How does China rank for participatory political institutions index?

China ranks 168th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.

Is participatory political institutions index rising or falling in China?

Over the last ten years it is down 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this China data come from?

The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Participatory Political Institutions Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Participatory Political Institutions Index in China

Name: Participatory Political Institutions Index in China
Creator: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

China: Participatory Political Institutions Index was 0.125 in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)

0.125

Change on year

up 19.0%

World rank

168th

of 176 countries

All-time high

0.177

in 2003

All-time low

0.036

in 1969

Years of data

237

1789–2025

Participatory Political Institutions Index in China, 1789–2025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

The most recent figure for participatory political institutions index in China is 0.125, measured in 2025.

That represents a change of up 19.0% on the previous year and down 8.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, participatory political institutions index in China peaked at 0.177 in 2003 and was at its lowest, 0.036, in 1969.

That places China 168th out of 176 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.

Participatory Political Institutions Index in China, year by year

Annual values for Participatory Political Institutions Index in China, 1789 to 2025.
Year	Value	Change
1789	0.047	—
1790	0.047	+0.0%
1791	0.047	+0.0%
1792	0.047	+0.0%
1793	0.047	+0.0%
1794	0.047	+0.0%
1795	0.047	+0.0%
1796	0.047	+0.0%
1797	0.047	+0.0%
1798	0.047	+0.0%
1799	0.047	+0.0%
1800	0.047	+0.0%
1801	0.047	+0.0%
1802	0.047	+0.0%
1803	0.047	+0.0%
1804	0.047	+0.0%
1805	0.047	+0.0%
1806	0.047	+0.0%
1807	0.047	+0.0%
1808	0.047	+0.0%
1809	0.047	+0.0%
1810	0.047	+0.0%
1811	0.047	+0.0%
1812	0.047	+0.0%
1813	0.047	+0.0%
1814	0.047	+0.0%
1815	0.047	+0.0%
1816	0.047	+0.0%
1817	0.047	+0.0%
1818	0.047	+0.0%
1819	0.047	+0.0%
1820	0.047	+0.0%
1821	0.047	+0.0%
1822	0.047	+0.0%
1823	0.047	+0.0%
1824	0.047	+0.0%
1825	0.047	+0.0%
1826	0.047	+0.0%
1827	0.047	+0.0%
1828	0.047	+0.0%
1829	0.047	+0.0%
1830	0.047	+0.0%
1831	0.047	+0.0%
1832	0.047	+0.0%
1833	0.047	+0.0%
1834	0.047	+0.0%
1835	0.047	+0.0%
1836	0.047	+0.0%
1837	0.047	+0.0%
1838	0.047	+0.0%
1839	0.047	+0.0%
1840	0.047	+0.0%
1841	0.047	+0.0%
1842	0.047	+0.0%
1843	0.047	+0.0%
1844	0.047	+0.0%
1845	0.047	+0.0%
1846	0.047	+0.0%
1847	0.047	+0.0%
1848	0.047	+0.0%
1849	0.047	+0.0%
1850	0.047	+0.0%
1851	0.047	+0.0%
1852	0.047	+0.0%
1853	0.047	+0.0%
1854	0.047	+0.0%
1855	0.047	+0.0%
1856	0.047	+0.0%
1857	0.047	+0.0%
1858	0.047	+0.0%
1859	0.047	+0.0%
1860	0.047	+0.0%
1861	0.047	+0.0%
1862	0.047	+0.0%
1863	0.047	+0.0%
1864	0.047	+0.0%
1865	0.047	+0.0%
1866	0.047	+0.0%
1867	0.047	+0.0%
1868	0.047	+0.0%
1869	0.047	+0.0%
1870	0.047	+0.0%
1871	0.047	+0.0%
1872	0.047	+0.0%
1873	0.047	+0.0%
1874	0.047	+0.0%
1875	0.047	+0.0%
1876	0.047	+0.0%
1877	0.047	+0.0%
1878	0.047	+0.0%
1879	0.047	+0.0%
1880	0.047	+0.0%
1881	0.047	+0.0%
1882	0.047	+0.0%
1883	0.047	+0.0%
1884	0.047	+0.0%
1885	0.047	+0.0%
1886	0.047	+0.0%
1887	0.047	+0.0%
1888	0.047	+0.0%
1889	0.047	+0.0%
1890	0.047	+0.0%
1891	0.047	+0.0%
1892	0.047	+0.0%
1893	0.047	+0.0%
1894	0.047	+0.0%
1895	0.047	+0.0%
1896	0.063	+34.0%
1897	0.063	+0.0%
1898	0.063	+0.0%
1899	0.046	-27.0%
1900	0.049	+6.5%
1901	0.057	+16.3%
1902	0.057	+0.0%
1903	0.057	+0.0%
1904	0.057	+0.0%
1905	0.057	+0.0%
1906	0.057	+0.0%
1907	0.057	+0.0%
1908	0.057	+0.0%
1909	0.06	+5.3%
1910	0.06	+0.0%
1911	0.066	+10.0%
1912	0.112	+69.7%
1913	0.13	+16.1%
1914	0.13	+0.0%
1915	0.13	+0.0%
1916	0.13	+0.0%
1917	0.129	-0.8%
1918	0.129	+0.0%
1919	0.141	+9.3%
1920	0.131	-7.1%
1921	0.131	+0.0%
1922	0.131	+0.0%
1923	0.131	+0.0%
1924	0.131	+0.0%
1925	0.132	+0.8%
1926	0.132	+0.0%
1927	0.156	+18.2%
1928	0.127	-18.6%
1929	0.138	+8.7%
1930	0.13	-5.8%
1931	0.13	+0.0%
1932	0.13	+0.0%
1933	0.13	+0.0%
1934	0.13	+0.0%
1935	0.13	+0.0%
1936	0.138	+6.2%
1937	0.136	-1.4%
1938	0.137	+0.7%
1939	0.137	+0.0%
1940	0.137	+0.0%
1941	0.137	+0.0%
1942	0.137	+0.0%
1943	0.137	+0.0%
1944	0.137	+0.0%
1945	0.137	+0.0%
1946	0.137	+0.0%
1947	0.137	+0.0%
1948	0.137	+0.0%
1949	0.102	-25.5%
1950	0.053	-48.0%
1951	0.053	+0.0%
1952	0.053	+0.0%
1953	0.053	+0.0%
1954	0.053	+0.0%
1955	0.053	+0.0%
1956	0.053	+0.0%
1957	0.038	-28.3%
1958	0.038	+0.0%
1959	0.038	+0.0%
1960	0.038	+0.0%
1961	0.038	+0.0%
1962	0.038	+0.0%
1963	0.038	+0.0%
1964	0.038	+0.0%
1965	0.038	+0.0%
1966	0.044	+15.8%
1967	0.044	+0.0%
1968	0.044	+0.0%
1969	0.036	-18.2%
1970	0.036	+0.0%
1971	0.036	+0.0%
1972	0.036	+0.0%
1973	0.043	+19.4%
1974	0.043	+0.0%
1975	0.043	+0.0%
1976	0.043	+0.0%
1977	0.041	-4.7%
1978	0.045	+9.8%
1979	0.068	+51.1%
1980	0.091	+33.8%
1981	0.089	-2.2%
1982	0.089	+0.0%
1983	0.09	+1.1%
1984	0.09	+0.0%
1985	0.09	+0.0%
1986	0.09	+0.0%
1987	0.104	+15.6%
1988	0.104	+0.0%
1989	0.092	-11.5%
1990	0.103	+12.0%
1991	0.105	+1.9%
1992	0.123	+17.1%
1993	0.115	-6.5%
1994	0.115	+0.0%
1995	0.114	-0.9%
1996	0.123	+7.9%
1997	0.117	-4.9%
1998	0.117	+0.0%
1999	0.119	+1.7%
2000	0.135	+13.4%
2001	0.135	+0.0%
2002	0.14	+3.7%
2003	0.177	+26.4%
2004	0.177	+0.0%
2005	0.161	-9.0%
2006	0.161	+0.0%
2007	0.159	-1.2%
2008	0.168	+5.7%
2009	0.17	+1.2%
2010	0.158	-7.1%
2011	0.16	+1.3%
2012	0.161	+0.6%
2013	0.142	-11.8%
2014	0.142	+0.0%
2015	0.136	-4.2%
2016	0.129	-5.1%
2017	0.137	+6.2%
2018	0.127	-7.3%
2019	0.127	+0.0%
2020	0.126	-0.8%
2021	0.124	-1.6%
2022	0.127	+2.4%
2023	0.111	-12.6%
2024	0.105	-5.4%
2025	0.125	+19.0%

