Countries worldwide by regime type

Worldwide, there is a higher number of democracies, either liberal or electoral today than 100 years ago. However, looking at the last 10 years, the numbers of democracies has declined whereas the number of autocracies increased, indicating a democratic decline in the world recently.

Number of countries worldwide from 1900 to 2022, by regime type

Regime type	Liberal democracies	Electoral democracies	Electoral autocracies	Closed autocracies
2022	32	58	58	30
2021	33	58	59	28
2020	36	56	62	24
2019	39	53	62	24
2018	39	55	61	23
2017	40	56	58	24
2016	38	58	58	24
2015	41	54	60	23
2014	41	53	59	23
2013	41	50	63	24
2012	43	51	62	21
2011	43	49	62	23
2010	43	50	60	23
2009	44	47	62	24
2008	44	47	62	24
2007	44	46	62	26
2006	43	49	62	23
2005	42	52	57	26
2004	41	54	52	28
2003	40	53	53	29
2002	39	51	57	29
2001	39	49	54	35
2000	39	46	57	35
1999	38	49	56	34
1998	36	50	59	31
1997	36	48	59	32
1996	36	45	58	34
1995	33	46	55	40
1994	33	44	53	44
1993	33	42	49	50
1992	31	39	50	54
1991	31	35	48	58
1990	29	33	46	63
1989	27	21	44	66
1988	26	22	40	69
1987	26	18	41	72
1986	26	18	43	70
1985	26	17	40	74
1984	24	18	36	77
1983	24	16	37	78
1982	23	18	35	80
1981	23	17	38	78
1980	23	18	38	77
1979	23	16	38	80
1978	23	15	32	85
1977	23	14	35	83
1976	22	15	35	83
1975	20	16	39	81
1974	20	16	38	83
1973	20	15	36	84
1972	20	15	36	84
1971	20	15	38	84
1970	20	16	38	82
1969	19	16	40	81
1968	18	17	42	78
1967	18	16	42	80
1966	18	15	43	80
1965	17	16	45	78
1964	17	16	46	77
1963	17	15	50	74
1962	17	14	46	79
1961	17	13	47	79
1960	17	13	45	80
1959	17	12	38	89
1958	17	11	40	88
1957	17	12	37	90
1956	17	12	31	96
1955	16	12	27	100
1954	16	11	24	105
1953	16	11	24	105
1952	16	11	24	105
1951	15	10	24	107
1950	15	10	24	105
1949	15	8	24	109
1948	13	8	26	107
1947	13	6	29	102
1946	12	5	21	111
1945	7	5	20	116
1944	7	4	16	120
1943	6	5	17	119
1942	6	6	17	118
1941	6	6	18	118
1940	6	6	18	117
1939	9	8	17	116
1938	9	8	19	116
1937	9	8	17	118
1936	9	9	16	118
1935	9	9	15	119
1934	9	9	19	114
1933	9	11	21	109
1932	9	14	19	107
1931	9	13	17	112
1930	9	13	15	115
1929	10	13	16	113
1928	10	13	18	111
1927	10	13	17	111
1926	10	14	20	106
1925	10	15	19	107
1924	9	16	19	107
1923	9	16	20	106
1922	9	14	22	106
1921	8	13	24	103
1920	7	10	24	108
1919	6	7	21	111
1918	5	4	22	110
1917	3	4	25	106
1916	3	4	24	107
1915	4	3	25	102
1914	4	3	24	102
1913	5	3	24	99
1912	4	4	22	101
1911	4	4	21	103
1910	4	4	19	102
1909	4	4	18	102
1908	4	4	18	102
1907	4	4	19	101
1906	4	4	19	101
1905	4	3	22	98
1904	4	3	22	99
1903	4	2	21	99
1902	4	2	21	96
1901	3	2	22	94
1900	3	2	21	95

Loading statistic...

Download

Source

Show detailed source information?

Already a member?

Sources

Use Ask Statista Research Service

Release date

March 2023

More information

Region

Worldwide

Survey time period

1900 to 2022

Supplementary notes

The V-Dem Institute defines the different regimes as follows:
Closed autocracy: citizens do not have the right to choose either the chief executive of the government or the legislature through multi-party elections.

Electoral autocracy: citizens have the right to choose the chief executive and the legislature through multi-party elections; but they lack some freedoms, such as the freedoms of association or expression that make the elections meaningful, free, and fair.

Electoral democracy: citizens have the right to choose the chief executive and the legislature in meaningful, free and fair, and multi-party elections.

Liberal democracy: electoral democracy and citizens enjoy individual and minority rights, are equal before the law, and the actions of the executive are constrained by the legislative and the courts.

Citation formats