Bulgaria vs South Africa: Democratic Features Index

Bulgaria
6.9
in 2025
South Africa
7.1
in 2025
Bulgaria rank
28th
South Africa rank
26th

Democratic Features Index over time

  • Bulgaria
  • South Africa
02468200520152025

How they compare

South Africa currently reports 7.1 against 6.9 in Bulgaria, a difference of 0.2.

The two have swapped places 4 times across 11 shared years of data; in 2005 it was South Africa ahead.

Bulgaria ranks 28th and South Africa ranks 26th of 128 countries.

Across the 3 decades both report, Bulgaria averaged higher in 2 and South Africa in 1.

Head to head by decade

Decade Bulgaria South Africa Difference Ahead
2000s 8.63 8.3 0.3333 Bulgaria
2010s 8.24 7.58 0.66 Bulgaria
2020s 7.15 7.27 0.1167 South Africa

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher democratic features index, Bulgaria or South Africa?
South Africa, at 7.1 against 6.9 in Bulgaria as of 2025.
What is the difference in democratic features index between Bulgaria and South Africa?
0.2, with South Africa ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Bulgaria and South Africa?
11 years are reported by both, from 2005 to 2025.
How do Bulgaria and South Africa rank globally for democratic features index?
Bulgaria ranks 28th and South Africa ranks 26th of 128 countries.
Where does this data come from?
Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Democratic Features Index. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Individual pages

About this data

Indicator
Democratic Features Index
Source
Bertelsmann Transformation Index (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
128 places, 1,394 data points, 2005–2025
Last refreshed

Captures the extent of democratic features — political participation, rule of law, stable democratic institutions, political and social integration, and a capable state. It ranges from 1 to 10 (most democratic).