China compared with similar countries

China's 0.125 is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 0.524, 24% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
China's 0.125 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.4725, 26% of the median. (22 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1780s	0.047	0.047	0.047	1
1790s	0.047	0.047	0.047	10
1800s	0.047	0.047	0.047	10
1810s	0.047	0.047	0.047	10
1820s	0.047	0.047	0.047	10
1830s	0.047	0.047	0.047	10
1840s	0.047	0.047	0.047	10
1850s	0.047	0.047	0.047	10
1860s	0.047	0.047	0.047	10
1870s	0.047	0.047	0.047	10
1880s	0.047	0.047	0.047	10
1890s	0.0517	0.046	0.063	10
1900s	0.0565	0.049	0.06	10
1910s	0.1157	0.06	0.141	10
1920s	0.134	0.127	0.156	10
1930s	0.1328	0.13	0.138	10
1940s	0.1335	0.102	0.137	10
1950s	0.0485	0.038	0.053	10
1960s	0.0396	0.036	0.044	10
1970s	0.0434	0.036	0.068	10
1980s	0.0929	0.089	0.104	10
1990s	0.1151	0.103	0.123	10
2000s	0.1583	0.135	0.177	10
2010s	0.1419	0.127	0.161	10
2020s	0.1197	0.105	0.127	6

Countries ranked near China

165 Cuba 0.134 compare
166 Hong Kong 0.131 compare
167 Qatar 0.128 compare
169 Iran 0.101 compare
169 Saudi Arabia 0.101 compare
171 Azerbaijan 0.097 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for China

Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 49.4 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 75.5 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 303.29 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 18.8 (2050)
Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 303.29 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 165.62 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 206.2 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 350.74 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 1,480 (2050)
Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 102.37 (2050)

All data for China →

Frequently asked questions

What is participatory political institutions index in China?: Participatory political institutions index in China was 0.125 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest participatory political institutions index recorded in China?: The highest recorded value was 0.177 in 2003.
What is the lowest participatory political institutions index recorded in China?: The lowest recorded value was 0.036 in 1969.
How does China rank for participatory political institutions index?: China ranks 168th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is participatory political institutions index rising or falling in China?: Over the last ten years it is down 8.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this China data come from?: The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Participatory Political Institutions Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Participatory Political Institutions Index in China. Statizoid, drawing on V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 23 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/participatory-political-institutions-index/china/

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About this data

Indicator: Participatory Political Institutions Index
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 176 places, 29,844 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Central estimate of the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.