Democracy in Cuba
Cuba: Democracy was 1 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
160th
of 198 countries
All-time high
6
in 1940
All-time low
0
in 1789
Years of data
237
1789–2025
Democracy in Cuba, 1789–2025
Source: Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
Cuba recorded 1 for democracy in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, democracy in Cuba peaked at 6 in 1940 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1789.
That places Cuba 160th out of 198 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Democracy in Cuba, 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 | 0 | — |
| 1844 | 0 | — |
| 1845 | 0 | — |
| 1846 | 0 | — |
| 1847 | 0 | — |
| 1848 | 0 | — |
| 1849 | 0 | — |
| 1850 | 0 | — |
| 1851 | 0 | — |
| 1852 | 0 | — |
| 1853 | 0 | — |
| 1854 | 0 | — |
| 1855 | 0 | — |
| 1856 | 0 | — |
| 1857 | 0 | — |
| 1858 | 0 | — |
| 1859 | 0 | — |
| 1860 | 0 | — |
| 1861 | 0 | — |
| 1862 | 0 | — |
| 1863 | 0 | — |
| 1864 | 0 | — |
| 1865 | 0 | — |
| 1866 | 0 | — |
| 1867 | 0 | — |
| 1868 | 0 | — |
| 1869 | 0 | — |
| 1870 | 0 | — |
| 1871 | 0 | — |
| 1872 | 0 | — |
| 1873 | 0 | — |
| 1874 | 0 | — |
| 1875 | 0 | — |
| 1876 | 0 | — |
| 1877 | 0 | — |
| 1878 | 0 | — |
| 1879 | 0 | — |
| 1880 | 0 | — |
| 1881 | 0 | — |
| 1882 | 0 | — |
| 1883 | 0 | — |
| 1884 | 0 | — |
| 1885 | 0 | — |
| 1886 | 0 | — |
| 1887 | 0 | — |
| 1888 | 0 | — |
| 1889 | 0 | — |
| 1890 | 0 | — |
| 1891 | 0 | — |
| 1892 | 0 | — |
| 1893 | 0 | — |
| 1894 | 0 | — |
| 1895 | 0 | — |
| 1896 | 0 | — |
| 1897 | 0 | — |
| 1898 | 0 | — |
| 1899 | 0 | — |
| 1900 | 0 | — |
| 1901 | 1 | — |
| 1902 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1907 | 0 | — |
| 1908 | 3 | — |
| 1909 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1926 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1929 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1932 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1934 | 0 | — |
| 1935 | 0 | — |
| 1936 | 3 | — |
| 1937 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 6 | +100.0% |
| 1941 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 6 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1953 | 0 | — |
| 1954 | 1 | — |
| 1955 | 3 | +200.0% |
| 1956 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 1 | -66.7% |
| 1959 | 0 | -100.0% |
| 1960 | 0 | — |
| 1961 | 0 | — |
| 1962 | 0 | — |
| 1963 | 0 | — |
| 1964 | 0 | — |
| 1965 | 0 | — |
| 1966 | 0 | — |
| 1967 | 0 | — |
| 1968 | 0 | — |
| 1969 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | — |
| 1971 | 0 | — |
| 1972 | 0 | — |
| 1973 | 0 | — |
| 1974 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 1 | — |
| 1977 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 1 | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 1 | +0.0% |
Cuba compared with similar countries
- Cuba's 1 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 6, 17% of the median. (58 countries reporting)
- Cuba's 1 is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 7, 14% of the median. (33 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 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1850s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1860s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1870s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1880s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1890s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1900s | 1.1 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 1910s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 1920s | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 1930s | 1.7 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
| 1940s | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 |
| 1950s | 2.3 | 0 | 6 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.4 | 0 | 1 | 10 |
| 1980s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 2020s | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Cuba
- 160 Belarus 1 compare
- 160 Cambodia 1 compare
- 160 Eswatini 1 compare
- 160 Guinea 1 compare
- 160 Laos 1 compare
- 160 Nicaragua 1 compare
- 160 North Korea 1 compare
- 160 Oman 1 compare
- 160 Russia 1 compare
- 160 Syria 1 compare
- 160 Tunisia 1 compare
- 160 Turkmenistan 1 compare
- 160 Venezuela 1 compare
- 160 Vietnam 1 compare
- 160 Western Sahara 1 compare
More public sector data for Cuba
- 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 0 (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is democracy in Cuba?
- Democracy in Cuba was 1 in 2025, according to Lexical Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest democracy recorded in Cuba?
- The highest recorded value was 6 in 1940.
- What is the lowest democracy recorded in Cuba?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1789.
- How does Cuba rank for democracy?
- Cuba ranks 160th out of 198 countries with data for 2025.
- Is democracy rising or falling in Cuba?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Cuba 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).