Democracy Index 2020

Democracy Index 2020: In sickness and in health?

Democracy was dealt a major blow in 2020. Almost 70% of countries covered by The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index recorded a decline in their overall score, as country after country locked down to protect lives from a novel coronavirus. The global average score fell to its lowest level since the index began in 2006.

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The state of democracy around the world

The EIU Democracy Index provides a snapshot of the state of world democracy for 165 independent states and two territories. The Democracy Index is based on five categories: electoral process and pluralism, civil liberties, the functioning of government, political participation, and political culture. Based on their scores on 60 indicators within these categories, each country is then itself classified as one of four types of regime: full democracy, flawed democracy, hybrid regime or authoritarian regime.

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Top 5	Country	Score
1	Norway	9.81
2	Iceland	9.37
3	Sweden	9.26
4	New Zealand	9.25
5	Canada	9.24

Bottom 5	Country	Score
163	Chad	1.55
164	Syria	1.43
165	Central African Republic	1.32
166	Dem. Republic of Congo	1.13
167	North Korea	1.08

Democracy Index 2020: In sickness and in health?

Democracy Index 2021: less than half the world lives in a democracy

The state of democracy around the world

2020 Rankings

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We monitor the world to prepare you for what’s ahead

Granular insight on China’s regions, provinces and cities

Book the experts behind the award-winning economic and political forecasts

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