozambique3.38Authoritarian

114 Rwanda3.34Authoritarian

115 Jordan3.28Authoritarian

116 Kyrgyzstan3.27Authoritarian

117 United Arab Emirates3.18Authoritarian

118 Qatar3.17Authoritarian

119 Ethiopia3.13Authoritarian

120 Iraq3.13Authoritarian

121 Oman3.05Authoritarian

122 Zimbabwe2.98Authoritarian

123 Kazakhstan2.91Authoritarian

124 Togo2.88Authoritarian

125 Comoros2.81Authoritarian

126 Haiti2.81Authoritarian

127 Azerbaijan2.80Authoritarian

128 Egypt2.79Authoritarian

129 Republic of the Congo2.79Authoritarian

130 Kuwait2.78Authoritarian

131 Cambodia2.70Authoritarian

132 Djibouti2.70Authoritarian

133 Vietnam2.62Authoritarian

134 Eswatini2.60Authoritarian

135 Cuba2.58Authoritarian

136 Cameroon2.56Authoritarian

137 Burkina Faso2.55Authoritarian

138 Bahrain2.45Authoritarian

139 Pakistan2.44Authoritarian

140 Mali2.40Authoritarian

141 Libya2.31Authoritarian

142 China2.24Authoritarian

143 Guinea2.15Authoritarian

144 Burundi2.13Authoritarian

145 Venezuela2.13Authoritarian

146 Uzbekistan2.10Authoritarian

147 Saudi Arabia2.08Authoritarian

148 Russia2.03Authoritarian

149 Belarus1.99Authoritarian

150 Eritrea1.97Authoritarian

151 Nicaragua1.97Authoritarian

152 Iran1.96Authoritarian

153 Niger1.95Authoritarian

154 Yemen1.95Authoritarian

155 Tajikistan1.94Authoritarian

156 DR Congo1.92Authoritarian

157 Equatorial Guinea1.92Authoritarian

158 Chad1.76Authoritarian

159 Laos1.71Authoritarian

160 Turkmenistan1.54Authoritarian

161 Sudan1.46Authoritarian

162 Guinea-Bissau1.37Authoritarian

163 Syria1.37Authoritarian

164 Central African Republic1.18Authoritarian

165 North Korea1.08Authoritarian

166 Myanmar0.96Authoritarian

167 Afghanistan0.25Authoritarian

Nordic countries dominate the top of the rankings, with Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland all placing among the world’s six highest-scoring democracies. New Zealand ranks second globally, while Canada and Luxembourg round out the top 10.

At the other end of the spectrum, Afghanistan scores just 0.25 out of 10. Overall, only 15.6% of countries and territories qualify as full democracies, compared with 36.5% classified as authoritarian.

The global average edged upward from 5.17 to 5.19. However, Freedom House recorded its 20th consecutive year of declining global freedom, highlighting continued threats to civil liberties.

Which Countries Experienced the Biggest Democratic Declines?

The table below shows the 10 largest score decreases between 2024 and 2025.

RankCountryScore 2024Score 2025Change (index points)

1 Guinea-Bissau2.031.37-0.66

2 Nepal4.604.01-0.59

3 Pakistan2.842.44-0.40

4 Georgia4.704.36-0.34

5 India7.296.96-0.33

6 Philippines6.636.31-0.32

7 Colombia6.356.04-0.31

8 Niger2.261.95-0.31

9 Madagascar5.335.06-0.27

10 Slovakia7.216.94-0.27

Guinea-Bissau recorded the steepest decline (-0.66), followed by Nepal (-0.59) and Pakistan (-0.40). India also fell by 0.33 points, bringing its score below 7.0, while the Philippines and Colombia registered notable declines.

Guinea-Bissau’s sharp deterioration followed a November 2025 military coup that disrupted elections and undermined civilian rule. Nepal’s political upheaval and Pakistan’s continuing military influence also exposed institutional weaknesses, while restrictions on political opposition and civil liberties contributed to broader democratic backsliding.

Where Did Democracy Improve the Most?

The following table highlights the 10 largest improvements recorded by the EIU.

RankCountryScore 2024Score 2025Change (index points)

1 Gabon2.183.49+1.31

2 Bolivia4.265.38+1.12

3 Canada8.699.08+0.39

4 Argentina6.516.89+0.38

5 Sri Lanka6.196.57+0.38

6 Japan8.488.85+0.37

7 Iraq2.803.13+0.33

8 Thailand6.276.59+0.32

9 Brazil6.496.76+0.27

10 Lebanon3.563.81+0.25

Gabon recorded the largest gain (+1.31), followed by Bolivia (+1.12). Canada also improved by 0.39 points, climbing into the global top 10. Nevertheless, Gabon remains classified as authoritarian despite its substantial improvement.

Gabon’s gains followed its April 2025 presidential election, which marked a transition away from direct military rule, although significant democratic constraints remain. Bolivia’s improvement reflected competitive elections and a peaceful transfer of power, demonstrating how political transitions can strengthen democratic institutions even after prolonged instability.

Why Is American Democracy Declining?

The United States dropped six places to 34th globally, with its Democracy Index score falling from 7.85 to 7.65, its lowest level since the index began in 2006, according to Pew Research Center.

The decline puts the U.S. well behind neighboring Canada, which scored 9.08. The two countries now sit in different categories: Canada is classified as a full democracy, while the U.S. remains a flawed democracy.

The deterioration reflects concerns about executive power, weakened institutional checks, and civil liberties. The V-Dem Institute also identifies significant democratic backsliding in America, raising questions about Washington’s ability to champion democratic institutions internationally.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

For another perspective on democratic institutions, explore Satisfaction with Democracy Declined in High-Income Nations on Voronoi.

Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/mapped-state-of-democracy-around-the-world/