Democracy in Australia
Australia: Democracy was 7 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
7
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
1st
of 198 countries
All-time high
7
in 1901
All-time low
0
in 1789
Years of data
237
1789–2025
Democracy in Australia, 1789–2025
Source: Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for democracy in Australia is 7, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 237 years on record.
That represents a change of unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy in Australia peaked at 7 in 1901 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1789.
Australia ranks 1st of 198 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Democracy in Australia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | 0 | — |
| 1790 | 0 | — |
| 1791 | 0 | — |
| 1792 | 0 | — |
| 1793 | 0 | — |
| 1794 | 0 | — |
| 1795 | 0 | — |
| 1796 | 0 | — |
| 1797 | 0 | — |
| 1798 | 0 | — |
| 1799 | 0 | — |
| 1800 | 0 | — |
| 1801 | 0 | — |
| 1802 | 0 | — |
| 1803 | 0 | — |
| 1804 | 0 | — |
| 1805 | 0 | — |
| 1806 | 0 | — |
| 1807 | 0 | — |
| 1808 | 0 | — |
| 1809 | 0 | — |
| 1810 | 0 | — |
| 1811 | 0 | — |
| 1812 | 0 | — |
| 1813 | 0 | — |
| 1814 | 0 | — |
| 1815 | 0 | — |
| 1816 | 0 | — |
| 1817 | 0 | — |
| 1818 | 0 | — |
| 1819 | 0 | — |
| 1820 | 0 | — |
| 1821 | 0 | — |
| 1822 | 0 | — |
| 1823 | 0 | — |
| 1824 | 0 | — |
| 1825 | 0 | — |
| 1826 | 0 | — |
| 1827 | 0 | — |
| 1828 | 0 | — |
| 1829 | 0 | — |
| 1830 | 0 | — |
| 1831 | 0 | — |
| 1832 | 0 | — |
| 1833 | 0 | — |
| 1834 | 0 | — |
| 1835 | 0 | — |
| 1836 | 0 | — |
| 1837 | 0 | — |
| 1838 | 0 | — |
| 1839 | 0 | — |
| 1840 | 0 | — |
| 1841 | 0 | — |
| 1842 | 0 | — |
| 1843 | 2 | — |
| 1844 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1845 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1846 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1847 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1848 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1849 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1850 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1851 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1852 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1853 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1854 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1855 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1857 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1858 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1859 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1860 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1861 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1862 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1863 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1864 | 2 | +0.0% |
| 1865 | 4 | +100.0% |
| 1866 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1867 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1868 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1869 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1870 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1871 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1872 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1873 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1874 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1875 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1876 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1877 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1878 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1879 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1880 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1881 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1882 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1883 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1884 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1885 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1886 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1887 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1888 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1889 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1890 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1891 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1892 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1893 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1894 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1895 | 4 | +0.0% |
| 1896 | 5 | +25.0% |
| 1897 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1898 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1899 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1900 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1901 | 7 | +40.0% |
| 1902 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 6 | -14.3% |
| 1915 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 1920 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 6 | -14.3% |
| 1940 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 7 | +16.7% |
| 1947 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1967 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 7 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 7 | +0.0% |
Australia compared with similar countries
- Australia's 7 is above the median for high income countries, which is 7, 1.0× the median. (64 countries reporting)
- Australia's 7 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 7, 1.0× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1780s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 1790s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1800s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1810s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1820s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1830s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1840s | 1.4 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 1850s | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| 1860s | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| 1870s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1880s | 4 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
| 1890s | 4.4 | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| 1900s | 6.8 | 5 | 7 | 10 |
| 1910s | 6.5 | 6 | 7 | 10 |
| 1920s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 1930s | 6.9 | 6 | 7 | 10 |
| 1940s | 6.4 | 6 | 7 | 10 |
| 1950s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 1960s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 1970s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 1980s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 1990s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 2000s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 2010s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 10 |
| 2020s | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Australia
- 1 Andorra 7 compare
- 1 Antigua and Barbuda 7 compare
- 1 Argentina 7 compare
- 1 Austria 7 compare
- 1 Bahamas 7 compare
- 1 Barbados 7 compare
- 1 Belgium 7 compare
- 1 Belize 7 compare
- 1 Brazil 7 compare
- 1 Bulgaria 7 compare
- 1 Canada 7 compare
- 1 Cape Verde 7 compare
- 1 Chile 7 compare
- 1 Costa Rica 7 compare
- 1 Croatia 7 compare
- 1 Cyprus 7 compare
- 1 Czechia 7 compare
- 1 Denmark 7 compare
- 1 Dominica 7 compare
- 1 Dominican Republic 7 compare
- 1 Estonia 7 compare
- 1 Fiji 7 compare
- 1 Finland 7 compare
- 1 France 7 compare
- 1 Germany 7 compare
- 1 Ghana 7 compare
- 1 Greece 7 compare
- 1 Grenada 7 compare
- 1 Guyana 7 compare
- 1 Iceland 7 compare
- 1 Ireland 7 compare
- 1 Italy 7 compare
- 1 Jamaica 7 compare
- 1 Japan 7 compare
- 1 Kiribati 7 compare
- 1 Latvia 7 compare
- 1 Lithuania 7 compare
- 1 Luxembourg 7 compare
- 1 Malta 7 compare
- 1 Marshall Islands 7 compare
- 1 Mauritius 7 compare
- 1 Micronesia (country) 7 compare
- 1 Mongolia 7 compare
- 1 Namibia 7 compare
- 1 Nauru 7 compare
- 1 Netherlands 7 compare
- 1 New Zealand 7 compare
- 1 Norway 7 compare
- 1 Palau 7 compare
- 1 Panama 7 compare
- 1 Papua New Guinea 7 compare
- 1 Poland 7 compare
- 1 Portugal 7 compare
- 1 Romania 7 compare
- 1 Saint Kitts and Nevis 7 compare
- 1 Saint Lucia 7 compare
- 1 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 7 compare
- 1 Samoa 7 compare
- 1 San Marino 7 compare
- 1 Sao Tome and Principe 7 compare
- 1 Seychelles 7 compare
- 1 Slovenia 7 compare
- 1 South Africa 7 compare
- 1 South Korea 7 compare
- 1 Spain 7 compare
- 1 Suriname 7 compare
- 1 Sweden 7 compare
- 1 Switzerland 7 compare
- 1 Taiwan 7 compare
- 1 Tonga 7 compare
- 1 Trinidad and Tobago 7 compare
- 1 Tuvalu 7 compare
- 1 United Kingdom 7 compare
- 1 United States 7 compare
- 1 Uruguay 7 compare
- 1 Vanuatu 7 compare
More public sector data for Australia
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected 1 (2025)
- Elected parliament 1 (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote 1 (2025)
- Competitive elections 1 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy in Australia?
- Democracy in Australia was 7 in 2025, according to Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy recorded in Australia?
- The highest recorded value was 7 in 1901.
- What is the lowest democracy recorded in Australia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1789.
- How does Australia rank for democracy?
- Australia ranks 1st out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is democracy rising or falling in Australia?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Australia data come from?
- The figures come from Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Democracy. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 237 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Identifies the political regime of a country. It distinguishes between non-electoral autocracies (score 0), one-party autocracies (score 1), multi-party autocracies without elected executive (score 2), multi-party autocracies (score 3), exclusive democracies (score 4), male democracies (score 5), electoral democracies (score 6), and full democracies (score 7).